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Thursday » February 1 » 2007
Strike devastating film industry
Producers say job action has cost city about $400M
Sarah Matthews
National Post
Thursday, February 01, 2007
The ongoing actors' strike has devastated Toronto's TV and film industry, costing the city at least two feature movies and as much as $400-million in lost production revenue, film-industry officials said yesterday.
"It's an absolute disaster," said Paul Bronfman, chairman and CEO of the Comweb Group, a leading supplier of film services and equipment in Canada and abroad. "Our industry is in deep, deep s---."
Mr. Bronfman said the strike could kill Toronto's once-bustling film industry, already suffering after 9/11, SARS, the rising dollar and growing international competition.
"I am currently in Los Angeles making the rounds with major and independent studios, and everyone is giving the same message: You guys are not competitive anymore, [and] your actor strike is the final nail in the coffin for avoiding Canada like the plague," Mr. Bronfman said.
The 24-day-old strike by the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), which represents 21,000 Canadian actors and performers, appears no closer to an agreement with the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) than the day the strike began. At issue are wages and compensation for Internet use.
Although the union agreed to deals allowing existing productions to continue, the strike has scared off future projects.
"Every day this strike goes on, it hurts Toronto's reputation, not just for now but for the long run," said John Barrack, the producers' chief negotiator.
"As a result, there is no work coming to Toronto, and we have now missed pilot season. And if these pilots had been picked up, they could have turned into long-running TV programs -- the bread and butter for people working here in Toronto," said Mr. Barrack, who estimates the loss of direct production dollars to be between $300- and $400-million.
At this time last year, Toronto was hosting five major film shoots, including Man of the Year, with Robin Williams, and Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, with Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman.
No feature films are currently being shot in the city, although the Quentin Tarantino-produced Killshot, which wrapped up initial filming here in 2005, is here until tomorrow for a reshoot.
"It's very s lo w," Rhonda Silverstone, manager for the Toronto Film and Television office, said yesterday. "I just hope they can work this out and everyone goes back to work."
Steve Webb, a first assistant director who has worked in the Toronto film industry for 20 years, says that normally during this time of year 20 shows would be in production and likely 20 on the way for spring. Right now, six TV shows are being shot in Toronto, with a near-empty list of productions to come.
"And if this continues, Toronto will watch a billion-dollar-a-year business go elsewhere," Mr. Webb said.
He said the strike has left an estimated 10,000 technical and production staff unemployed.
The CFTPA said ACTRA's concerns should be addressed in arbitration. ACTRA blamed the CFTPA for refusing to accept a deal on the table.
"CFTPA is refusing to settle -- to close a deal that is obviously there," said Stephen Waddell, national executive director of ACTRA. When the strike began, ACTRA signed continuation agreements with every producer with a film or TV project underway to avoid work stoppage. Its members will continue to work for companies that agree to the 5% raise, plus a 2% insurance and retirement increase, Mr. Waddell said.
Smatthews@nationalpost.com
© National Post 2007
Strike devastating film industry
Producers say job action has cost city about $400M
Sarah Matthews
National Post
Thursday, February 01, 2007
The ongoing actors' strike has devastated Toronto's TV and film industry, costing the city at least two feature movies and as much as $400-million in lost production revenue, film-industry officials said yesterday.
"It's an absolute disaster," said Paul Bronfman, chairman and CEO of the Comweb Group, a leading supplier of film services and equipment in Canada and abroad. "Our industry is in deep, deep s---."
Mr. Bronfman said the strike could kill Toronto's once-bustling film industry, already suffering after 9/11, SARS, the rising dollar and growing international competition.
"I am currently in Los Angeles making the rounds with major and independent studios, and everyone is giving the same message: You guys are not competitive anymore, [and] your actor strike is the final nail in the coffin for avoiding Canada like the plague," Mr. Bronfman said.
The 24-day-old strike by the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), which represents 21,000 Canadian actors and performers, appears no closer to an agreement with the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) than the day the strike began. At issue are wages and compensation for Internet use.
Although the union agreed to deals allowing existing productions to continue, the strike has scared off future projects.
"Every day this strike goes on, it hurts Toronto's reputation, not just for now but for the long run," said John Barrack, the producers' chief negotiator.
"As a result, there is no work coming to Toronto, and we have now missed pilot season. And if these pilots had been picked up, they could have turned into long-running TV programs -- the bread and butter for people working here in Toronto," said Mr. Barrack, who estimates the loss of direct production dollars to be between $300- and $400-million.
At this time last year, Toronto was hosting five major film shoots, including Man of the Year, with Robin Williams, and Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, with Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman.
No feature films are currently being shot in the city, although the Quentin Tarantino-produced Killshot, which wrapped up initial filming here in 2005, is here until tomorrow for a reshoot.
"It's very s lo w," Rhonda Silverstone, manager for the Toronto Film and Television office, said yesterday. "I just hope they can work this out and everyone goes back to work."
Steve Webb, a first assistant director who has worked in the Toronto film industry for 20 years, says that normally during this time of year 20 shows would be in production and likely 20 on the way for spring. Right now, six TV shows are being shot in Toronto, with a near-empty list of productions to come.
"And if this continues, Toronto will watch a billion-dollar-a-year business go elsewhere," Mr. Webb said.
He said the strike has left an estimated 10,000 technical and production staff unemployed.
The CFTPA said ACTRA's concerns should be addressed in arbitration. ACTRA blamed the CFTPA for refusing to accept a deal on the table.
"CFTPA is refusing to settle -- to close a deal that is obviously there," said Stephen Waddell, national executive director of ACTRA. When the strike began, ACTRA signed continuation agreements with every producer with a film or TV project underway to avoid work stoppage. Its members will continue to work for companies that agree to the 5% raise, plus a 2% insurance and retirement increase, Mr. Waddell said.
Smatthews@nationalpost.com
© National Post 2007