New website will attract more film, tv production to island

COURTENAY ? Film and television production generates significant revenues for the Island Coastal region and with the lower Canadian dollar, BC is attracting more film and television production business than ever.  The Vancouver Island North Film Commission is looking to grow the region?s share of the industry by increasing awareness of regional locations, businesses and qualified workforce.

Vancouver Island North Film Commission (INFilm) is a regional not-for-profit serving communities from Nanaimo to Cape Scott and Powell River. The organization provides liaison and location scouting services to the film, television, commercial and new media industries.

The Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET) has approved funding to enhance the INFilm website and database to include state of the art searchable location galleries, comprehensive production credits, crew directories, and more. The new website will be user and mobile friendly with downloadable forms and a host of information to further promote the region to the international film industry.

?Film and TV production is not only an economic generator during shooting, it also becomes a long-term driver of tourism dollars as fans travel to see the locations in their favourite shows and movies,? said Mayor Phil Kent, ICET Chair. ?While the region has many unique locations, film production is a very competitive business, and having modern, industry-specific attraction tools is key to ensuring those productions come to our region.?

The revised INFilm.ca site and databases will not only provide the information on location services, tax credits, financing, and permitting that producers and scouts need, but will also have a section aimed at fans to help build the tourism aspect of the industry.

?We?ll have an interactive map of all the productions that have taken place in our region, and we?ll be integrating that with our social media marketing efforts so that fans will be able to visit locations and experience them first-hand,? said Joan Miller, Executive Director of Vancouver Island North Film Commission.

ICET has worked with INFilm in the past, helping to build the location database that was used to attract productions including the Twilight trilogy, Godzilla, The Amazing Race, Alone, and many other fan-favourite shows and movies.

Even a modest production can provide an immediate boom to a local economy, with thousands of hotel room-nights booked during intensive production, along with the full range of other products and services that are often sourced locally. Production of Planet of the Apes generated more than $1 million in direct spending in the Ucluelet area?s economy.

?With rugged and wild coastlines, mountains, lakes, forests, small towns and big cities, the North Island is a perfect location for so many different types of productions,? said Miller. ?With a modernized, interactive, and full-featured website, we?ll be able to attract even more to the region.?

The redesigned website is expected to be live by January, 2017.

About the Island Coastal Economic Trust

Created by the Province of BC in 2006, the Island Coastal Economic Trust is celebrating its tenth year of investment in economic diversification, planning and regional revitalization.

ICET is independently governed by a Board of Directors and two Regional Advisory Committees which include more than 50 locally elected officials and MLAs and five appointees from the Island and Coast.  This exceptional team of leaders collaborates to set regional priorities and build vital multi-regional networks. 

Through a community-centred decision-making process, ICET has approved $49 million for over 160 economic infrastructure and economic development readiness projects. ICET investments have leveraged over $270 million in investment into the region creating more than 2500 construction phase jobs and 2600 long term permanent jobs. 

A full overview of ICET can be found at www.islandcoastaltrust.ca.

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For further information:

Line Robert, CEO
Island Coastal Economic Trust
Tel. 250-871-7797 (Ext. 227)
line.robert@islandcoastaltrust.ca

Mayor Phil Kent, ICET Chair
City of Duncan 
Tel. 250-709-0186
mayor@duncan.ca

Joan Miller, Film Commissioner
Vancouver Island North Film Commission
Tel. 250-287-2772
joan.miller@infilm.ca