Film and television production spending in Ontario last year was down nearly 42% from the record-breaking numbers of 2022, triggered in large part by the U.S. labour strikes.

The sector contributed $1.8 billion to the provincial economy in 2023, down from the prior year’s high of $3.15 billion, according to statistic released by Ontario Creates.

Domestic film and television productions drove 52% of total spending, representing $947 million. That figure is a more than $250 million decrease from the recording-breaking spend of $1.2 billion in 2022. It’s also a slight decrease from the $965.4 million reported in 2021.

While the number of foreign productions did not drop by much — 102 from 103 in 2022 — the dollar amount did. Foreign productions brought in $886.6 million in 2023 compared to $1.95 billion in 2022. In total, there were 404 projects produced in the province in 2023, decreasing from 419 in 2022.

The report noted that though “indicators are pointing towards a rebound for 2024,” foreign streamers’ content strategies, budget cuts by domestic broadcasters, and increased production costs “may affect the rate of return and new normal production levels.”

On the domestic front, the number of total productions was down to 302 from 316 in 2022. TV series accounted for the most number of projects at 138 and brought in $639 million, according to the report, which noted that the figures do not “include cycles which began production in the previous year.” In comparison, domestic TV production spending was $891.5 million from 155 projects in 2022.

Domestic series produced in the province included two New Metric Media titles — CTV’s Children Ruin Everything, which shot in Hamilton, and Crave’s Shoresy, which was filmed in Sudbury — and CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries (Shaftesbury), which was shot throughout southern Ontario.

The number of feature film projects were the same for both years at 52, however, the spending dropped to $144.2 million from $161.5 million in 2022. Some of the titles include Atom Egoyan’s Seven Veils (Rhombus Media, Ego Film Arts), Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s Plastic People (White Pine Pictures) and José Avelino Gilles Corbett Lourenço’s Young Werther (Wildling Pictures).

Live-action titles accounted for 288 of the domestic projects, while 14 were animations.

Foreign TV production spending was down to $730.1 million (59 projects) from $1.6 billion (70 projects) in 2022.

The production spend for feature films was down to $79 million (17 projects) in 2023 from $226.4 million (18 projects) in 2022. The report said that the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Writers Guild of America strikes caused “delays and disruptions.”

The number of foreign-owned TV movies, mini-series, specials and pilots saw an increase, however, with 26 projects and $77.5 million in spending. In 2022, there were 15 projects, contributing $61.9 million in production spending.

In total, the film and TV sector created 25,862 full-time equivalent direct and spin-off jobs for Ontarians.

Image: Unsplash