Canada Tops List of Popular Filming Locations For First Time
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Canada has become the top location for major feature film production, according to a FilmL.A. report released Wednesday that ranked California as the fourth most popular filming spot in the world.
It was the first time Canada topped the list during FilmL.A.'s five years of tracking feature films released theatrically in the United States -- determining where they were filmed, why they were filmed in the locations and how much was spent to produce them.
The new report analyzed the top 100 feature films at the domestic box office released theatrically in the United States during 2017. Canada finished first with 20 films, Georgia was second with 15 films, the United Kingdom third with 15 films, and California fourth with 10 films. It was the second year California finished fourth, after placing second in 2015 and first in 2014 and 2013.
"Over the last 20 years, film incentives offered by various state and national governments have become the predominant factor in determining where a given film or television project will be produced," according to the report. "The number one location in the world for the primary production of top 100 films released in 2017 is Canada, the nation that pioneered the creation of modern film tax credits in the late 1990s."
California, which offers $330 million annually in tax credits, was outspent significantly in tax credits in 2017 by other regions, according to the report. The U.K., with $822 million invested, offers the largest film incentive program in the world, while Georgia offers $800 million.
The report cited the importance of post-production in Canada achieving the top spot. The report found that post-production can create half of the jobs related to a film with a budget exceeding $100 million.
The top provinces in Canada for film productions were British Columbia with 11 films, Ontario with seven films, Quebec and Manitoba with one film apiece.
FilmL.A. is the nonprofit film office for the city and county of Los Angeles.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
