Winnipeg.ca (UD) : Film and Special Events

Film Office
Welcome to the Film Office, a component of the Film and Special Events of The City of Winnipeg. Our commitment is to serve the needs of the expanding film industry. Whether you are a filmmaker or film fan relevant helpful information awaits you on this site.

If you are looking for a place to film we’ve detailed the reasons why Winnipeg should be on your short list. Climate, locations and Film Funding opportunities are among our assets along with experienced film crews ready to meet any challenge. A history of recent films made in Manitoba and a series of Frequently Asked Questions provide background information. Ask your colleagues in the industry about filming in Winnipeg.

Once you’ve decided Winnipeg is where you want to film, this site offers information about City requirements for your shoot. Details on permits, insurance, related links to goods and services suppliers and a code of ethics for cast and crew conduct are provided. We’ve even supplied contact information for local charitable organizations that will take your leftover materials and food when “it’s a wrap!”

Browse through our site and contact The Film Office if there is anything we can do to assist. One phone call or email to us puts you in business. Make us prove our film-friendliness.

Why Film in Winnipeg?

WE ARE VERY FILM-FRIENDLY!!

Winnipeg and Manitoba have rapidly developed a reputation as one of the most desired locales for film initiatives in Canada. Filmmaking is among the most dynamic and fastest growing industries in Winnipeg. Check out the list of recent films shot here for evidence.

Locations! Locations! Locations! Winnipeg can masquerade as many places: we’ve been Chicago, New Jersey, Soho, and Baltimore. You name it, we can become it. Our National Heritage Site, The Exchange District, is like no other neighbourhood in North America with over 140 outstanding architectural examples from the turn of the last century! Many of our museums and historic sites make excellent locations. Galleries of urban and rural locations can be viewed at http://www.mbfilmmusic.ca

Our rural locations are just as spectacular. The eastern shores of our vast provincial lakes such as Lake Winnipeg can duplicate the rough Atlantic coastline while the southern and western shores can pretend to be the sandy beaches of the Pacific or Caribbean. In winter we can be the North Pole or the South Pole or any snowy place in between. We have vast wide-open prairie, deserts, tundra, mountains and some of the oldest rocks on the planet on the Canadian Shield. And a climate to match!

With many high quality, film-training programs in place Winnipeg can supply well-qualified crews with feature film and television experience who can fill all technical needs, and a variety of production support services. Winnipeg has sound stages, audio recording studios, animation and special effects companies, pre- and post-production facilities and accomplished professional crews.

Winnipeg is more cost-effective regarding crew and locations than many other centres in Canada. As added incentive, a competitive provincial tax credit program is in place to encourage film production in Manitoba.

The City of Winnipeg, in order to promote and facilitate film and video production, will often waive permit fees, provide free parking, discounted police officer rates, and help find suitable civic facilities, locations and services. Are you beginning to see how film-friendly we are?

Winnipeg is a clean dynamic city of over 600,000 people with much to offer filmmakers. We have parks and river walks, excellent cuisine from every corner of the world, a host of cultural activities ranging from world-class ballet to night clubs, professional sports teams, outdoor concerts and festivals. A wide range of appropriate accommodations are available for cast and crew. Our population is diverse and multicultural with a growing awareness of the benefits of co-operating with film production companies. To learn more about Winnipeg follow the links offered by the Winnipeg.ca Website or visit Economic Development Winnipeg.

Our location at the centre of the continent, our four distinct and beautiful seasons, our economic incentives, friendly citizenry and history of award-winning films all assure Winnipeg’s place in the international film community.

Winnipeg's Climate

Due to our position on the planet, Winnipeg has four very distinct seasons. All dates are approximate but here are some guidelines for our changes of season.

SPRING: the snow usually begins to melt in early to mid April and is gone by early May with green grass and leaves on the trees by mid to late May. Gardens are planted and bedding plants put out mid to late May. Ice on our rivers and lakes begins to break up in late April with clear water by mid May. Mean temperature in April is 4 degrees C/ 40 degrees F, in May 12 degrees C/ 55 degrees F.

SUMMER: summers are long, hot and sunny in June, July and August July is our hottest month with an average temperature of 24 degrees C/ 72 degrees F. The average number of days per month with rainfall is 11, making Winnipeg one of the sunniest spots in North America.

AUTUMN: by mid September the weather begins to change with cooler nights and days, the mean temperature in September is 17 degrees C/ 66 degrees F. Leaves begin to change anywhere from mid September to mid October. The trees are usually bare for several weeks before the first snowfall. Farmers usually begin harvesting, depending on the crop, in late August with completion by mid September.

WINTER: the first snowfall can occur anytime after October 31, rarely before. Early snows are often just skiffs, serious ground-covering snowfalls occur by the end of November with December thru March our snowiest time. Mean temperature in January, our coldest month, is minus 20 degrees C/ 10 below zero F. Rivers and lakes begin to freeze up by mid November with solid ice, depending on fluctuations, by late December or early January. Precipitation days in winter are few, averaging about 9 days per month, giving us plenty of short, bright days.

For today’s weather http://weather.ec.gc.ca/city/pages/mb-38_metric_e.html

Film History

Winnipeg and Manitoba have rapidly developed a reputation as desirable locales for filmmakers from Canada and abroad.

A small sample of more recent (2003-2006) films made in Winnipeg are as follows:

Shall We Dance

The Stone Angel

The Saddest Music in the World

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Falcon Beach

A Bear Named Winnie

Elijah

Category 6: Day of Destruction

The Good Life

Capote

Lucid

You Kill Me

For a more comprehensive list of recent and past productions, visit the Internet Movie Database to view movie titles with locations in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

Other Information When Filming in Winnipeg

The Film and Special Events Office requires adequate insurance coverage for each film being produced in Winnipeg. After receiving the insurance document we release a control number that is used throughout the shooting schedule to arrange other City services.
The Film Office offers vacant available civic accommodations to film companies for their production offices. Fees and/or leases are arranged independently with each production.
The Film Office arranges, through Police Services and Winnipeg Transit, to have streets closed and traffic re-routed to accommodate chase scenes and other street filming. Security issues, firearms usage and other Police Services are arranged through The Film Office. They have provided a fee schedule for the services they offer.
We can arrange to have parking meters bagged in the vicinity of the set to ensure that parking is made available for production vehicles, equipment and trailers.
When location filming is planned all residents and businesses in the area must be notified in writing that this event is going to occur, providing them with details in the missive. Notification should include the name of your company, the name of your production, the kind of production (MOW, TV pilot, etc.) and the type of activity and duration (times, dates, number of days including prep and strike, any traffic and parking restrictions, special effects, explosions, gunfire, etc
The City of Winnipeg provides a (pdf, 108k) Code of Ethics for Cast and Crew Conduct for film production companies. It gives an overview and details on appropriate behavior.

Permits

While filming (feature films, commercials, music videos, one reels, student projects, television programming or PSAs) in Winnipeg, many activities will require a permit.

YOU WILL NEED A PERMIT IF:

Traffic will be interrupted on City streets.
Pedestrian traffic on sidewalks will be interrupted.
A dolly or tri-pod is used on streets or sidewalks.
Wires or cables run across or over sidewalks.
A generator is used on a sidewalk or street.
Filming takes place on Public property.
Public parking will be impacted.
For information on obtaining permits from various City departments please call our office.

The Film Office acts as a liaison between the arts community and City departments and will provide connections to specific departments as required for permits and information.

Film Funding

Canada Council
The Canada Council runs the Grants to Film and Video Artist Program that offers funding in a number of categories. Individual filmmakers and video artists who are striving for innovation and expansion of the art form can apply for grants for Research/Creation, Production, and Scriptwriting. Organizations that foster the making and screening of independent film and video can apply for Production and Distribution grants. Deadlines and further information can be obtained from Canada Council.
Website: http://www.canadacouncil.ca
Phone: 1-800-263-5588
Fax: 613-566-4409
Canadian Heritage
This department of the federal government offers tax credits to filmmakers and video artists. The Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit encourages Canadian programming and helps develop an active domestic production sector. This fully refundable Tax Credit can be up to12% of the total cost, net of assistance, of an eligible production. The Film or Video Production Services Tax Credit enhances Canada as a production location and strengthens the industry with secure investment. This Tax Credit is available at a rate of 11% of qualified Canadian labour expenditures. Information on these Tax Credits is available from the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office.
Website: http://www.pch.gc.ca/cavco/
Email: bcpac@pch.gc.ca
City of Winnipeg Film and Special Events Office
The Film Office is available to assist filmmakers and video artists with their production needs as they relate to the City. We are an effective liaison between creators and the community. Information on permits, insurance, police and traffic services and production offices can all be obtained from The Film Office.
Email: Film and Special Events
Phone: 204-986-3058
Fax: 204-986-7673
Manitoba Arts Council
The Manitoba Arts Council offers individual film and video creators a variety of grants for initiatives that include scriptwriting and production support. Non-profit organizations that encourage production in film and video can apply for assorted funding. Depending on the program, various deadlines apply.
Website: http://www.artscouncil.mb.ca
Email: info@artscouncil.mb.ca
Phone: 204-945-0399
Fax: 204-945-5925
Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit
Since 1997 the Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit has provided incentives to the private film and television production industry to create economic development. Basically the Tax Credit rebates 35% of approved Manitoba labour expenditures up to a maximum of 22.5% of eligible production costs. Eligible projects include fully financed television movies, documentaries, feature films, dramatic series, variety, multimedia, animation, children’s programming, music programming and informational series, as well as digital and CD-ROM production. This Tax Credit is administered by Manitoba Film and Sound.
Website: http://www.mbfilmmusic.ca
Winnipeg Arts Council
The Winnipeg Arts Council supports the development of film production and presentation through grants to organizations and individual artists. We fund independent filmmakers through the Individual Artists Grant Program which recognizes the artist as the primary creative source and has one annual deadline in February. Funding for professional development is also available through our Professional Development Grant Program. For more information and to download grant application forms please visit our Website at http://www.winnipegarts.ca
Other Funding Bodies
A number of other opportunities are available to fund your film or video project. Funding bodies may specialize in certain types of productions. We recommend you contact these private and public funding bodies for further information.

Community Contributions
�AND THAT�S A WRAP�

Winnipeggers have a reputation across Canada as being the most generous with their donations to organizations that help the needy. Many film and video productions discover they are throwing out materials that can be recycled or reused and would like to donate them to local organizations that will put the items to good use.