Despite direct expenditures of 526 million in 2022, the number of foreign film shoots in Quebec has seen a slight decline over the past year, said the Office of Cinema and Television of Quebec (BCTQ). A situation he would like to correct.
The economic benefits of foreign filming in Quebec are significant. After all, the 526 million direct expenses in 2022 represent an increase of 12% compared to 2021, a peak for the audiovisual industry in Quebec, according to the most recent data recorded by the organization.
But these figures must be nuanced, says Christine Maestracci, president and general manager of the BCTQ, because they include important shootings, such as Transformers: Rise of the Beastswhich was carried out in 2021, but whose tax credits were “certified by SODEC” in 2022.
The truth is that Quebec has fewer film shoots in 2022 than in 2021 – a total of 20, including ten films and ten series.
What we see is that we shoot more series than blockbusters. Until recently, there were two or three series. We had 10 last year. We hope the series Ghost (on CBC) will continue, that there will be a season 2 to Three Pines (Amazon), which was shot in Estrie. But blockbusters like transformerswith budgets of more than 100 million, we have less.
Christine Maestracci, President and General Manager of the BCTQ
This stagnation – between 20 and 25 foreign shoots per year – Christine Maestracci explains it in particular by the fact that “about fifteen jurisdictions”, in Canada, as well as internationally, have set up, for two or three years, “extremely aggressive” tax incentives that allow them to monopolize “a significant share of foreign filming”.
“In Canada, there is fierce competition, whether in Ontario, Alberta or British Columbia, but elsewhere in the world as well. In Atlanta, in London, in Paris, they are investing heavily in infrastructure, workforce training programs and tax incentives to attract foreign shoots. On the ground, we can see that we have lost several projects this year,” observes Christine Maestracci.
Law 96 misunderstood by Hollywood
The president and general manager of the BCTQ also evokes the adoption of law 96 on French as a common language (in May 2022), which was, according to her, misunderstood by the Hollywood industry, and which undoubtedly did so. to move back.
According to her, some understood, wrongly, that they could not work in English in Quebec, even if there was an amendment to the law for foreign productions.
It’s as if we had given additional arguments to other jurisdictions, to say: you know, in Quebec, we have to shoot in French. While it is false. It allowed our detractors to perpetuate a kind of myth, which must be undone every day in our communications. We must constantly reassure producers to tell them that they can very well shoot in their language in Quebec and that they will be well received.
Christine Maestracci, President and General Manager of the BCTQ
What to do in this case to regain these shoots? “It is clear that we need a commitment from our government towards the audiovisual sector to put in place incentives. Financial measures need to be put in place. We also have to think about working in recurrence and in volume with certain players, who would be very happy, because they really like the ecosystem of Quebec, they would like to be able to settle here and create something lasting and structuring for the entire industry. »
International and local production are communicating vessels, recalls the president and general manager of the BCTQ.
“The more foreign investment we receive, the more we are able to make our infrastructure profitable and amortize, to do virtual production and to train people,” she insists. This ecosystem makes Quebec shine and it must be maintained, it is fragile. Otherwise competition will cause us to lose our specialized workforce. They’ll just go somewhere else. Not far, but in Ottawa or Toronto. »
The BCTQ recalls in its report that all sectors combined (foreign filming, local production, animation and visual effects) represent a volume of 2.6 billion in direct expenditure made in Quebec – up 4% compared to 2021. An industry that employs more than 55,000 workers. “It’s still not marginal, it has a significant impact on Quebec’s GDP,” said Christine Maestracci.
The rising animation
The animation sector experienced a spectacular rise in 2022. The production of animation services generated 329 million in direct expenditure, an increase of 92% compared to 2021.
Among the most important productions, the BCTQ mentions Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem ; The Addams Family 2 ; Scoob! Holiday Haunt or Curious George.
Christine Maestracci, who recalls the upcoming presentation of the VES (Visual Effects Society) Awards, which rewards the visual effects of the film industry – a sector which brought in 740 million in 2022 in Quebec – mentions the participation of Quebec studios in the production of Pinnochio or wednesday.
Local production – fueled in 2022 by two new players, Noovo (with new fiction) and Vrai (with documentary, lifestyle and reality series), has seen a slight decline, but remains significant (with direct expenditure close to of 1 billion). “It is very lively and resilient, and we must continue to promote it on the international scene”, concludes Christine Maestracci.