(Beverly Hills, California) In an effort to encourage major studios in the Hollywood region to choose Montreal for their filming, Mayor Valerie Plante hopes to attract more productions of television series in addition to movies.
“We have been shooting some TV series, but there is room for more,” says Mme An excited Plante was met at her Beverly Hills hotel after the first day of her two-day trip to the cinema mecca.
Montreal’s mayor held meetings with Warner Bros. television studios, Netflix, Disney, Amazon MGM Studios, HBO Max and Skydance Media, as representatives of half a dozen Montreal companies are active in the sector.
“What’s funny is, they already know Montreal. They know it’s a complete ecosystem that Montreal is known for, with multiple studios, high technology, access to extras from all cultural communities, post-production, special effects, animation. Plus, they know it’s cheaper for them. ,” said Mme Plante notes that tax credits offered by the Quebec government, which were recently enhanced, also serve as incentives.
If Montreal’s expertise in this area is already recognized, why is it necessary to organize an economic mission there?
There is still stiff competition from Vancouver and Toronto, which is a big player. We are doing well, but nothing can be taken for granted. I don’t do a lot of economic work and choose them carefully, but here, I found it important.
Valerie Plante, Mayor of Montreal
According to the Quebec Cinema and Television Bureau, the audiovisual industry spends $2.3 billion in Quebec, including $995 million for visual effects, $247 million for animation and $399 million for foreign. Local and foreign shootings total more than $1 billion a year.
The audiovisual sector represents 57,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Photo by Olivier Jean, La Presse Archives
Recently, images Scream VI, Beau Is Afraid, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts And X-Men: Dark Phoenix Filmed in Montreal.
Mission Hollywood also presents the “We Go Green” initiative, which aims to raise awareness and support products for environmental change. Since its inception in April 2021, it has led 104 products to receive accreditation for their sustainable practices and continues to train manufacturers in eco-friendly production methods.
“Montreal is cool! »
CINE SITE, Difuze, Grande Studios, Hybride, MELS, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton and Rodeo FX are participating in the economic project. Some have held discussions that will eventually lead to the conclusion of contracts, notes Mme Plant.
Photo by Dominic Gravel, LA Press
Montreal’s mayor, Valérie Plante, is on an economic mission to Los Angeles.
“I’m the one who tells them Montreal is cool!”, she says.
In addition to discussions with representatives of major studios, the mayor of Montreal met with the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass. He noted that the two cities shared similar concerns and priorities, such as economic development, cultural vitality, ecological change and the fight against homelessness.
