Up here in Canada in by line of work we are in a lull...It is no way as busy as it was a few years back. I work in the Audio-visual production and event staging world. I'm having conversations with my peers and collegues up here and trying to figure out why we don't get as much Americam business as we did a while back. I think one of the reasons is that our dollar strenghened and you guys don't get the same bang for your buck that you used to in Canada. This Idea is rejected in these debates and replaced by the notion that you are afraid of sars and mad cow desease. I think this may play a role but I don't think it is the sole reason. My question to you is...If you were in a position to attend or produce an event up here, what would be more likely to deter you, fear of desease or practicle economic concerns? Or list other stuff I'm not thinking of.
Question for my American brothers
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thartley
Veteran
Re: Question for my American brothers
I cant imagine that it would be something like SARS or mcd that would be the deterrent. In this industry, I think it would come down to financial issues and ease of work environment, like permits and so forth. Not many bottomless pockets, and red tape can be a lot of time. And time is money. I work for a small touring production company on the side (way on the side!) and there has been a big dip in how much grant money is out there that we normally were able to get with no problem. So, funding has been an issue for us (personally speaking) here on our own dirt.
But that is just my guess. I'd be interested in some educated replies as I am just pulling that off the top of my head.
I cant imagine that it would be something like SARS or mcd that would be the deterrent. In this industry, I think it would come down to financial issues and ease of work environment, like permits and so forth. Not many bottomless pockets, and red tape can be a lot of time. And time is money. I work for a small touring production company on the side (way on the side!) and there has been a big dip in how much grant money is out there that we normally were able to get with no problem. So, funding has been an issue for us (personally speaking) here on our own dirt.
But that is just my guess. I'd be interested in some educated replies as I am just pulling that off the top of my head.
dakotapod
Veteran
Re: Question for my American brothers
Also, from what I understand is that the industry in the US has been pushing to keep productions home. Working out incentives and such to off set the main reason - The difference in buying power. And that too is less then it was. If your buddies tell you the buying power of the dollar has no effect then I feel sorry for their lack of knowledge in this area. It has everything to do with it.
Also, from what I understand is that the industry in the US has been pushing to keep productions home. Working out incentives and such to off set the main reason - The difference in buying power. And that too is less then it was. If your buddies tell you the buying power of the dollar has no effect then I feel sorry for their lack of knowledge in this area. It has everything to do with it.
Re: Question for my American brothers
Not my Buddies...My Buddies are buddies because they are of like mind, though of course we differ in opinion sometimes. No indeed these are just people I work with and around. I just felt the need to point that out. I think it has more to do with cash than anything, mainly because wether I like it or not, cash is the fuel that makes the world go round.
Where the hell did the word Buddies originate? Anyone know?
Not my Buddies...My Buddies are buddies because they are of like mind, though of course we differ in opinion sometimes. No indeed these are just people I work with and around. I just felt the need to point that out. I think it has more to do with cash than anything, mainly because wether I like it or not, cash is the fuel that makes the world go round.
Where the hell did the word Buddies originate? Anyone know?
Prairieboy
Veteran
Re: Question for my American brothers
I think our dollar going up 20% is the main reason too. I used to work out of Toronto. When I was there if there were three of me we would all be working all the time. But I talk to my friends, friend who have been in the industry 20 plus years and they are all sitting at home watching talk shows. People are getting crushed in that city.
Sure sars hurt them, but those jobs did not go to the states, they went to other places in Canada. Shall we dance was in prep when the sars thing broke out, so they came here to Winnipeg to shoot it instead.
From what I hear where things would have come here they are now going to places in eastern Europe, where the dollar goes even farther than our Canadian peso.
I think our dollar going up 20% is the main reason too. I used to work out of Toronto. When I was there if there were three of me we would all be working all the time. But I talk to my friends, friend who have been in the industry 20 plus years and they are all sitting at home watching talk shows. People are getting crushed in that city.
Sure sars hurt them, but those jobs did not go to the states, they went to other places in Canada. Shall we dance was in prep when the sars thing broke out, so they came here to Winnipeg to shoot it instead.
From what I hear where things would have come here they are now going to places in eastern Europe, where the dollar goes even farther than our Canadian peso.
Re: Question for my American brothers
Eastern Europe is getting a lot of movie business now, due to extremely low cost of production, and the types of movies that are being made.
Also, a lot of locations in the US have been trying to attract Hollywood as well, so there is a round of new incentives being dangled in front of the money people. I know that the Colorado Assembly is kicking around a package right now to try and bring back more Big Studio work to the state.
Besides, we've seen every Stargate and X-Files episode ever made, so we feel like we've seen enough of Canada.
Just kidding, I really think Canadians are getting undercut.
Eastern Europe is getting a lot of movie business now, due to extremely low cost of production, and the types of movies that are being made.
Also, a lot of locations in the US have been trying to attract Hollywood as well, so there is a round of new incentives being dangled in front of the money people. I know that the Colorado Assembly is kicking around a package right now to try and bring back more Big Studio work to the state.
Besides, we've seen every Stargate and X-Files episode ever made, so we feel like we've seen enough of Canada.
Just kidding, I really think Canadians are getting undercut.BLUESPIDER
DVXuser Ninja
Re: Question for my American brothers
Blame it on Lucas. He CGs everything inlcuding Canada.
Blame it on Lucas. He CGs everything inlcuding Canada.
Taylor Moore
Veteran
Re: Question for my American brothers
A big part of it has been the tax incentives that had originally lured the US production above the 49th Parallel. But now with the rising Canadian dollar and Arnold, trying to keep hollywood in hollywood... it is getting alot tougher.
Also the motion picture unions in Canada have become quite powerful over the last 10 years and it is just getting alot more expensive; and US producer can't really justify the heading north mentality.
There is alot of talk in Vancouver these days to have crew dramatically lower there rates to be more competitive.
Hollywood Producers have done alot of good for Canada, and Canadian filmmakers/technicians have done alot of good for Hollywood.
A big part of it has been the tax incentives that had originally lured the US production above the 49th Parallel. But now with the rising Canadian dollar and Arnold, trying to keep hollywood in hollywood... it is getting alot tougher.
Also the motion picture unions in Canada have become quite powerful over the last 10 years and it is just getting alot more expensive; and US producer can't really justify the heading north mentality.
There is alot of talk in Vancouver these days to have crew dramatically lower there rates to be more competitive.
Hollywood Producers have done alot of good for Canada, and Canadian filmmakers/technicians have done alot of good for Hollywood.
Re: Question for my American brothers
Hey, I love Canada. Most of the good post- houses are there. I plan on moving there after I'm out of college to get a job. I'm looking at Frantic Films right now, which deals a lot with big budget Hollywood stuff (without being based in Hollywood ;D). They're the ones who did Swordfish (the $2 million multicam rotation shot at the beginning... yeah baby!) Plus, they're one of the few businesses who have caught onto the fact that 3ds max is overtaking Maya, and is much more functional.
Hey, I love Canada. Most of the good post- houses are there. I plan on moving there after I'm out of college to get a job. I'm looking at Frantic Films right now, which deals a lot with big budget Hollywood stuff (without being based in Hollywood ;D). They're the ones who did Swordfish (the $2 million multicam rotation shot at the beginning... yeah baby!) Plus, they're one of the few businesses who have caught onto the fact that 3ds max is overtaking Maya, and is much more functional.
Re: Question for my American brothers
Economy's bad and the dollar's weak. Those two would by my reasons of why less work is migrating north.
Economy's bad and the dollar's weak. Those two would by my reasons of why less work is migrating north.
Prairieboy
Veteran
Re: Question for my American brothers
I am sitting one floor above Frantics office right now!
I am sitting one floor above Frantics office right now!
Re: Question for my American brothers
The dollar is really in the pit right now, in the short-term it only makes sense to keep them at home. We've been accustomed to much better conversion rates for a long time - the power of currencies like the Euro really caught most Americans off-guard!
In the live events world, nobody wants to speculate to the point of risking their job. The logic in destination management is, "if SARS made it to Canada once, well we'd better let things cool off for a few years before looking at venues there again." Accounts are lost and careers ended by screwing up just one incentive event.
We live in very reactionary times, where one suspected case of mad-cow disease will throw markets into a tailspin and cease cross-border commerce completely. I think those are the primary and most immediate reasons for the convention industry slowdown in Canada.
The great thing about Canada - say, compared to Mexico - is that you can actually support a feature film or series through all phases. Take heart because it's all cyclical - you can't keep a great destination down for too long!
e
The dollar is really in the pit right now, in the short-term it only makes sense to keep them at home. We've been accustomed to much better conversion rates for a long time - the power of currencies like the Euro really caught most Americans off-guard!
In the live events world, nobody wants to speculate to the point of risking their job. The logic in destination management is, "if SARS made it to Canada once, well we'd better let things cool off for a few years before looking at venues there again." Accounts are lost and careers ended by screwing up just one incentive event.
We live in very reactionary times, where one suspected case of mad-cow disease will throw markets into a tailspin and cease cross-border commerce completely. I think those are the primary and most immediate reasons for the convention industry slowdown in Canada.
The great thing about Canada - say, compared to Mexico - is that you can actually support a feature film or series through all phases. Take heart because it's all cyclical - you can't keep a great destination down for too long!
e
Taylor Moore
Veteran
Re: Question for my American brothers
Hey Kappa.
I know the guys at Frantic Films, they do good work. Just to clarify they use both Max and Maya...which ever tool is best for the job.
Ken Zorniak and Chris Bond are the principals there...good guys.
Hey Kappa.
I know the guys at Frantic Films, they do good work. Just to clarify they use both Max and Maya...which ever tool is best for the job.
Ken Zorniak and Chris Bond are the principals there...good guys.
Re: Question for my American brothers
Thanks a lot Taylor; that's awesome that you know them. I really gotta' come up there and see if I can get to know someone there.
Just to clarify my end, I do know that they use both max and Maya, but these days, it seems that anybody who uses Maya doesn't even consider max as an option (tsk tsk...) so I was just saying that it's smart that they recognize it as a viable player in the market...
Thanks a lot Taylor; that's awesome that you know them. I really gotta' come up there and see if I can get to know someone there.
Just to clarify my end, I do know that they use both max and Maya, but these days, it seems that anybody who uses Maya doesn't even consider max as an option (tsk tsk...) so I was just saying that it's smart that they recognize it as a viable player in the market...
bodaphoto
Well-known member
Re: Question for my American brothers
It could be a combination of things as is mentioned above. Another thing could be the advent of Digital filmmaking, computer created worlds and more use of green/bluescreens. Shooting grand scenes indoors is easier, cheaper, and is looking more real all the time.
I have noticed in my area (Delaware/Maryland/Virginia) the push movies to be done here. The Tourism depatments are pushing for productions to be done here, by offering incentives to production companies. I am sure many states are doing the same thing.
It could also be a swing in the industry, somewhere else may be the "in place" to to shoot your location shots. Could also be the storylines coming out. Like someone else posted, Eastern Europe is becoming popular, mainly because it was closed for so many years and it is now emerging with a generation of people living in freedom. So they are able to freely express themselves and become creative without fear of the government shutting them down.
Those are just thoughts, but is a few thing I have read and picked here and there.
It could be a combination of things as is mentioned above. Another thing could be the advent of Digital filmmaking, computer created worlds and more use of green/bluescreens. Shooting grand scenes indoors is easier, cheaper, and is looking more real all the time.
I have noticed in my area (Delaware/Maryland/Virginia) the push movies to be done here. The Tourism depatments are pushing for productions to be done here, by offering incentives to production companies. I am sure many states are doing the same thing.
It could also be a swing in the industry, somewhere else may be the "in place" to to shoot your location shots. Could also be the storylines coming out. Like someone else posted, Eastern Europe is becoming popular, mainly because it was closed for so many years and it is now emerging with a generation of people living in freedom. So they are able to freely express themselves and become creative without fear of the government shutting them down.
Those are just thoughts, but is a few thing I have read and picked here and there.