Often called “Limestone City” for its historic stone buildings, Kingston has built an impressive resume as productions seek out its supportive production environment.
The jurisdiction boasts of a circa-1844 City Hall where Guillermo del Toro filmed parts of 2015’s Crimson Peak, and the spacious grounds at Fort Henry which date back to the War of 1812. Kingston’s nearby farmlands and three waterways (the St. Lawrence River, Rideau Canal and Lake Ontario) complete the picture with waterfront hotels and resorts, as well as the Kingston Yacht Club.
The quaint downtown and contemporary suburban settings can stand in for many American locations, while the vintage feel of Kingston Penitentiary (which ceased operating in 2013 and later reopened as a museum) has provided the perfect backdrop for scenes in Paramount+ series Mayor of Kingstown and Star Trek: Discovery, as well as DC superhero show Titans, CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries and Alias Grace, Peacock’s The Lost Symbol, and Prime Video’s Reacher.
Kingston’s tourism infrastructure – complete with a variety of nightlife, dining and accommodation options, as well as a supportive local community – creates a welcoming environment that’s just a three-hour drive from Toronto and Montreal alike. And it has incentives to sweeten the pot.
“Some productions need to bring in crew members that are not local, which involves hotel and meal expenses,” says Kingston’s film commissioner, Donnie MacIntyre. “We have funds that can help offset those costs, and if productions need additional financing to get their budgets over the finish line, in the right circumstances we can contribute some of those funds as well.”
Productions have also started to film all their principal photography in the city, starting with indie thriller Den Mother Crimson which used more than 60% local crew and featured production design from Kingston escape room company Visual Menace. The movie is produced by the team at Branded to Film (B2F), who has announced plans to shoot 10 genre projects in the area over three years and will help develop local talent, crew, and infrastructure.
“We are getting to the point where we have the talent to service projects end to end – from pre-production through post,” MacIntyre notes, adding that Kingston’s efforts to grow the local workforce include workshops for above- and below-the-line workers. Kingston also collaborates with the Queen’s University Department of Film and Media and the St. Lawrence College Media program on professional development and work placement opportunities.
And while MacIntyre confirmed the city is actively exploring prospects for purpose-built studios, Kingston currently offers a number of local venues that can be used by smaller and medium-sized productions (including warehouse facilities, airport hangars and a former Sears store with a massive floor space) and is ready to assist producers with incentives, location tours, and the coordination of talent and resources.
A location gallery is available online, and more information about Kingston locations, talent and crew is available in their Locations Database hosted by Reel-Scout: visitkingston.ca/film-media