Sh

LIGHTS, camera, action.

And, if vou’re living in North Vancouver, expect lots ofall three in your future.

Regardless ‘of what you think of modern film and TV productions, the business of show business is driving a whole new area of the local economy.

Cue soundtrack oy ringing cash registers.

And if North Vancouver District plays its cazds right, Hollywood North could soon become Hollywood North Vancouver.

Turn up that soundtrack’s volume and throw in some enthusiastic audience applause for economic development potential, of which you can’t get too much in the volatile

world economy.

The PriceWaterhouseCoopers film film and TV industry report pre-

. sented to North Vancouver - District council on Monday night includes some impres- sive statistics.’ ~ ._It’s'no secret to anyone ‘~ who’s halfway paying atten- tien that film and TV produc- tion is increasingly becoming big business in B.C. A Canadian dollar that’s a weak

- Sister to its American counter:

part coupled with B.C.’s__- matchless natural endowments. and an increasingly de

talent pool have pushe province to the der neta of North American film Produc:

a ccording to the report, Greater. Vancouver is now the

TORE

York boast bigger numbers.

From 1986 to 1999, B.C. enjoyed a 792% increase in the number of film productions shot in the province — from 25 to 198. It currently hosts the highest volume of exter- nally financed productions in Canada. That's new meney, citizens, not the recycled domestic stuff,

Its impact on B.C.’s econ- omy is equally impressive: an estimated $3 billion and 20,000 jobs in 1999. And 97% of productions in B.C. are manned by local crews.

Even more impressive for patochial flag-wavers on this side of the inlet: the two North Vincouvers are the favoured choice for film pro-

- ductions that come to B.C.

Of the 198 shot in B.C last year, 54% (82 in North Vancouver District; 24 in North Vancouver City) were shot here.

Average annual growth in the number of productions shot in North Vancouver is a

. staggering 63%.

Close to 3,000 pzople are now employed directly by the film industry in North Vancouver. Direct earnings

* from that employment are ‘over $60 million. An ‘estimat- ed $578 million was spent

locally on films, resulting in

close to $1.6 billion in indi- rect spinofs for the local economy.

Aside from those fiscal benefits, the industry has helped esrablish a full-time Professional Film Studies pro- gram at Capilano College.

A Youth in Film program, spearheaded in 1998 by dis- trict Coun. Lisa Muni, helps introduce local young people to the film industry through a pre-employment course thar matches youth with industry mentors.

Apart from vegetation occasionally trampled in local parks and the odd inconve- nient street closure, the film industry is a largely non-pol- lating, low-impact, big-return enterprise.

The promise it holds for Jocal youth employment is worth the price of admission alone.

North Vancouver and the | rest of the North Shore need to cultivate as many non-pol- luting, low-impact, American- dollar-drawing enterprises as they can get.

The future for ‘heavy indus- try along the arca’s waterfront is far from guaranteed.

As discussed in a previous Ripping Yarn, those industries already face a significant tax squeeze when contpared with residential taxpayers. Chemical production plants just don’t have the same sex appeal they had in decades past.

At some point, push may come to shove and those industries could walk — leav- ing large holes in local employment options and tax rolls. North Vancouver is uniquely positioned to secure

"RUNS JUNE 30.

jw business a big busi

an enduring future in films.

It’s already internatianally renowned as a film production bub, with Lions Gste Studios as that hubd’s centre.

{r makes sense then to solidify that leadership role by aggressively cultivating local film industry facilities.

An accompanying staif report to district counci! on Monday night identifies a Vancouver Port Authority site on the north side of the Dollarton Highway in the 2400-block of Maplewood North as a prime location for a film studio and production faciliry.

The 39-acre property is adjacent to the Canadian International College. Figuring 60% coverage, the buildable area is estimated at 1,019,304 sq. ft. (94,694 sq. m).

By comparison Lions Gate Studios, Canada’s largest stu- dio production centre, sits on a 14-acre site with 107,500 sq. ft. (9,987 sq. m) of sound stages and production facili- ties.

Other numbers of interest

to pencil-squeezers: site devel-.

opment would generate 900

i i 1 4 i zi

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to 2,600 jobs; annual munici- pal tay revenue: from SET million to $2.4 million.

Apart from anything else, the studio development, if fully realized, would establish Vancouver as the number two film and television production area in North America.

Chew on that stat fora moment.

That's bigger than New York and second only to Los Angeles and that’s with North Vancouver in the lead role.

Negotiations are currently under way with 2 major West Coast studio for the site’s development. Successful com- pletion of the deai would radi- cally change the face of North Vancouver. .

Being a North American leader in what is 9 growth industry on all fronts would inspire much mere than cine- matic dreams. It would Ee 3 box office smash with an extended local run.

—trenshaw@nsews.com

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