WHO TO CALL:

Community Editor
Andrew McCredie
985-2131 (113) 985-2131 (118)

T WOULD hap-
‘pen if the Amieri-
cans left?

was the question on the fips — or at
least the minds —— of every other
member of B.C.’s burgeoning film

Today, with Hollywood North's
rose in full bloom, that chorus. of
gnawing concern has been drowned

ut, by the clamor of work —- $350

g million worth in 1994, trumpeted as
# the industry’s biggest year ever.

_ While many are celebrating what
seems to be-a never-ending boom,
West Vancouver producer Matthew
O’Connor’ isn't breaking out the
champagne yet. To him, the underly-
ng. flaw, the unspoken fear behind
the “American question remains.
When you consider that as much as
80%: of. the film work in B.C. origi-
nates outside: the province, it’s no
wonder the bubbly remains uncorked.

“People look at us (local produc-
ers). and say. ‘What are’ you com-
d plaining about; isn’t the industry
‘doing great?’ Yes it is, but it’s a real
banana republic,” laments O’Connor.
‘American companies are, in 4 sense,

oming here. and .clearcutting our ”

+ money and we'll turn this into a great,

‘industry,’ says O’Connor, newly
elected chairman of the group.

‘forests: and. :keeping the profits.
They're: not.interested in the long-

term health of the industry. And very.,

Entertainment Editor
Layne Christensen

2, Bisa
tN gel

little of the
community.

As a result, he and a group of

ociates have formed what they say
is the first voice representing B.C.
film producers, They're calling it the
new B.C. branch of the Canadian
Film and Television Production
Association (CFTPA). a national pro-
ducer’s group.

One of the fledgling entity's first
priorities will be convincing the B.C.
government of the merits of a provin-
cial tax incentive program.

B.C. has lost. a huge amount of
film business to Ontario and Quebec
because of inequity created by
provincially funded programs in both
provinces, says O’Connor. The group
wants a level playing field with film-
makers across the country.

_ ‘In Ontario, for every dollar spent
through a tax /rebate program, they
get back $1.27 in direct taxation rev-
enues, That’s pretty impressive. If
B.C. followed suit, it would stand to
make a real windfail.”

O'Connor conceded that govern-
ment hasn't exactly rushed to the aid

money stays in the

~ of local producers: But those produc-

ers, he points out, have never told
government what they need. -

“Government has generally lis-_

tened but it’s been easy for them to do
nothing because there’s never been an
engine to drive the train, What we’re
saying now is, give us’a little seed

Lat” CORNER SUITES WITH WRAP

.
NEWS photo Paul McGrath

AS MUCH as 80% of the film work in B.C. originates outside the province, says West Van film-maker
Matthew O'Connor, who is concerned over the future of Vancouver's filmindustry.

While few producers have been so

‘frustrated by the inequities they’ve

opted to leave the province, most are
adopting a hopeful outlook. “We're a
pretty determined bunch,” says
O’Connor, adding he believes B.C.
film-makers can compete with any-

_one in the world. His company,
‘Pacific Motion Pictures, the largest
‘film production company west of -

Toronto, generated about $120 mil-
lion of work in the past three years.

CONCRETE:
CONSTRUCTION

. ‘We have to make people under-_

stand that if they want any perma-
nence to our industry, we've got to
put money back into the community

so we stop losing our best entrepre- :

neurial minds to the East and the U.S.
“It's incredi

look at us (B.C. producers) and say
we're crazy (i.e. the locai film biz has
never been so good). But we really
have become second-class citizens in

; ly hard to make the.
argument, though, because people

our own industry.” : ‘
The. group, which already has

about 10 members, was initially leery

of joining a “central: Caradian-biased

organization.” But after lengthy. dis-

cussions, O’Connor says it was “‘con- .
vinced the CFTPA’ was .a_ national
organization with similar goals to us.”

In addition to lobbying for a tax
incentive program, the B.C. branch is
also involved in negotiating collective

agreements with labor organizations. .

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