The Save BC Film movement says the Fantastic Four reboot may not be the only Hollywood blockbuster to make an exit from the province.
Wayne Bennett says something must be done to keep BC’s film industry competitive or the bleeding will continue to increase.
"If this continues, yes we are in big trouble. I mean there are, in the state of Georgia alone, there are five construction projects that are ongoing now to build new sound stages down there to attract these kinds of projects. You know the incentive in the UK, they really going after the large you know budget feature films to attract them there."
Bennett says another potential blockbuster set to film in BC is also now weighing its financial options and might flee to cheaper shooting locales.
“There is another project right now called Warcraft that is hoping to stay in Vancouver but they are looking at other jurisdictions that may or may not be cheaper. While I would like to think it is a one off if we are not a competitive deal then they will probably go elsewhere."
While the provincial government has ruled out a further reduction of film tax credits, Bennett says they continue to lobby politicians who are also concerned about BC’s faltering film business.
"The provincial sales tax is one issue we are trying to work with. Obviously it coming back in when we lost the HST has been a cost to the bottom line of productions coming to British Columbia. Just trying to work with the different municipalities in finding more efficient ways of costs of filming in Vancouver versus Burnaby versus Richmond and if there is way to streamline some of that."
The crew behind the Fantastic Four reboot chose to leave BC to shoot the movie in Louisiana, in order to save on the film’s budget.