If forecasts are right, 2013 may be the biggest year yet for Ottawa’s film production sector. Earlier this month, Robert Menzies, president of local production company Zed Filmworks, told 1310 News and the Ottawa Sun that his business already has seven projects booked for this summer.
The sunny projections match comments that Geneviève Ménard-Hayles, the city’s film and television commissioner, made to the Ottawa Citizen in January. Ménard-Hayles told the paper that she wants to make the Ottawa film office more efficient and that she supported local development organization Invest Ottawa’s plans to bring a sound stage to the city.
Plans to build the facility seem to have fallen through after the Toronto company involved in the project backed out last month. Still, everywhere you turn, the city’s film industry is selling Ottawa to producers as an attractive place to shoot a movie.
But sifting through articles about these production plans, it feels like one thing is constantly getting lost in all the numbers. Movies are an art form and focusing too much on the business side of things loses sight of the fact that they offer a chance to express something about the city in a meaningful way.
That’s not to say that attracting foreign interest and investment is a bad thing. Far from it; money that goes into the industry will invariably be used to help the film community grow.
In turn, this will give local filmmakers more opportunities to develop their work. But it’s easy to get caught up in the idea that Ottawa should be focused on courting outside interest instead of helping its own artists grow.
Indeed, the 1310 News interview with Menzies ends by teasing that Hollywood stars could be coming to Ottawa.
Not to be outdone, the Sun lists the various celebrities who’ve shot films in the capital, including recent Academy Award-winner Jennifer Lawrence and past nominee Elisabeth Shue.
The glamour of Tinseltown is exciting, but it’s a passing thrill. Ultimately, the fact that these stars come through town doesn’t say much about Ottawa as a film scene. It suggests it’s a nice place to shoot, maybe, but not necessarily a hotbed for creativity.
As if to drive the point home, the Ottawa Citizen reports that “We Work Ottawa,” a new video from BigTime Productions and ACTRA Ottawa, will feature a cameo from comedian Dan Aykroyd in an effort to promote the use of local actors.
Again, this is a nice gesture, but it sends the message that a big star from out of town has to sell Ottawa actors. The talent should speak for itself, rather than let a celebrity do the talking.
In addition to courting outside interest, more should be done to develop local creativity.
Organizations such as the Independent Filmmakers Co-Operative of Ottawa have already received funding from the province and the city, but it ought to be promoted more. A membership provides valuable experience and equipment for budding filmmakers.
Supporting local talent goes even further than that, though. It means fostering a sense of civic pride in our film artists, and helping unique viewpoints shaped by living in the city itself make it to the screen. Why disguise Ottawa as somewhere else? Why not bring it into clearer focus and put it front and centre?