Queen Witnesses Canada's Presence in Film
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh spent their second last day in Canada visiting Pinewood Toronto Studios on Monday. The Studio is the third largest in North America and has been involved in many notable productions in film and television such as ABC’s series “Happy Town”.
Built in 2008 the complex, previously known as FilmPort, has been described as the “Godzilla of studios” by the Toronto Star. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip began their visit to the studio with a luncheon hosted by the Province of Ontario where they were greeted by the Premier of Ontario and distinguished persons in the Canadian film and television Industry. They were then treated to a tour of the studio to be shown the ins-and-outs of movie making.
Acclaimed Canadian film director Deepa Mehta gave a short presentation on film and then the Queen and Duke were treated to a 3-D Recording of Elizabeth’s 1953 Coronation ceremony. The studio has been increasingly involved in 3-D productions since early February 2010 when they hosted a 3-D workshop for industry professionals from all over the world.
The Queen's visit to the studio implies that Canada’s Film Industry is worth noting and that we are a major player in the world of film and television production. The only problem is that the studio has yet to host a big movie production that would give the studio the chance to get it’s name out there. So far the studio hasn’t been as busy as they’d prefer, according to comments made by managing director Edith Myers. This somewhat undermines the notion that Canada’s film industry is doing well. However, it is important to note that at least we have the space available if its needed for a large production. 46,000 square feet to be exact.
