Sean Penhall

Alberta’s film and television industry could be revitalized if a new studio proposal receives the government and private investor support needed to get it off the ground, says the province’s film commissioner.

If built, the studio would establish Calgary as a “world-class player” in the film and television industry, according to Luke Azevedo, film commissioner with Calgary Economic Development. “[Calgary does] the lion’s share of the production that occurs in Alberta now,” he says. If the government steps up and provides the necessary incentives, like tax credits, and the facility is developed, Alberta’s film industry has the potential to triple or quadruple its output in a five-to 10-year period, says Azevedo.

The studio would include soundstages and post-production facilities and could be built near Calgary’s downtown core if a suitable location is found. “We have spoken with all levels of government and received support and positive reaction from every one of them,” says Azevedo, adding a final proposal is still in the works and should be ready early this fall.

Although he hasn’t seen any final details, Alberta’s minister of culture and community spirit, Lindsay Blackett, says he is cautiously optimistic about the project. “I think there’s a sense that the other levels of government want to do this, and I know it’s something the film industry needs,” he says. “Ten years from now, we don’t know where our oil and gas will be, what the price will be, what the world’s reliance will be. But we know that we need to have other industries that are vibrant and thriving to offset any changes.”

According to Azevedo, one of the key drivers of our economy in the next 10 years will be the creative and cultural industries. “Film and television is giving us a five-to six-dollar return into the provincial coffers on every dollar that is invested in some form,” says Azevedo. “That’s a pretty good return on investment when you look at it from that perspective.”

The province’s film industry currently generates nearly $175 million a year. If the growth meets Azevedo’s expectations, the industry would be re-invigorated and become a serious player both nationally and internationally.

Melody Jacobson, operations co-ordinator with the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers, says the proposed studio would attract a lot of commercial productions and would naturally invigorate smaller, independent film and arts projects. “The arts community is going to benefit, because there’s going to be more jobs, and people are going to want to work on their own art or film projects.”

“My mandate from the time I took on this position was to establish and grow the indigenous production industry that we have here,” says Azevedo. “Any jurisdiction that is successful in film, television or the creative industries has an indigenous production community that is successful.”

What sets Alberta apart from other jurisdictions, says Azevedo, are the top-level production crews, variety of scenic locations and the highest number of Emmy and Academy Award nominations in the country. “Within a three-hour driving distance there are two major cities, mountains, prairies and the badlands,” he notes. “That is unparalleled in most jurisdictions on the planet.”

All that’s missing is the financial support to facilitate and develop the industry until it becomes self-sustaining. Azevedo hopes support and investment comes from private investors as well as the government. “All the jurisdictions around us have had the support that is necessary to build the infrastructure that would allow them to grow to the next level,” he says. “We’re at a point now where we have to look at growing the industry in such a significant way that the support and facilities have to be there.”

According to Jacobson, Alberta’s film industry struggled after former premier Ralph Klein made cuts to film tax credits in the mid-90s. Many in the industry left the Calgary scene because of the lack of funding to seek out better opportunities in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, “There are things that are being put in place that aren’t going to happen for five or 10 years, but it’s enough that it is going to address some of those problems,” says Jacobson.

According to Blackett, the government is looking at increasing the current grant system, which is capped at $1.5 million, possibly through tax credits. Doing so would attract larger productions and keep Alberta’s film crews working year-round and subsequently stop them from leaving the province.

“We’re not a hat-in-hand industry,” says Azevedo. “We’re an industry that is looking at some substantial investment that would allow us to forge ahead and become self-sustaining and help develop the economy in those diversity areas that we are looking to help develop.”