Prince George, B.C.- Northern B.C. has been the setting for a number of movies, and now there is a new tool to attract t.v. and film crews to the region.

Film Northern BC (formerly Northern BC Film Commission) has a new website, which showcases locations and communities throughout the region.   “Though we normally work directly with location managers to find them an ideal setting for their production, we wanted to display some of our most dramatic and in-demand locations.” says Clint Fraser interim CEO of Northern B.C. Tourism.

Fraser says when Vancouver gets busy with  film and television production, the calls for location shots in the  north increase.  He says they are seeing an  increase in interest over the past  few months and there are a couple  of proposed projects “in the hopper”.  Certainly  the incentives  offered by the BC Government to entice film and t.v. projects to  the province are helpful, and Fraser says the lower  Canadian dollar is also  attractive to the production teams.

“At the  end of the day, our competitive advantage is snow,  the amount we get and  how long it lasts” says Fraser  and that is why  the website  images offer  lots of  winter scenes.

Film Northern BC, administered by Northern BC Tourism, has assisted in attracting some large productions to the region. In 2012, Seventh Son filmed near Tumbler Ridge, Liam Neeson’s The Grey filmed in Smithers in 2011, The Thing was shot in Stewart (2010).

In the Prince George area there have been several movies shot over the years:

• Dreamcatcher (2003)
• Reindeer Games (2000) and
• Double Jeopardy (1999)

Who could forget the classic Bob and Doug MacKenzie flick, “Strange Brew” which was shot in Prince George back in 1983?

Fraser says the website is one more way to reach the decision makers “Film and television productions put millions of dollars into economies of towns they shoot in, not only in location fees and equipment rentals, but also in hotel rooms, restaurants, local services and employment. We want to attract as much of that to Northern BC as possible.”