2021 a good year for Ottawa film industry, despite pandemic circumstances
Posted Dec 7, 2021 04:43:00 PM.
The National Capital Region acting as the backdrop in many holiday movies being watched at this time of the year is just another reminder that, despite the ongoing pandemic, the local film industry is still strong.
“From a live drama production side, we're well over 40-million in production this year — that's money spent in Ottawa,” Ottawa Film Office Commissioner Bruce Harvey told CityNews' The Rob Snow Show, Tuesday, December 7. “And from the animation side, all of the major studios are putting up more production than they've ever done before.”
For the better part of the last two years, many producers and film makers have been forced to work from home, but Harvey says they've always been able to adapt to the conditions.
“Crews are doing really well — they're growing in size, they're growing in quality of work that they're doing, and they're really, they're nailing it,” he explained. “I mean, all of the new networks that have come here like Oprah Winfrey Network, some CBS stuff, they've all been very impressed with the Ottawa crews. So that's been a very positive thing.”
The capital region continues to be a hot spot for Hallmark movies too.
“Whether you're going to Manotick or Almonte or any of the small towns around, you can get that quaint small town, warm feel, but then you can also get that modern downtown feel when you go right to the downtown core of Ottawa,” said Harvey. “And anyone who follows these shows, you know that that's a big story element, you know, being able to go from the big city to the small town, that's a lot of the charm that comes from it.”
Harvey is confident local avid movie and TV fans will only be seeing more familiar backdrops in the future.
Listen to Harvey's full conversation with Rob Snow:
