Looking to strike while their soundstages are filled with Hollywood film and TV shoots, Ontario film and TV industry players are proposing a February 2012 visit Los Angeles to woo future work by senior Hollywood production executives and FX supervisors to the province.

Interactive Ontario on Tuesday posted on its website a proposal for a “Toronto/Ontario screen-based marketing initiative” in Hollywood in mid-to-late February.

The marketing mission, organized by the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the City of Toronto, FilmOntario and the Computer Animation Studios of Ontario (CASO), aims to showcase Toronto and Ontario as a location for film and TV shoots by Los Angeles producers.

The organizers are seeking representatives from Ontario indie producers, post facilities, production equipment suppliers, visual effects and animation studios, studio operators, labour unions and guilds and other industry players to take part in the road show presentation.

Ontario players held a similar event in mid-January 2011, sponsored by Film Ontario, the city of Toronto and the OMDC, as Hollywood studios and U.S. indies were sending their foreign location shoots eastwards from Vancouver because of more generous tax breaks on offer in Ontario.

The latest marketing mission aims to focus on Ontario’s tax breaks, animation and visual effects expertise and new media production opportunities.

The OMDC and other organizers will foot the bill for the Los Angeles showcase, including venue and catering costs, while industry players are expected to cover their own travel costs.

“It is our hope that this initiative will continue the positive buzz that currently existing in Hollywood about our jurisdiction, and provide an opportunity for both existing clients as well as companies who may not have previous experience in Ontario to learn more about the advantages of working here,” the marketing mission proposal stated.

Photo: Xurble / Flickr Creative Commons