Northern film industry in full force, Timmins wants 'in'
Film productions are back to pre-pandemic levels, according to industry experts at Culture Industries Ontario North.
The organization's film programs supervisor, Rob Riselli, said tax breaks in the region are keeping production companies interested, with around 30 projects from independent productions to the occasional larger-budget film or TV show coming to the region.
"We're coordinating a scout at this moment for a project that's looking to shoot here next fall," Riselli said.
Sudbury, North Bay and Sault Ste Marie have been the more popular locations for productions, he said, due to their urban, suburban and 'quintessential' downtown looks.
Timmins has had some success this year as well, with two TV shows and a commercial filming in the city. Though the Timmins Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) wants to bring even more lights, camera and action to its area.
"We're hoping that we can get a piece," said community development coordinator Noella Rinaldo.
"We have some infrastructure we need to build, but there's a way to start and we've started that process. So we're excited by the possibility of what can come."
Rinaldo said producers are coming to town next week to scout locations for a feature film.
The TEDC also launched a new Facebook page outlining its offerings for film and TV productions, where it can also post listings for acting roles and production crew jobs.
With the demand for content growing, especially during the pandemic, Riselli and Rinaldo said there is plenty of potential for the region's industry to grow.
"With streaming now and Amazon and Netflix doing movies, this really has opened up the potential for northern Ontario to be the place to be filming a production," said Rinaldo.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
Crypt near Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner could fetch US$400,000 at auction
A one-space mausoleum crypt in the vicinity of Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner will go on auction Saturday, when it is expected to reach between US$200,000 and $400,000.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Premiers not being truthful about carbon tax, Trudeau says while sparks fly in Ottawa
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Conservative premiers across the country are 'not telling the truth' when it comes to the carbon tax. Trudeau's comments came as fresh sparks were flying in Ottawa at a recalled House of Commons committee.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.