'Bring it on!' Calgary is ready for a promising year in the film industry
As people look forward to watching the TV show The Last of Us, Calgary’s film industry looks forward to people seeing the city’s potential.
The HBO’s post-apocalyptic series, set to debut Jan. 15, was a major production with an enormous budget that filmed in and around Calgary in 2022, including at Calgary Film Centre.
“I'm excited for the premiere of The Last of Us,“ said Erin O’Connor, business development manager with Calgary Film Centre.
“It will bring a lot of eyes and a lot more attention to this area.”
The area’s film industry has boomed in the past two years. 2021 was a banner year for TV and movie productions in Calgary. In 2022, the city was ranked one of the best cities to live and work in the film industry by Moviemaker, and 2023 is looking promising for expansion with more crew members available and new sound stages opening.
“We're ready for the growth. Bring it on!” said International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) 212 president Damian Petti.
“We're in discussions with a couple of projects. So by about February or March, we should be quite busy,” said Petti, who represents motion picture technicians, artists and craftspeople in 23 departments including grips, wardrobe and special effects.
IATSE 212’s membership has grown 35 per cent in the past two years, according to Petti, with 500 more people now trained for the industry.
“We now have a lot more crew than we used to have as a result. So we're hopeful that in the new year, we can put all those people to work.”
Calgary Film Centre was booked solid the past two years and that is expected to continue in 2023. Fraggle Rock is scheduled to wrap production at the centre in March but O’Connor says they have nine leads for the upcoming year.
“I can't say what they are. But they're all very solid leads and very exciting for Calgary,” said O’Connor.
“I think we'll see some celebrity star power on the streets."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.