Ottawa: The CFTPA is calling for new strategies regarding the Canadian production sector, following the first marked decline in film and TV volumes published in its annual state-of-the-industry study, Profile 2005.

As previously reported in Playback, Profile 2005 data indicates a 2.1% drop in total production through the last nine months of 2003 and the first three of 2004 to $4.92 billion, down from $5 billion in 2002/03. The statistical report was released during the CFTPA’s annual Prime Time in Ottawa confab, Feb. 2-4.

‘Over the past 10 years we’ve had a staggering number of successes. We’ve created thousands of jobs, and created thousands of hours of film and TV, but it’s a tough, cutthroat business and Canadian producers have got to fight for their turf,’ says Guy Mayson, CFTPA president and CEO. ‘We’re moving in the right direction with the recently improved provincial tax credits, but we need to do more with the federal tax credits. And ultimately we need a business strategy for building stronger independent companies.’

To that end, the national production-sector lobby group is calling for a streamlining of cultural agencies including Telefilm Canada, the CRTC, the Canadian Television Fund, CBC and the National Film Board.

‘We know what the industry needs. Our key cultural agencies need to be streamlined and made more producer-friendly,’ says producer and CFTPA chair Laszlo Barna. ‘The producer’s cash flow also needs to flow. Right now it’s restricted by outdated administrative rules.’

Overall, production in Ontario decreased by 9.7% to $1.76 billion, representing a 35.7% share of total Canadian production; British Columbia increased 34.6% to $1.54 billion (a 31.3% share); and Quebec was down 14.2% to $1.21 billion (a 24.5% share).

According to the report, the production sector created 51,800 direct jobs and 82,900 indirect jobs in 2002/03 for a total of 134,700, a 4.5% decrease from the previous period.

Other highlights of Profile 2005 include:

* A 7% decrease in Canadian-content CAVCO-certified production to $1.72 billion since 2002/03.

* A 7% decrease in Canadian-content non-CAVCO-certified productions to $258 million.

* A 5% increase in broadcaster in-house production to $1.04 billion (the only sector to show growth).

* A decline of 1% in foreign location shooting to $1.9 billion.

According to the report, the moderate decline in foreign location production belies what has become a very unstable sector overall. Foreign location shooting stats, the report’s authors say, ‘show perilously dramatic swings in work between the regions.’

B.C., for example – which represents 65% of total foreign location production – saw a 50% increase in service production to $1.2 billion. But Quebec experienced a 50% decrease to $193 million and Ontario, struggling through a summer of SARS, dropped by nearly 40% to $340 million.

Another notable statistic was the 7% decline in the export value of Canadian production to $2.27 billion, the fourth straight decrease reported. According to the report, the decline is a clear indication that weak demand in international markets persists. The trend is further underlined by a jump in nine- and 10-point productions. With the decline in the TV presale market, producers have been focusing more on 10-out-of-10 Canadian production in order to be eligible to receive CTF assistance.

The CFTPA went to lengths to address the issue of undercapitalized production businesses in the Profile overview, calling for a review of the Broadcasting Act, with a focus on building ‘the corporate strength of the independent Canadian production community.’

The authors asked for a streamlined flow of public dollars and the alignment of Canada’s disparate cultural and regulatory agencies into ‘a coherent results-oriented unity.’

Nordicity Group prepared the Profile 2005 report for the CFTPA, APFTQ and the Department of Canadian Heritage.

-www.cftpa.ca