Industrie du cinéma à Montréal et tournages mettant Montréal en vedette

[Ornello Mastrocola]

Phylo, what do you do in the industry?

[phylo]

It's not on wikipedia because Montreal was only referred to as Hollywood North by the Gazette. Like i said a Montreal media creation.

Just to give you an example, the worst year in Toronto in the past decade saw about $600 million spent. On a good year it's over a billion. Vancouver has seen the most money spent in 9 out of the last 11 years. Toronto's top 3 movies this year, Cosmopolis, Pacific Rim & Total Recall will alone generate more money than all of Montreal's industry.

 

Ornello Mastrocola, in layman's terms i do budget consulting for films and tv series. Used to be more involved in the field but i'm trying to work less and less now.

I left Montreal a long time ago, but i still try my best to represent the city within the industry.

[montréaliste]

I also work in the business, and I think the great advantage Montreal is a robust local film industry that technicians take pride in. This is because they cannot imagine having a story told by Hollywood that can truly be said to reflect the culture of Quebec. Hollywood can tamper with a screenplay based on a novel set in Chicago or St-Louis, but it is most often far removed from the actual goings on in these locales. It may sound arrogant to a lot of non-Montrealers but it really is a distinctive trait that a local film and theatre grew of necessity in the french and by osmosis in the english communities of Montreal favored by the NFB studios and then TV. Apart from a few luminaries like Cronenberg and Egoyan, Toronto is still in the What would middle America think and, Gosh they cant help think we're boring; let's set this tale in Chicago... Vancouver is like Toronto, only even more eager to please.

 

I work on both American ballbusters and local fare but the other avenue Quebec has to develop is the european co-production one. There is an advantage in proximity to Europe and a definitely stronger kinship culturally that we need to tap into IMHO.

Modifié 30 juin 2011 par montréaliste

[phylo]

Not too offend you but your rant isn't based on much, only hearsay.

If you think Toronto and Vancouver are eager to please America and Hollywood than you know very little about Europe. Eastern Europe will have the fastest growing film industry and that will be thanks to Hollywood and you're so called middle America.

And Montreal is just as eager to please Hollywood, just look at this article and several more that have been printed in the last decade.

And you might not know this but there is an increase in Canadian made movies and TV series that are not looking to please middle America, you just have to open your eyes.

 

"What would middle America think and, Gosh they cant help think we're boring; let's set this tale in Chicago"

But then again it seems obvious you already made up your mind. Is this truly what Americans think or is this just your perception of Canada?

[LindbergMTL]

C'est l'fun de voir qu'on a du monde de l'industrie du cinéma ici. J'en suis itou (à NYC). Pour avoir travaillé à Vancouver et discuter assez longuement avec les producteurs canadiens là-bas, mon impression est qu'il y a un conflit culturel entre le désir de servir les producteurs locaux et servir les américains. Les canadiens à Vancouver regrettaient (en coulisse) que toute l'attention et l'énergie soit portée vers servir Hollywood (They would tell me Vancouver is 95% a servicing industry, 5% local filmmaking). Au Québec, il y a 2 unions, une pour les tournages américains et une autre pour les tournages Québécois. C'est une différence intéressante. Il y a-t-il moins de risque que les productions américaines canibalisent les productions québécoises? Que les meilleurs abandonnent les projets québécois pour aller vers les productions américaines? Je ne crois pas. Une partie de l'argent ramassé par les goouvernements retourne dans les poches des producteurs locaux en crédits d'impôts. Mais surtout, il y aura toujours un fort désir culturel de produire des films distincts pour la population locale (franco et anglo). Dans le Canada anglais, le plus grand rêve pour un cinéaste (en géneral) c'est d'aller tourner via L.A., car si tu réussis, tu as accès à toute la planête (pensons à James Cameron, Cronenberg, Jewison, et tous les acteurs, scénaristes canadiens qui roulent là-bas).

 

Quant aux co-productions, une sur 5 peut être un succès critique ou de salle. Il y a une grande différence d'approche entre la façon de faire des québécois et des français par exemple. Ça cause beaucoup de frictions. C'est beaucoup plus naturel avec les américains, ou même les britanniques. Bref, il faut continuer à financer une industrie locale forte et souhaiter la bienvenue à tous ceux qui veulent venir au Québec pour tourner des mannivelles.

[uqam+]

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Modifié 10 novembre 2011 par uqam+

[phylo]

There's also another issue that many don't understand that is hampering Canada's "entertainment" industry.

Canadians have issues with the rest of Canada regardless of where they are.

If a movie takes place in Toronto they bi*ch and complain that Toronto is getting everything. This example works with any city. Will someone in Halifax spend money to watch a movie about life in Vancouver? Will someone in Calgary go see a movie about Montreal. Will someone in Quebec City go see a Toronto movie? In all these situations the majority of the time the answer will be no. I don't know why this is. It could be a creation by the media by separating the country the way they have over the last few decades.

In all seriousness, how many of you went to see Scott Pilgrim? Now replace Toronto with Chicago in that movie and let's see how many would have gone. And don't say "no i wouldn't have gone" because you can't predict these things. We are all unpredictable, that's the beauty of it.

Montrealers just as much as any other Canadian will go watch American movies over Canadian.

Also, Canadian movies don't have to be in Canada or about Canada all the time.

And then there's the other issue...............DISTRIBUTION.

[phylo]

Lindberg, what type of work do you do in the industry and are you full time in NY?

I was in Toronto for a filming yesterday and today and heading to Ottawa tomorrow, Canada day cake mmmmmmm. I will be heading for a night or 2 in NYC before i go back home, could be interesting to pick another ex-pat's mind.

[LindbergMTL]

Phylo, right now I'm producing/directing commercials, but many projects (TV, Film, Mobile) are in the works. I'll send you a pm with my email address.

[montréaliste]

Not too offend you but your rant isn't based on much, only hearsay.

If you think Toronto and Vancouver are eager to please America and Hollywood than you know very little about Europe. Eastern Europe will have the fastest growing film industry and that will be thanks to Hollywood and you're so called middle America.

And Montreal is just as eager to please Hollywood, just look at this article and several more that have been printed in the last decade.

And you might not know this but there is an increase in Canadian made movies and TV series that are not looking to please middle America, you just have to open your eyes.

 

"What would middle America think and, Gosh they cant help think we're boring; let's set this tale in Chicago"

But then again it seems obvious you already made up your mind. Is this truly what Americans think or is this just your perception of Canada?

 

Yes Montreal is eager to please Hollywood but it retains a little jonosaykwa that sticks like a sore ugly bumbling pothole-filled thumb. The point is I have not made my mind up lately, but via careful observation over a lifetime, given my opinion squarely on Toronto's position as an attention getter in the american stakes. It is not about what americans think, it is about my perception of Canada. And I am not a Canada basher, I love it as much as Quebec, but if I am to choose an allegiance in the upstanding, confident category; I give my Oscar to Montreal...