Martini Film Studios, a new 150,000 square foot purpose-built film and television studio, gave a sneak preview to media and industry April 4, with production work on the lot set to begin May 1 in Langley Township.
The studio, which includes an eight-stage film lot and an additional 100,000 square foot back lot of support space, are big enough for three full-scale television shows at any one time, according to the studio.
“It’s a cross between purpose-built and a warehouse,” said Steve Evans, vice-president of Canadian operations for studio production services company MBS. “It’s sort of a warehouse-studio hybrid.”
The studio has the capacity to support more than 625 direct jobs in the industry and provide much-needed local space for Hollywood and global productions, according to CEO Gemma Martini.
“We’re hearing more and more producers are not able to secure studio space in the Lower Mainland, and we want them to know they have another deluxe, full-service facility that really caters to the needs of even the most demanding film, television or commercial projects,” Martini said.
“We also want to make sure that production executives around the world know that we have invested greatly to bring the facility up to a high standard and intend to be in business long-term.”
The province’s film and television production industry is worth $2 billion annually. In the 2014-15 fiscal year, $658 million in production spending was attributable to feature films. Spending for foreign-made series totalled almost $875 million. Of all American film and television shoots in Canada, 60% are typically in B.C. Recently implemented tax credits in California have drawn business down south, however, and in the past month, two television productions—Lucifer and Legion—moved to Hollywood from Vancouver.
@EmmaHampelBIV
