Castanet

So I see this article, and wouldn't you know it, but the guy couldn't seduce Hollywood with his overpriced Okanagan wine that the Okanagan needs more films. Newsflash: the Okanagan isn't really all that special. It's the same terrain you see all over the northwest US, only traffic is worse and things are more expensive.

I have been shaking my head about Okanagan Studios since they opened in 2016. It was obvious at first glance to anyone who had ever been on a film or video set that each of the two stages are ridiculous: Each one has SIX support posts! I've never seen anything like that outside of a backwoods community college media studio. What the heck are you going to shoot on a stage with six posts, nothing but closeups I guess. So now the failure of this absurd amateurish excuse for a studio has marked the Okanagan as not being able to support a studio, while if it had been a properly designed layout it would have been burgeoning with work. The sheer incompetence boggles the mind...

Glacier wrote:So I see this article,...

That's awfully generous of you to call that an article. All I could glean is the building is for sale, and that's not entirely uncommon. I believe real estate sales, government administration and some creative tax credit accounting for off-shore gaming development was the sum total of the BC film industry for most of 2011.

... and then that day came, when everyone that worked in the film industry was sitting in the Starbucks on Booksbank and they all realized that none of them actually worked in the film industry. Out went the call, "Increase the tax credits!"

I don't get it? If you build it, they will come - check. Managers - check. Administrators - check. Locations available for rental - check. Accountants - check.

All that and an updated version of Movie Magic from Biz Books in Vancouver should have you up and running like a rock star.

Hmm... what's missing?

Each one has SIX support posts! I've never seen anything like that outside of a backwoods community college media studio. What the heck are you going to shoot on a stage with six posts...

An episodic series that takes place in a used car dealership. Maybe. Looks like lighting it would be a bit of a challenge though. (Oh wait, I checked and it appears there are lights in the ceiling... that should be good - eh? Ugh, *bleep* would I know about it?)

BC film industry is all subsidies anyways. Let it die. It costs working people money . All weve gotten back thats worth anything is Rambo 1

Jflem1983 wrote:BC film industry is all subsidies anyways. Let it die. It costs working people money . All weve gotten back thats worth anything is Rambo 1

That's not entirely true. It keeps a whole lot of people that can make things happen and blow chit up off the streets and otherwise occupied.



"Please avoid eye contact with Mr. S..." lol

Jflem1983 wrote:BC film industry is all subsidies anyways. Let it die. It costs working people money . All weve gotten back thats worth anything is Rambo 1

Simply not true.
just a couple;
Unfinished Life.
All the Percy Jackson (My kidlet likes thes alot.)
Who doesn't like The Addams Family ?
X-men
Fantastic Four.
The lists are larger than most realize.
Whether all films do not suit everyones tastes, it is a busy Industry.

Just not sellable in an old outerwear building.

Sorry my chippy shoulder and red neck are showing

dirtybiker wrote:

Jflem1983 wrote:BC film industry is all subsidies anyways. Let it die. It costs working people money . All weve gotten back thats worth anything is Rambo 1

Simply not true.
just a couple;
Unfinished Life.
All the Percy Jackson (My kidlet likes thes alot.)
Who doesn't like The Addams Family ?
X-men
Fantastic Four.
The lists are larger than most realize.
Whether all films do not suit everyones tastes, it is a busy Industry.

Just not sellable in an old outerwear building.

X men 2 and 3 were both a lot of fun, although 3's been in the news a lot lately - for good reason.

2012, Shooter, A team, X files, ... just a few more off the top of my head. It's a great industry and the spin off from the tax credit on the wages is really quite incredible. If only you knew what goes into making the 43 minutes we pass off to you as 1 hour.

Oh and let's not forget "The Beachcombers" ... oh, how Gibsons was once so much more than just the first stop on the hipster's commute to Sechelt.

Supernatural and Murdoch Mysteries.
Two of My kidlets favorite shows, I too quite like them.



When I asked about the Vernon location to an industry insider when first seeing it in the news.

The answer took all of 3 seconds..It'll never fly here !

Drip_Torch wrote:

dirtybiker wrote:
Simply not true.
just a couple;
Unfinished Life.
All the Percy Jackson (My kidlet likes thes alot.)
Who doesn't like The Addams Family ?
X-men
Fantastic Four.
The lists are larger than most realize.
Whether all films do not suit everyones tastes, it is a busy Industry.

Just not sellable in an old outerwear building.

X men 2 and 3 were both a lot of fun, although 3's been in the news a lot lately - for good reason.

2012, Shooter, A team, X files, ... just a few more off the top of my head. It's a great industry and the spin off from the tax credit on the wages is really quite incredible. If only you knew what goes into making the 43 minutes we pass off to you as 1 hour.

Also, Blackway, which came out last year, and many years ago, many of my friends got jobs as extras (most Sherpas) in 7 years in Tibet, though some of the movie was filmed in South America, which tells you that movies are filmed all over the world. Maybe there are a dozen a year in BC (I have no idea the number), but is that anything more than Argentina or Quebec or Washington State? I don't know, but evidently enough, it's not big enough to fill one big azz building in the Okanagan.

dirtybiker wrote:The answer took all of 3 seconds..It'll never fly here !

Depends what you mean by "here".

In the Okanagan? It'll take wings eventually, the window lickers just need to take a back seat to the film-makers.

Many of elements the wantabes see as negatives are actually going to work for it, more than against it. Trouble right now is anyone that can get a studios backing to make a film, has a good job waiting for them in and around Vancouver.

Glacier wrote:Also, Blackway, which came out last year, and many years ago, many of my friends got jobs as extras (most Sherpas) in 7 years in Tibet, though some of the movie was filmed in South America,

Mountain safety and heli experienced?

...which tells you that movies are filmed all over the world. Maybe there are a dozen a year in BC (I have no idea the number), but is that anything more than Argentina or Quebec or Washington State? I don't know, but evidently enough, it's not big enough to fill one big azz building in the Okanagan.

Yeah, it's competitive. Takes a lot more than a big building and some tax credits to get it up and running thou. Why film in Washington State when you can film in a location that looks exactly like Washington State with an .80 dollar. What our suits don't get is the investment in people. You can send your bag of money anywhere in the world and they'll send you back rolls of film (oh, hey I just dated myself). The thing that makes a "film center" is the proven and reliable crews.

Nobody in LA wants to hear how anyone is going to save them a dollar (it's almost an insult to suggest you've thought of something they haven't and chances are more than good that you really haven't.) They are far more interested in how your going to get it done within their production schedule.

"The Big Year" My next stop after Dawson City Yukon was Penticton, BC. Imagine being the manager that thought that was a good scheduling move - but it was.

Are they ever going to rebuild the set outside Osoyoos where Gunless was filmed ?

It burned.

A true favorite of mine.

dirtybiker wrote:Are they ever going to rebuild the set outside Osoyoos where Gunless was filmed ?

It burned.

A true favorite of mine.

Jeez, that'd be castanet front-page material. I just do opinions - lol. My opinion with regards to this thread. Not much to go on in the news story.

The building is for sale, so what? I'm not sure that means this building works, or doesn't - all I know is the building is for sale.

I've never really bought into the whole if you build it they will come mindset. To me a film studio looks like an old chicken processing plant, or sears warehouse. Personally, I'm old school and can't imagine how having a production office anywhere near a sound stage is a good production decision. 34 offices to support 10,000 ft of production space? Really?

But hey, I don't have my masters of business administration, so what do I know?