Toronto's Film & Television Sector
Toronto's film and television sector ranks 3rd in North America, employing 32,000 people. The city is also the leading exporter of TV programming in Canada. The city's wealth of experienced, creative and technical talent, in combination with being a cost-effective location, makes Toronto an ideal place for film and television production.
Film & TV Facts
- In 2009 production companies spent a total of $877.84 million on films produced in Toronto. The spending was broken down as follows:
- $739.74 million was spent on major productions.
- $83.40 million was spent on commercials.
- $52.50 million was spent on animation.
- $2.20 million was spent on music videos.
- Toronto's highly developed infrastructure provides state-of-the-art facilities and services, ranging from pre-production through to post-production.
- In 2009, the city's Film and Television Office issued 3,078 location filming permits for 1,130 projects, totaling 5,217 days of shooting.
- The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is the largest public film festival in the world in terms of admissions. The economic activity generated by TIFF is estimated to be $170 million CDN as of 2008-2009. (Economic Activity Associated with the 2008-2009 Operations of TIFF, TCI Management Consultants, 2010)
- Pinewood Toronto Studios is Canada's largest film and television production complex. 250,000 ft2 of production space is distributed across 8 stages, support facilities, and office space.
- North America's largest purpose-built soundstage is hosed at Pinewood Toronto Studios.
- Toronto-based companies such as Side Effects Software and Autodesk are internationally renowned as suppliers of world-class animation (3-D and 2-D) and cutting-edge visual and special effects.
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Toronto's Film & TV Advantages
Talent
- Toronto has a thriving live-theatre industry, with15,000 members in the Toronto branch of the performers' guild (ACTRA).
- The Directors Guild of Canada/Ontario, District Council, is comprised of hundreds of seasoned producers, directors, location managers and assistants.
- Toronto has award-winning animators, visual/special effects professionals and game designers.
Incentives
- Ontario Book Publishing Tax Credit (OBPTC)
The OBPTC is a refundable tax credit eligible to Canadian corporations based in Ontario. Those eligible can receive up 30% back on expenditures for literary works created in Ontario.
- Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects Tax Credit (OCASE)
The OCASE is a refundable tax credit to Ontario-based Canadian and foreign-controlled corporations of 20% of qualifying Ontario labour expenditures for digital animation and digital visual effects created in Ontario for film and television productions.
- Ontario Film & Television Tax Credit (OFTTC)
The OFTTC is a refundable tax credit available to eligible Ontario- based Canadian corporations of 35% of qualified Ontario labour expenditures for eligible film and television productions.
- Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit (OIDMTC)
The OIDMTC is a refundable tax credit to eligible Ontario-based Canadian and foreign-controlled corporations of 25% of eligible Ontario expenditures for interactive digital media products created in Ontario.
- Ontario Production Services Tax Credit (OPSTC)
The OPSTC is a refundable tax credit to eligible Ontario-based Canadian and foreign-controlled corporations of 25% of qualified Ontario production expenditures for eligible film and television productions.
- Ontario Sound Recording Tax Credit (OSRTC)
The OSRTC is a refundable tax credit to eligible Ontario-based Canadian corporations of 20% of qualifying production and marketing expenditures for eligible sound recordings performed by an emerging Canadian artist or group.
- Intellectual Property Development Fund
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Support systems
- The Toronto Film and Television Office (TFTO) - is a one-stop source for filming in Toronto. TFTO works with, and actively promotes the city's film, television, and commercial production industry; coordinates and/or issues permits to film in Toronto; and provides information for the industry, media and public. The TFTO's computerized film permit system and online permit application have become industry standards.
- The Mayor's Toronto Film Board works with the industry to reinforce and coordinate marketing, comment on infrastructure needs, and to develop strategies concerning Canadian production and government support for the industry.
- The Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) is an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Culture that facilitates economic development opportunities for Ontario's cultural media industries. These industries include book publishing, film and television, interactive digital media, magazine publishing, and music industries.
- FilmOntario speaks on behalf of the film and television industry to encourage municipal, provincial and federal governments, and agencies to keep Ontario a competitive production centre. FilmOntario is funded by a membership of private sector companies, unions, guilds, and organizations within the film & television industry in Ontario, representing over 50,000 members and staff across the province.
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Locations
- Toronto is a city comprised of unique neighborhoods with distinctive architecture and cultural landmarks that provide ideal settings for a diverse range of scripts.
- Toronto is a big city with small town attributes that can be transformed to represent cities from around the world. Toronto regularly doubles for US locals such as New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago as well as international cities such as Paris, London, Tehran and exotic locations such as Morocco and Saigon.
- For those interested in viewing locations in Toronto, the OMDC's on-lone digital database is available 24/7.
- Crew and staff working or visiting Toronto have access to world class hospitality and entertainment - five-star hotels, clubs, restaurants, galleries, museums, theatres, and events.
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Suppliers
- Toronto has world-renowned, full-service post production facilities and labs.
- There are award-winning special and visual effects companies located in the Toronto region.
- Driven by the educational infrastructure in the Toronto region, there are numerous cutting-edge animation companies in the region.
- Toronto is home to local and international equipment houses that provide innovative solutions for difficult shots:
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Educational Institutions offering Film and TV related Programs
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List of Unions, guilds and associations
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Media Digest
Key trends and details encompassing all Canadian media sector's
Year: 2009-2010
Categories:
Film & Television
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