This year’s field of Academy Awards Best Picture nominees was particularly interesting for a few reasons. First, it was obvious that the crippling writers strike, coupled with all the talk of a recession and the general feeling of gloom and doom, left Hollywood on a big downer. And it didn’t help that none of the Best Picture nominees were shot in the town that once ruled supreme, with regard to stages and back lots.

Hollywood may still be the sentimental center of the film universe, but when it comes down to the harsh realities of the rapidly changing economics of shooting, the competition of growing production capabilities, aggressive tax incentives, and subsidies is increasing on a global level. This month, P3 looks at the latest developments taking place in studios and stages worldwide.

CANADA

Like Vancouver, which is often referred to as “Hollywood North” because of its great stage space and experience, Toronto has long offered filmmakers great infrastructure, experienced crews, gifted actors, and world-class suppliers. But it’s no secret that the city has also been running under-capacity and is losing market share because it can’t offer the purpose-built stages offered by competitors.

But all that is about to change with the new 50-acre film and television production complex, FILMPORT, which is nearing the completion. Operated by Toronto Film Studios, which is already Canada’s largest studio facility, FILMPORT will add 260,000 square feet of new, state-of-the-art production facilities to Toronto Film Studios’ existing 17 sound stages and over 360,000 square feet of production space.

“By April, we will open six brand new stages, ranging from 10,000 square feet up to 18,000 square feet,” reports Ken Ferguson, president of Filmport Inc. “They’re all purpose-built with AC and mega power, and even wired with fiber so that images can be sent directly to post production houses or editing bays ─ or wherever they have to go, anywhere in the world.”

All stages are 40 feet minimum to the grid, “and the grids are designed to hold exceptional loads for lighting and special effects, so this is the real deal and very exciting for us,” adds Ferguson. “It’s what this city has needed for a long time.”
Ferguson is equally excited about the project’s 45,900 square feet Mega Stage, the largest feature-quality sound stage in North America. “It’s got 60 feet clear height, it’s 180 feet wide by 255 feet long, big enough to enclose the Parthenon,” he reports. “It’s under construction now, the arched steel for the big barrel-vaulted roof is going up, and it’s an amazing sight to see this structure soaring 110 feet into the air here.”

The complex is already attracting “a lot of interest in Hollywood,” he adds, “but the distraction of the writers strike and potential SAG strike has got in the way a little. However, we’re getting a lot of inquiries, and whatever happens, it’s a major event for the city.

“Toronto has a long history of filmmaking; we have over 30,000 people in the industry and we have so much infrastructure, from Deluxe and Technicolor, to big lighting houses and effects places. So we have all that ability to do major feature films, and these new stages will hopefully turn it around for us.”