In a bid to make filming more affordable for local filmmakers, the City of Kamloops will waive all permit application fees for film productions that have a budget of $25,000 or less.
External Relations Liaison, Sarah Candido, says the move to a fee based model will see film productions with a budget between $25,000 and $50,000 pay a $25 fee, while those with budgets over $50,000 will continue to pay $125.
“This structure takes into account small budget local producers, such as real estate and local business advertisements that require almost nothing in the way of city supports, as well mid-and-larger productions that need a more extensive city support and coordination,” she said.
“It will also ensure that they have adequate insurance and [that they] follow processes.”
The City’s Film Permitting Bylaw No. 35-96 was adopted in fall 2021, with Candido noting there have been “many successful commercial, student, and not-for-profit productions” filmed in Kamloops in the past year.
“In the current Film Permitting Bylaw, the film permit fee for student and not-for-profit productions is $25 and the for-profit productions film permit fee is $125,” Candido wrote in her report to council.
“When the bylaw passed, it was largely with student; not-for-profit; and larger-scale, for-profit productions in mind. What remained was the burgeoning local, small budget, for-profit productions. For these productions, a for-profit film permit fee of $125 was prohibitively expensive, and many filmmakers were concerned they would have to change careers.”
She says city staff have met with local filmmakers, the Thompson-Nicola Film Commission, other municipal film officials, and Creative BC to find a solution that works for them, while also ensuring that the City recovers its costs.
All film producers in Kamloops will still be required to pay a refundable security deposit, based on the scope, risk, and impact of their productions, instead of a previous flat $5,000 fee, which turned out to be error in draft versions of bylaw that was not rectified.
“Once staff found the error and traced its origin, it was found to be a technical error and not intentional; therefore, staff are recommending the wording be changed to read as it was intended,” Candido wrote.
She says refundable security deposits are common practice in film and municipal bylaws noting being able to adjust deposit amounts will support smaller budget and scope of risk productions.
“They provide assurance of the City’s costs being recovered and because of the scope of work for staff, the use of roads, and other project details vary, it is once again proposed that security deposits will vary based on scope, risk, and impact,” Candido said.
In her report, Candido used the Power Rangers movie filmed in Kamloops as an example of a production that would pay a larger deposit.
“They used Victoria Street for many days, staged stunts, and used pyrotechnics. The scope and risk of this production was significantly greater than that of a romantic comedy filmed in the City using private property and having a minimal impact on City assets, infrastructure, and staff time,” Candido wrote.
All film productions will still be required to file a Certificate of Insurance naming the City of Kamloops as a third party (to limit the risk), as outlined in the existing bylaw.
