Front Page, Industry News

Former Toronto Film Studios Reopens, Fills Stages With Hollywood Shoots

TORONTO – The former Toronto Film Studios is back in business as the Revival 629, with Ken and Linda Ferguson back running the complex.

The film studio at 629 Eastern Avenue in downtown Toronto, which served as a temporary jail during the riotous 2010 G20 Summit, has reopened as the city’s film and TV production boom continues.

Episodes of Nikita and Warehouse 13 have been shot on the eight soundstages that have already opened, with additional stages set to open for use.

Toronto Film Studios had more than 200 feature films and 60 TV series shoot on its stages before the nearby Filmport, now called Pinewood Toronto Studios, opened its doors in 2008.

The studio was shuttered after Filmport launched and was slated for demolition and redevelopment.

But Rose Corp. and SmartCenters was denied permission to rezone the industrial land to build a shopping mall anchored by a Walmart.

So the Fergusons, who ran the former Toronto Film Studios, are partnering with SmartCenters on Revival 629.

The refurbished studio space, with a major thrust into digital media production, will be part of a larger commercial complex.

The relaunch of the Toronto Film Studios comes as Pinewood Toronto Studios is expanding to accommodate more big-budget Hollywood movie shoots, and more TV series production.

After a major refurbishment, Revival 629 now has three production offices, three carpentry shops open and back-lot locations for film and TV shoots.

And there’s plans on the drawing board for corporate offices for media companies and a digital media accelerator and start-up offices for animation, gaming, app development and interactive media.

The Toronto production sector received a major shot in the arm in 2010 when Ontario goosed its provincial film tax credit to an all-spend 25 percent incentive, and the number of Hollywood shoots descending on the city shows no sign of letting up.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter