The HBO show 'The Last of Us' took over downtown Nanaimo earlier this one, one of four productions which took place on Vancouver Island this year, bringing in over $3 million in economic benefits to the mid-Island region. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW/HBO)

By Jordan Davidson

lights, camera, action!

Nanaimo-Oceanside film productions this year had estimated $3.2M economic boost

Nov 27, 2024 | 4:30 PM

NANAIMO — Films and television shows had a notable economic impact on the mid-Island this year, thanks to four major productions.

The most high-profile production overseen by the Vancouver Island North Film Commission (INFilm) was the HBO production ‘The Last of Us’, which took over downtown Nanaimo for a few weeks in the spring transforming the area into a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Speaking at the Tues, Nov. 26 Regional District of Nanaimo board meeting, regional production service manager for INFilm Brandon Lepine said their agency helped shape Vancouver Island into a premier film location over their 25 years in operation.

“While industry in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland continues to feel the impacts of US studio realignments and labour strikes, our regional production numbers remain strong and growing… we’re somewhere per capita the same as Vancouver right now for film production,” Lepine said.

While full details of each production are unavailable due to confidentiality agreements, Lepine said across the four projects, over $1.6 million was spent on accommodations and food/drink in the RDN, approximately $421,000 was spent in the City of Nanaimo, and $1.2 million in the Parksville/Qualicum Beach area this year.

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Film crews shut down streets and redirected traffic in downtown Nanaimo during the three full days of filming for ‘The Last of Us’, with five weeks worth of prep time, and one week to wrap up production and return the area to it’s previous state. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

The Netflix series ‘Untamed’ was shot this year in the Nanaimo Lakes Rd. area of the RDN, while feature films ‘One Mile’ and its sequel ‘One More Mile’ were filmed mainly in the Parksville/Qualicum Beach area.

“Over 300 local background performers/actors and crews were hired on to ‘One Mile’ and ‘One Mile More’. We’re expecting more numbers when these productions air.”

He said they’re currently in talks with mid-Island tourism groups to help encourage further filming opportunities in the area, with four more productions already green-lit for next year.

Lepine said a proposed 8 per cent increase in B.C.’s film tax credit, recently promised by Premier David Eby, would make filming in the area even more attractive, which will help the “fiercely independent” Vancouver Island stay competitive in the film industry.

“We will see a drop in union big-show productions globally, it’s been announced it is a realignment. Vancouver Island, on the other hand, our productions are going up. We’re seeing more and more independent productions, more natural history, more documentaries.”

Lepine asked the RDN board for $50,000 to be added to their 2025-29 financial plan to capture new film locations and update previous ones, with the help of locally sourced photographers and drone operators, to add over 400 files of the area.

The project is expected to be complete by next spring.

A rooftop view of Commercial St. facing south during filming of ‘The Last of Us’ May 12, 2024. (Submitted/Leon Drzewiecki)

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow