Quebec’s audiovisual industry experienced a record year in terms of economic spinoffs in 2021. For all sectors combined — local production, foreign filming, visual effects and animation — we are talking about a volume of $2.5 billion in direct spending on Quebec soil.
Posted at 10:13 a.m.
This is what we retain from the annual report of the Office of Cinema and Television of Quebec (BCTQ) published Thursday.
After a complex year 2020 due to the health measures surrounding COVID-19, the Quebec audiovisual industry has not only regained its pre-pandemic production level, but it has exceeded it, reports the President and CEO of the BCTQ, Christine Maestracci, through a press release.
Foreign shoots in Quebec have greatly contributed to the phenomenon. This sector had its best year in 2021 with 470 million in economic spinoffs, according to the Society for the Development of Cultural Enterprises (SODEC). This is a growth of more than 30% compared to 2019, when the fallout was estimated at 360 million.
In total, the BCTQ counted 21 foreign shoots in 2021, i.e. 8 series and 13 films. In 2019, 30 foreign shoots in Quebec were identified. The difference lies in the scope of the series hosted in Quebec last year. Among them are noted Three Pines Amazon studios and Ghosts from CBC Television Studios/Lionsgate Television.
Another significant factor: 2021 was marked by the reception of the mega-filming of Transformers 7: Rise of the Beasts from Paramount Pictures.
According to the BCTQ report, the visual effects sector also had a record year with $780 million in economic spinoffs, an increase of 25% compared to 2019. The Bureau recalls that Montreal remains one of the three largest hubs in the world in visual effects. The sector recorded an average annual growth of 27% between 2009 and 2019. Among the projects that Quebec studios worked on last year were feature films Fantastic Beasts: Dumbledore’s Secrets (Warner Bros) and moonfall (Centropolis Entertainment). On the side of the series, let us quote The mysterious Benedict circle (Disney) and Stranger Things (Netflix).
For its part, the animation sector accounts for $171 million in economic spinoffs. The BCTQ speaks of “sustained growth” for five years.
Finally, Quebec film and television production came back in force in 2021, underlines the BCTQ.