The Vancouver Film Scene
Here's why the Vancouver film industry is booming.
You don't have to move to New York or Los Angeles to have a vibrant film career. Vancouver, B.C., is also a power player in the film and television industries. In fact, it ranks in the top five North American cities for filmmaking. Vancouver's film industry dates back to 1913. These days, the industry employs more than 35,000 and brings in around $1 billion a year, according to Creative BC.
The city offers many advantages for national and international filmmaking companies, including tax incentives. It also has state-of-the-art postproduction facilities, breathtaking scenery, a nondescript skyline that can easily substitute for other cities and a mild climate with overcast lighting, which makes it good for filming. "Hollywood North" is also attractive to U.S. filmmakers, because it's less than a three-hour plane ride from Los Angeles and also in the same time zone.
Film Festivals and Events in Vancouver
There's no shortage of film festivals in Vancouver. Here's a sampling.
- Canada International Film Festival
- DOXA Documentary Film Festival
- Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Youth
- Vancouver Film and Television Forum
- Vancouver International Film Festival
- Vancouver Queer Film Festival
- Vancouver Short Film Festival
Vancouver Film Schools
If you're ready to take the first step toward a filmmaking career, getting your degree is a good place to start. Vancouver is home to the Vancouver Film School and Capilanou University, which has a film studies program. More Vancouver film schools can be found in our directory. Los Angeles and New York City also offer many film school options.