Film production in B.C. is at an "all-time high" and that includes the Okanagan.
According to new numbers from the BC government, during the 2016-2017 fiscal year film and TV productions spent an estimated $2.6 billion in the province- a 35% increase from the previous fiscal year. A total of 338 tax-credit certifications were also approved.
Jon Summerland with the Okanagan Film Commission says over 30 of those tax-credits were provided to films made right here in the Okanagan.
“In say 2007 we got a couple location shoots, people were coming up and shooting some movies here, we maybe had a 100 crew that were in and out,” says Summerland “Now we have well over 400 crew, the movies start here, we have two companies that base here and they make their movies, $2 to 6 million movies.”
He says a new 18,000 square foot sound stage being built in Kelowna will further make the Okanagan a "film centre".
“It’s definitely a game changer for the Okanagan top to bottom,” he says “It has everything we need to produce long format TV which means full-time, all the time.”
Summerland says there are 4 new movies that are set to be filmed in the Okanagan, 2 of which will feature high profile actors.