Film, TV productions not likely to return until Fall: industry veteran

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — With the extended closure of the Canada-U.S. border, a major player in the Canadian acting community is pessimistic about the potential restart of the film sector in British Columbia.

Vancouver-based actor and playwright Hiro Kanagawa, who has been in the Canadian film and production industry for around three decades, says the outlook for a re-boot of the sector in Vancouver is likely still months away.

“We’re gonna have to be dealing with all kinds of social distancing regulation, which means reduced crews. And for Canadian actors, unfortunately, that’s going to probably mean reduced roles,” he says.

Within Kanagawa’s social circle, he says crew members are expecting to return either before late Summer or the Fall to be “more realistic.’

Kanagawa notes the vast majority of the productions filmed in Vancouver are U.S.-based.

“I think that’s going to be bad news for Canadian actors on American productions anyway. But even on Canadian productions. They say the casts are going to be. I think drastically reduced,” he tells NEWS 1130.

Unfortunately, Kanagawa adds smaller entertainment companies might be impacted the most.

“Perhaps they will have to disband and re-brand when they’re able to, but it is a huge economic hit for everyone.”

The B.C. government has given the green-light for filming to resume in B.C.’s $4-billion production sector, but with restrictions on the size of shoots due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns.

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