Southern Alberta should be crawling with camera crews and directors and an expected boom in the film industry is slated to hit the area.

Motion Picture Business Agent for I.A.T.S.E. Local 212 Southern Alberta Tom Benz says COVID has created an interesting situation that could lead to a rise in crews landing here.

"I think a lot of stars aligned in some ways, we are always marketing trying to get on peoples radar, I think COVID, through a surprising and still yet to be determined factor into this as producers are looking for safe places to go, places they can count on crew and locations so they are looking for jurisdictions that have many experienced elements to offer and trying to tap in that way. What we are finding is that there is more time being spent on making these decisions, in the past, you can be more impulsive and land a production at the last minute."

Benz says he's noticed an increase in interest in the area already and expects to see higher numbers than in years before.

"I'm sure we'll have at least a dozen and I'm hoping we see 20. It's that grey where productions are, not so much kicking the tires, but as you align the house of cards you want them all standing by the time you start production, So they are building those houses of cards and seeing what is practical and I know we've gained more interest than in previous years."

One of the larger projects in the Southern region is "Raphanis" a Fraggle Rock re-boot being filmed in Calgary.

 

Questions, comments, or story ideas? Email news@highriveronline.com