Just after one issue that had Hollywood studios reluctant to shoot in Quebec had apparently been resolved, another obstacle has materialized. A local union battle is underway, with the all-powerful IATSE making a play against the Alliance québécoise des techniciens de l’image et du son to represent Quebec’s behind-the-camera technicians.

In December, independent Quebec producers’ efforts to secure exclusive bargaining rights for all film and TV shoots in the province – including those from Hollywood – ended when a Quebec labor tribunal, the Commission de reconnaissance des associations d’artistes et des associations de producteurs, decided against hearing their long-standing bid on a technicality.

The Hollywood studios opposed the CRAAAP application, as they want to bargain directly with Quebec talent and technicians, and not through the APFTQ, representing Quebec producers.

Claire Samson, APFTQ president and CEO, says her board will meet shortly to consider whether to reapply to CRAAAP, or to fold its cards. ‘It’s dead,’ she says of the APFTQ’s original application.

Among concerns Quebec producers have expressed regarding Hollywood guest shoots is that the high rates paid could lure technicians away from local productions, or at least change local employees’ rate expectations.

And now IATSE is fighting to represent Quebec technicians already aligned with the indie AQTIS union. One Canadian industry insider familiar with the situation suggests that some U.S. producers would support IATSE’s bid in Montreal in order to bolster goodwill with the union back home. The producers would send a couple of ‘guinea pig’ projects to shoot in Montreal that would hire IATSE employees.

‘[IATSE] opened a local, and they’re attempting to secure technicians to join them,’ says Brian Baker, a business agent for AQTIS. While Bruce Cohen, a New York-based spokesman for IATSE, had no comment on the matter, and repeated calls to John Lewis, IATSE director of Canadian affairs, were not returned, another source at IATSE confirmed that the union was setting up shop in Quebec.

‘They have a plan, but I don’t think it’s going well,’ Baker adds. But independent sources counter that IATSE has successfully signed up many members.

Baker says that both AQTIS and IATSE are taking pains to ensure there is no labor disruption on Quebec film and TV sets that might scare Hollywood studios away.

‘John Lewis said that if he didn’t reach a critical mass in recruiting technicians, he would fold his tent and go away. I’m waiting for that to happen,’ Baker says.

Samson says a face-off between IATSE and AQTIS would give a negative impression to Hollywood producers.

‘This potential problem could discourage some U.S. productions from coming to Montreal, as they could not be assured of labor peace,’ she says.

Warner Bros.’ epic period piece 300 and Renny Harlin’s supernatural thriller The Covenant from Columbia Pictures have recently passed through Montreal, while Warner’s The Fountain, starring Hugh Jackman, and the Weinstein Company’s Lucky Number Slevin were among the few Hollywood features that came to town in the previous cycle. And the studios have booked little so far for 2006, opting instead to shoot in Toronto, Vancouver, at home, or elsewhere internationally.

Hollywood’s relative absence from Montreal – despite the city’s ample soundstages, desirable locations and solid infrastructure – comes as indigenous Quebec production continues to surge, driven by strong demand for homegrown content on TV sets and at local cinemas.

‘Local production is very strong,’ says Montreal film commissioner Daniel Bissonnette.

Last year, 46 TV series were shot in the city, compared to 27 in 2004. And while Quebec producers made 24 feature films in 2005, down seven from the previous cycle, higher budgets kept production expenditures constant.

Christian Larouche, president of Montreal-based distributor Christal Films, says superior scripts explain the current renaissance of Quebecois filmmaking.

‘I’m tired of hearing ‘You’re different in Quebec – you have your own star system,” he argues, pointing to the Hollywood indie My Big Fat Greek Wedding – a smash based on its story, not big-name stars. ‘Our scripts in Quebec are much better than 10 years ago,’ he adds.

Meanwhile, post-production shops are busy with both local projects and what Hollywood titles have come their way.

‘You’re always talking about Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, in that order – but Montreal gets its fair share,’ says Richard Cormier, president of Montreal FX house Buzz Image Group, which is providing work for The Covenant.

To get Hollywood back onside, the Quebec industry recently banded together to form the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec, a province-wide film and TV commission charged with attracting foreign shoots to the province.

The BCTQ’s office is up and running and will be officially launched in February after the federal election.

‘This is the first time that we have a film commission for all of Quebec with serious money to promote the province in the U.S.,’ says Bissonnette. *

www.aqtis.qc.ca

www.iatse-intl.org

www.apftq.qc.ca

www.montrealfilm.com