Stars in Our Eyes

A promotional graphic for a new blog titled "Stars in Our Eyes" from the Durham Workforce Authority. The image features a flag with a stylized black bird and a golden sun on a white and gold background, flying against a cloudy sky. The design includes bold green and blue geometric shapes with the words "New Blog" in the top left and "Stars in Our Eyes" in the center-right. The URL durhamworkforceauthority.ca/blog is displayed at the bottom.

Downtown Oshawa was transformed last week into Gilead for the filming of Testaments, the sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. It was exciting to see familiar buildings transformed and to see all the workers supporting the production. The film industry is vital to Durham Region.

Durham Region has unique sites and businesses to support the film and television industry. Parkwood National Historic Site has been used in tv shows like Bomb girls and XMen.  Durham has students and backlots as well as downtowns to stand in for real or make-believe locations.

Economic Impact

Films and television shows have been made in Canada for many years, and the country remains a popular choice among foreign producers. In 2018-2019, over 180,000 people worked in Canada’s film, television, and digital media industry, worth $9.32 billion and growing. Much of Canadian film, television, and digital media production happens in Ontario, particularly in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

 

Employment

The number of productions and the number of people working full-time in the film and television industry is growing, with 44,540 people employed as:

  • lighting, make-up, carpenters, set designers, set dressers and wardrobe experts
  • production managers and coordinators
  • location managers
  • craft services
  • post-production experts
  • accountants
  • performers
  • drivers

Toronto is the second largest screen-based production centre in North America, there isn’t enough studio space or open land to meet the demands of the busy film and television production sector. Studio space is often booked up to a year ahead, and producers struggle to find filming locations in dense downtown Toronto. The availability of land in Durham Region and its closeness to Toronto makes it a very attractive option for production.

Durham’s charming downtowns, historic buildings, attractive bridges and rustic train stations can be seen in many film and television projects, including:

  • Anne with an E
  • A Sweet Taste of Love
  • Coroner
  • Hemlock Grove
  • IT and IT Chapter Two
  • Polar
  • Private Eyes
  • Schitt’s Creek
  • The West Wing
  • Titans
  • Welcome to Mooseport