Hollywood North is a colloquialism used to describe film production industries and/or film locations north of its namesake, Hollywood, California. The term has been applied principally to the film industry in Canada, specifically to the cities of Toronto and Vancouver.
Known as "Hollywood North," the Canadian province and the city of Vancouver comprise one of the largest production centers in North America, with more than 50 animation studios alone, employing up to 88,000 people, according to a provincial agency.
Canada has a vibrant film and TV production industry. Not only are there over a hundred domestic feature films produced in Canada every year, but the country is also a popular location for big-budget Hollywood films, earning the country the nickname of Hollywood North.
In 2020, Canada's vibrant film and television production industry generated over $9 billion in production volume, contributed $12.2 billion to the GDP and created approximately 244,500 jobs.
What is Hollywood North? The Canadian Film Industry Explained.
Why is Canada popular for filming?
Canada has a temperate climate, and the country is known for its excessive snowfall. While this might put some people off, the Canadian climate is perfect for a dramatic television production or international film.
In 2021, the city's total production investment hit $2.5 billion. Toronto also experienced growth in all categories including major productions such as feature films, television series, music videos, reality TV and VFX and animation, and commercials.
The Canadian film and television industry generates around $9 billion in revenue, creating more than 216,660 jobs, making it a thriving and exciting field. Canada's film industry primarily focuses on three provinces: Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec.
Canada remains a top international filming location, with Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal as the main production hubs rivalling the likes of New York, Atlanta and Los Angeles.
Productions that film in Vancouver also benefit from the city's proximity to Los Angeles and the West Coast time zone, stable and competitive tax incentives and government support, and a skilled talent base and connected community.
Toronto has a very Canada-centric film industry that is scrappier than Vancouver but is a lot more dynamic, with more opportunities for emerging, independent talent. A lot of Hollywood films use Toronto to substitute for American east coast cities, but other than that, the talent and productions are primarily local.
To save money on production costs, mostly. The Canadian dollar is typically worth less than the American one, so American producers can hire Canadian casts and crews at rates that are basically less than they would pay American counterparts.
Other than the high exchange rate between the American and Canadian dollar, there are many financial benefits to making a movie in the Hollywood of the North. The Canadian film industry offers significant tax incentives for film, television, and digital media.
Boasting great studio facilities, affordable accommodation, versatile cities, good exchange rates, and generous government subsidies, it is no wonder Canada has earned its nickname Hollywood North, not to mention that many megastars in the entertainment industry hail from there.
When is a Canadian film actually Canadian? If you work for the Walt Disney Corporation, your answer might be Turning Red, which was directed by a Canadian filmmaker, takes place in a Canadian city, features the vocal talents of Canadian performers – but was completely financed by an American company.
In 2021, direct spending on film and TV production totaled more than $4.8 billion, making Vancouver by far the largest production center in Canada. Vancouver is 1,725 kilometres (1,072 mi) from Hollywood, a three-hour airplane flight or a 20-hour drive. It is also in the same time zone as Los Angeles.
An iconic film filled with memorable moments and historic references, Titanic was filmed mostly off the shores of California, but some scenes were recorded on the shores of Nova Scotia in Eastern Canada. The film's director, James Cameron, is one of Canada's most notorious directors of all time.
A lot of TV shows supposedly take place in the USA but have Canadian road signs. Why are most American movies and television shows these days filmed in Canada? Money saved as Canadian dollar is lower. Federal ,Provincial ,and local governments give tax breaks and grants to support the film industry.
Because Canadian provinces offer tax rebates to the studio who make movies there. So a $1M spend in the States, would be refunded $300,000 if shot in Canada. Or more depending on the province. There are some states in the U.S. that offer tax breaks — most notably Georgia at the moment.
Though Los Angeles and New York City will likely forever be known as the best of the best, Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver, and Victoria are well respected by those in the industry.
Since then the Mumbai has remained the main center of indian Film Industry for a period of century. The film city has been named as Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari for the memory of the father of Indian film industry Mr. Dada Saheb Phalke .
