Film crews took over the streets of Chinatown Tuesday, as productions get underway in Vancouver.
It’s an industry on the rebound after a challenging year that saw writers and actors go on strike and filming halted on many major shows and movies.
“The City of Vancouver itself has experienced a return of filming to the streets and sidewalks that is very similar to what it would be in a typical year prior to the strike or prior to the pandemic,” explained Geoff Teoli, film commissioner, City of Vancouver.
He says the city has been issuing around two to three permits per day for filming.
“We’re seeing that the film permitting levels are going up. We’re also seeing the number of locations that are being filmed per day are going up, which might indicate, for example, that producers are choosing to film on-location more, potentially filming in Vancouver more than other municipalities,” said Teoli.
To put things in perspective, the number of permitted film days from Jan. 1, 2022, to Aug. 12, 2022, was 624. That number dropped to 362 in that same period in 2023 during the strike and has since risen to 733 in 2024.
But the industry as a whole has not recovered just yet, according to some people on the frontlines.
“So, first there was COVID, then there was the strike, and now, it kind of shot up at a period of time and we were doing crazy auditions, it was amazing. Me and my partner, who is also an actor, we were doing a lot of auditions and now it has kind of slowed down in the summer … yeah, it’s a little slow right now,” said actor Bennett Taylor.
Teoli says Vancouver has always been a hot spot for international crews and a worldwide leader in sustainability — even when it comes to filming. Clean energy kiosks are stationed around the city, modelled after a diesel generator that crews have been plugging in without the carbon footprint.
“It’s known globally now and it’s also part of a little bit of the tourism industry. People do come here to see places where their favorite TV shows are made,” he added.
As for economic spinoff, Teoli says around $1 billion is spent on Vancouver-based businesses by the film industry a year.
And for those who are part of the productions, their work continues to ebb and flow.
“You might do a big movie, then you might do more principal roles. It’s like a wave. So you just got to ride the wave,” said Taylor.