Vancouver ranks at the top of the charts for another year, and justifiably so. The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2018 Most Livable Cities in the World were announced in August 2018. Vancouver, BC ranked number 6 on the list of the best cities in the world to live. Canada also holds the title for two other top 10 cities: Calgary and Toronto. But this list does not reflect the entertainment industry in Vancouver. What about the top 10 places to live and work for Movie Makers and Entertainment professionals? Here, Vancouver notches it up and ranks number 2 in North America, beating out even Hollywood itself.
Success and logistics in entertainment, whether it be domestic or international, needs to be able to rely on local expertise and a supportive infrastructure. They require access to services, products, equipment, accommodations, talent, etc. In order to produce content efficiently, industry stakeholders require a culture and capability to move fluidly and quickly. Vancouver offers this with a large and experienced entertainment work-force, studio space and balance in convenience and accessibility.
Moviemaker magazine considers the following criteria when determining the best places to live and produce in 2018:
- Film activity in the past 12 months (# of productions, shoot durations, economic activity generated)
- Film infrastructure in place (# of film schools and VFX houses, film commissions and other non-profits, film festivals, screening venues, prominent locals)
- Population size
- Ease of transportation
- Local and state tax credits, and
- Architectural and geographical distinctiveness
Ranking an impressive second out of all the largest cities in North America; a huge accomplishment based upon the tremendous effort of innumerable (and a continuously growing number of) industry experts, support staff, local film studios, production teams, film schools, VFX houses, collaboration with governmental agencies, and other related businesses.
While the Moviemaker rankings were released in January 2018, CreativeBC reported (July 2018) a $3.4B injection into the local BC economy during 2017/2018 by the motion picture industry. Sizable year-over-year growth in both production-spend and the number of productions is an indication that Vancouver’s livability and popularity among entertainment leaders is thriving.
Martini Film Studios is proud to call Vancouver home and we are excited to be a part of an ever-growing community of production facilities, film studios, and talent, along with our contribution to industry-leading expertise and a robust infrastructure.