Quiet on the set: Slow start to film production in N.L. no reason to panic, leader says

In recent years, Newfoundland and Labrador has emerged as a thriving hub for the film and television industry, with notable productions like Peter Pan & Wendy, Son of a Critch, Hudson & Rex, Astrid and Lilly Save the World and Frontier, among others, being produced in the province.

However, as the summer production season draws closer,things seem conspicuously quiet.

But Laura Churchill, chief executive officer of PictureNL, formerly the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corp., says people should stay tuned.

"We'll have four television series going on throughout this year, along with a lot of other great feature films," Churchill told CBC News in a recent interview.

Laura Churchill, CEO of PictureNL, says four television series are filming in the province throughout this year, along with a lot of other great feature films. (Ted Dillon/CBC)

Since its establishment in 1997, PictureNL has fostered numerous works, creating an environment for people working in the industry that was boosted the success of the series, Republic of Doyle, establishing Newfoundland and Labrador as a serious option for shooting in the Canadian film and television industry.

Churchill says this year's production season is just gearing up.

"We're just starting into the production season, so a lot of that information starts to come online in the summer months," she said.

The break is partly due to  writers' and actors' strikes last year in the U.S., which "had a huge impact on what other guest productions … were coming here," she said.But you'll see a resurgence in that."

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Despite the break in incoming productions, she said, interest in using the province as a filming location is at its highest.

There is also anticipation for upcoming releases like the The King Tide, directed by Newfoundland's own Christian Sparkes, and Sweetland, based on Michael Crummey's critically acclaimed novel.

Sparkes says he's "always looking for films that shoot in Newfoundland."

The King Tide, shot in Keels, is set to make its box office debut on April 26.  Sparkes says the reception "was the classic Newfoundland experience."

Son of Critch is filmed in Newfoundland and Labrador and has been nominated for seven 2024 Canadian Screen Awards. (CBC)

There are other developments on the horizon, such as the College of the North Atlantic's new film campus in St. John's, which has enrolled 70 students.

Meanwhile, The Rooms in St. John's and the Rotary Arts Centre in Corner Brook will be showcasing films produced in Newfoundland and Labrador.

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