Is it Hollywood or Charleswood? With a little bit of movie magic, Winnipeg has played a supporting role in countless productions that have filmed here.
Whether it’s a film shoot, a sporting event, festival, or a royal visit, Kenny Boyce and his Film & Special Events team are a part of them all.
As our Manager of Film & Special Events, Boyce is a tireless promoter of Winnipeg. He took time out of his busy schedule to join Our City, Our Podcast this month.
Getting his start
It’s no surprise he ended up working in the industry. Sociable from a young age, Boyce grew up in the North End. His free time was spent at the movie theatre, sitting outside of concert venues, or watching the colour tv his uncle won.
“It was shocking we had a colour tv, no one in our street had a colour TV,” said Boyce. “I thought I could monetize by having my friends come over and give me money or candy to be able to watch Disney on Sunday night.”
Boyce would later go on to essentially set up the City’s Film & Special Events office. He’s been with the City for almost 30 years now.
Selling Winnipeg
Boyce has seen Manitoba’s film industry grow from just a few million dollars to currently around $400 million. Tax credits aside, Winnipeg has many sought after features that help lure productions here. These include tree-lined streets, housing from different eras, and the proximity to lakes and a desert.
“Sometimes the camera, as we say, can cheat, but we have really diverse neighbourhoods that are still intact,” he said.
The Exchange District is one example. It boasts one of the largest collections of Chicago-style architecture in the world. It’s also where the Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was filmed with Brad Pitt and around 300 background actors. Boyce worked to have everything electrical taken out for that production.
“(We took) out the light posts and the parking stations and put wood sidewalks down and soil,” he said. “We hoped it didn’t rain.”
There is one place Boyce won’t let a production film.
“Everyone wants to film at Portage and Main,” he said. “It's just awfully hard when you have tens of thousands of cars passing through every day.”
A thoughtful tour guide
When production staff come to Winnipeg to scout possible locations to film or for an event, Boyce is often the one meeting them at the airport.
“I’ll take them through neighborhoods that would exemplify what they're looking for and make sure they meet right people,” he said.
Depending on the weather, he also makes sure he has extra jackets and boots in a variety of sizes, water, Winnipeg-branded merchandise, and so on. He’ll confirm dietary restrictions so he knows what restaurants to go to. He even has a hand in where they stay.
“I’m making sure the accommodations are right for them,” Boyce said. “It they're East Coast, they might want to stay one place, if they are from West Coast, it’s another spot, but I’m always making sure they get what they need.”
Making those personal connections is a key part of how Boyce approaches his work. He also makes a point of going to bed every night with no texts or emails in his inbox.
“Everyone can sell and everyone has to close (a deal),” he said. “Closing can be problematic because they might be looking at other markets. So I always like to call at the end of the day and then when they're back in the office to say it was great to meet them.”
Balancing act
On top of film and tv productions, Boyce and his team in the Film and Special Events Office are involved in the logistics of events taking place in our city. Think the upcoming Grey Cup, Winnipeg Jets Whiteout Street Parties, marathons, parades, and everything in between.
“My team and I always try to start from a place of yes as long as we can and use common sense when we have to say no,” he said.
It's got to be safe. I'll work backwards from safe.
The office has a dual role of supporting the event or production and also supporting residents. Boyce and his team will deal with complaints, concerns, or requests for help they can get at all hours. Boyce also is a special constable and he works to preserve Winnipeg.
“I'll go out and inspect the location often to see that we're protecting our by-laws, that people can have a good, safe time, and help to ensure the universal design of an event,” he said. “We need to have a vibrant community, and safety is paramount in everything that we do.”
Respecting the community
Production companies want to keep filming in Winnipeg. That’s why Boyce said they know how important it is to be good visitors.
Productions will often donate left over items such as food or clothing to local organizations. Props have even been left behind to beautify parks or playgrounds that were filmed in. Boyce points to the gardens in Enderton Park, otherwise known as Peanut Park, as one place that has benefited.
“The film community tends to leave a planting behind every time we film there,” he said. “The gardens continue to grow, which is really nice for the neighbourhood.”
One special meeting
When you work in the industry Boyce does, you meet a lot of people. His office walls feature photos with Patrick Swayze, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and so many more.
While he uses discretion when sharing stories, there is one moment he beams with pride while talking about. It’s when he met Queen Elizabeth II in 2010 when he was the City’s lead for the royal tour.
“We had the opportunity to meet the Queen at Government House and were introduced to her, shook hands, and then did a photo,” recalled Boyce. “It was pretty cool and not bad for North End boy.”
Our City, Our Podcast
Boyce shares more behind the scene stories about bringing film productions and special events to Winnipeg on Our City, Our Podcast. This episode was released in April, 2025.