Much has been made about the decline in film and TV production subsequent to Sept. 11 and its residual impact on the post sector. But many insiders prognosticated production numbers returning to their former glory. The consensus now is that that will not happen, so post shops, including those specializing in audio, are going to have to expand their traditional core business to survive.

There is some sunny news shining from Vancouver, however, where Hollywood blockbusters including Riddick and John Woo’s Paycheck have begun rolling. Local audio shops such as Pinewood Sound anticipate picking up business down the road from productions such as these.

Aside from providing audio mixing and editing, Pinewood is finding dailies a lucrative gig. The shop is currently housing five editors and two Avids in from L.A. to crank out a rough cut of the Kurt Russell hockey flick Miracle. In addition to providing facilities, Pinewood can also do bits of foley and ADR for a rough dub. The shop’s downtown facility has transfer suites and is located near a couple of labs.

Pinewood also recently completed full audio post on the Turner Network Television Original film Door to Door, starring William H. Macy as a salesman afflicted with cerebral palsy.

It is the fact that Canadian shops are so reliant on foreign projects that troubles company president and GM Geoff Turner.

‘It goes to demonstrate that without our friends over the border there’s not much action up here,’ he says.

Turner is happy to report that his shop is currently doing all editorial on the Canuck feature Little War, a story about a boy dealing with the deaths of his parents through lacrosse, written and directed by Damon Vignale.

Daniel Pellerin, director of mixing services at Toronto’s Deluxe Post Production Sound, sums up the current climate as ‘economy tanks, films stop being made, reality TV surfaces and not as much high-end audio work is required.’

The work drop-off can also be attributed to Canuck entertainment companies favoring distribution of U.S. product over production of homegrown projects, and is sure to be exacerbated by cuts to the CTF.

‘We’re witnessing the meltdown of the Canadian industry, but out of the ashes of that, what is the phoenix going to be, and who is going to be prepared to deal with the phoenix? That’s the whole name of the game right now,’ Pellerin says.

He observes that the increased tax credits to foreign productions was a positive step in keeping work coming north, but that has now been compromised by a wartime economy and a sense of patriotism that might keep Americans in the U.S.

The recent Oscar win of the Toronto-shot Chicago was a good ad for the local production infrastructure, and Pellerin sees it as something for the post biz to aspire to.

‘Post has been proven on certain levels but hasn’t had those one or two hits where [Hollywood] can say ‘Oh yeah – you can do that in Canada, too,” he says.

The Hollywood features Deluxe lands are often actually shot in the U.S., including, recently, The Guys and Auto Focus. Locally shooting U.S. TV series in the shop include PAX TV’s Doc and Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye and ABC’s recently canceled Veritas. Then there are the Fireworks/Tribune action series Mutant X and Adventure Inc, a new season of the Comedy Network’s Puppets Who Kill (Telefilm willing) and the religious feature Gospel of John.

Deluxe is one of the bigger shops and has an international name and so is sure to continue getting work, but with production shrinking, Pellerin expresses concern for the mid-sized firms, mixers and technicians.

But even Deluxe is investigating new revenue streams, such as providing quality control for other shops doing versioning on projects for the global market. The idea of working on video games has also been bandied about, and Deluxe is also trying to lure high-end work by tying together HD capabilities on both the picture and post sides.

-www.pinewoodsound.com

-www.bydeluxe.com