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    Stargate to stay put in Vancouver

    excerpt
    http://www.canada.com/globaltv/natio...1-eed3971a7e87


    Cdn movie industry a slave to the loonie
    Global National
    Saturday, April 15, 2006



    VANCOUVER, B.C. -- The movie and TV production business is flourishing in Vancouver. 37 productions are slated for the west coast this spring, busier than it's been in 15 years.

    But that work isn't a sure thing, you see it depends more on economics than on creativity.

    In a suburban Vancouver sound stage crews begin taping the 200th episode of Stargate SG1.

    Now in its tenth season it's seen in over 100 countries -- its the longest running science fiction series ever made, in that time, stargate has brought $500 million U.S. in production dollars to BC.

    The shows creator Brad Wright is happy with the shows longevity.

    "My analogy is that we're like the slowly burning candle, we're just going to continue for a long time."

    The series has spawned dvd and book sales, theme park rides and action figures.

    Stargate is now MGM studio's second most prosperous franchise after James Bond.

    All this content from 400 cast and crew that are overwhelmingly Canadian.

    Despite the success, its producer Robert Cooper says the Canadian film and TV industry still can't survive without financial help from taxpayers.

    "I don' t know if the Canadian Industry is at that point right now that it can sustain itself without that help."

    Canadian studios are still attracting big American productions because of experienced crews and flexible labour unions, but the problem is the rising dollar.

    Long gone are the days of the 64 cent loonie.

    Currently filming in Canada saves American studios about 10 percent compared to filiming in L.A., but with the dollar predicted to hit 90 cents by the end of the year -- those saving are slowly eroding.

    Peter Leitch of Lions Gate Studios they have lost their advantage of filming north of the border.

    "One of the difficulties we had was the dollar, the Canadian dollar strengthened so much against the U.S. dollar so fast we lost our advantage because we didn't have time to react."

    The competition is getting tougher as well. l

    Last year, the BC government was forced to match an 18 percent tax break offered to producers by Ontario and Quebec.

    Other provinces have now followed, as well as 45 U.S. states.

    Nevertheless, Stargate producer Robert Cooper says the show will stay in Vancouver.

    "We're really at that stage where the infrastructure is here so moving it would be difficult. But if the tax credit went away it would be gone."

    And that's not the hollywood ending the Canadian industry wants.

    #2
    Originally posted by prion
    Now in its tenth season it's seen in over 100 countries -- its the longest running science fiction series ever made
    WRONG!! Doctor Who is a helluva lot longer than SG1, about 400 episodes longer!
    Equality is not a concept. It's not something we should be striving for. It's a necessity. Equality is like gravity. We need it to stand on this earth as men and women. And the misogyny that is in every culture is not a true part of the human condition. It is life out of balance, and that imbalance is sucking something out of the soul of every man and woman who is confronted with it.
    - Joss Whedon - Equality Now

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by PtahTheCreationGod
      WRONG!! Doctor Who is a helluva lot longer than SG1, about 400 episodes longer!

      Don't get me started on that POS series.

      Comment


        #4
        Well that's good news.

        Thanks for the news, prion
        sigpic

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by PtahTheCreationGod
          WRONG!! Doctor Who is a helluva lot longer than SG1, about 400 episodes longer!
          Yeah, well, the articles are ALWAYS forgetting Dr. WHO. Just a fact of life.

          Comment


            #6
            Heh, I'm listening to this news item on Global news right now.

            It might be the same one mentioned in that other thread.

            Comment


              #7
              Yay for Canadian productions!!!!


              By the way, I don't know if everyone has seen this. I thought it was cool.

              http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...argate&pl=true
              Visit me on http://wormholeriders.com/

              Comment


                #8
                Well, I'm glad to know that SG-1 seems to be staying put in Vancouver.
                sigpic
                MS - "Boy, wow that's a great question!"
                "...phu...ah..."
                "Anyone know what SENTIENT means???"
                Sunday is my favorite day for two reasons - Football and The Walking Dead

                Comment


                  #9
                  You know Australia is a great place to make scifi shows. Our dollar is still way below the Canadian and US.

                  Originally posted by PtahTheCreationGod
                  WRONG!! Doctor Who is a helluva lot longer than SG1, about 400 episodes longer!
                  Heck yeah not to mention in years alone it was (is) on the air longer than any other.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Drwho'srose
                    You know Australia is a great place to make scifi shows. Our dollar is still way below the Canadian and US.
                    Yeah, but your gas costs more Well, whose doesn't these days?

                    They'll stick in Canada as the cast/crew are predominantly Canadian and you'd get a massive union fight on your hand if they tried to move the show across the ocean, not to mention, I think the actors might balk as well....

                    Comment


                      #11
                      They moved the X-Files to LA because a certain actor wanted to work there and that was the only way he would come back. maybe if Sony really wanted Anderson back, they would move the show to LA. Might improve the writing.

                      Comment

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