5 Canadian cities named among the best places to be a filmmaker

Well, who would’ve thought?! Turns out, those interested in becoming filmmakers don’t actually need to sell their souls to Hollywood after all! According to a newly published list, Canada is just as star-studded as the states, with 4 big cities and 1 small town being named some of North America’s best places to live and work as a filmmaker.

Though Los Angeles and New York City will likely forever be known as the best of the best, Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver, and Victoria are well respected by those in the industry.

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Toronto, known best for its size and prestigious international film festival, came in at number 11, having brought to life shows like The Boys and The Handmaid’s Tale. 

“Toronto is ready to shoot,” they said, adding that the city was diverse, had great food and “has ample infrastructure, including stages, seasoned crews, rental houses and post facilities.”

Calgary, which snagged a spot at number 10 was praised for its “authenticity” and 50,000 square foot Calgary Film Centre Facility. This beast of a space boasts three sound stages, all of which are acoustically sealed tilt-up construction and dedicated camlocks.

Movies like Let Him Go, Inception, Brokeback Mountain, and Interstellar, as well as the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife were all shot in and around the Alberta city.

Finally, Montreal (7), Vancouver (5), and Victoria, which placed 5th in their “small towns” category, were also revered.

Montreal for its “cool beauty,” versatility and thriving animation industry, and of course Vancouver and Victoria for their strong ties to a number of beloved stars like Ryan Reynolds and Seth Rogan, a mad tax incentive and incredible institutions, in addition to its beaches and temperate weather.

All in all, we’ve got it pretty good here folks. Who knows, maybe one day the tables will turn completely and we’ll replace the bigwigs. Until then, let’s just give it up for Canada – one of the world’s best places to live and work as a filmmaker.