VANCOUVER — Foreign location shooting in B.C. may have taken a major hit last year, but that was partially offset by skyrocketing domestic production.

According to statistics released last month by the B.C. Film Commission, the volume of service shoots in 2007 plunged 44% to $536 million, affected by the surging loonie, the Writers Guild of America strike and growing competition from tax incentives in U.S. states such as New Mexico. Meanwhile, indigenous activity leapt 47% to $407 million, for a total of $943 million in overall production, representing a 23% drop from 2006.

‘Domestic production had a fantastic year,’ says B.C. film commissioner Susan Croome, accentuating the positive.

Richard Brownsey, president and CEO of B.C. Film, believes that the domestic surge is indicative of an industry trend in the province.

‘The domestic industry has been growing consistently over the past five years,’ Brownsey notes. ‘Last year’s numbers are a reflection of the number of entrepreneurial companies who have consistently grown and continue to mature. I remain optimistic for B.C. companies in the year ahead.’

CBC’s recent cancellation of two B.C.-produced series will knock millions off the 2008 domestic production tally, as both Douglas Coupland’s jPod, from No Equal Entertainment, and Haddock Entertainment’s Intelligence were discontinued.

Nonetheless, other local companies such as Insight Film Studios and Paperny Films had their biggest cycles to date in ’07, while steady companies including Omni Film Productions and Brightlight Pictures also grew.

Read the whole story in Playback’s Production in B.C. report in the April 28 print edition.