Sarnia crafting a film permit policy

For filming, Sarnia has a little bit of everything, says Liwordson Vijayabalan.

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“The Chemical Valley but also the different scenic waterfront trails, parks, urban environment, suburban environment, I think there’s a lot of options in Sarnia,” said the head of tech and communications company Tmrrw Inc.

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But the area is underused when it comes to filming, said Vijayabalan, who chaired the form South Western International Film Festivaland whose company also produces films.

“It’s almost like a beautiful Airbnb without bookings,” he said about Sarnia when it comes to film.

“It’s kind of just sitting there.”

There are efforts underway to change that in Sarnia and throughout Lambton County, said Tourism Sarnia-Lambton executive director Mark Perrin.

Part of the effort has been working closely for the past year or so with Ontario Creates, he said, describing the provincial government agency as a sort of clearinghouse for film requests in the province.

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“They’re really at the center for everything that happens in Ontario” with music, film and television, he said.

Casting producers tell Ontario Creates what they need, and the agency scours different markets for the right fit, he said, adding Tourism Sarnia-Lambton has created Ontario Creates profiles for communities in Sarnia-Lambton, and it and Ontario Creates are on a call every two weeks to keep abreast of what creators are looking for.

And while natural areas such as the beach in Sarnia, Petrolia’s Victorian charm and the Hallmark feel of Forest are some draws, there’s also a need to be on call when productions do come to town to make sure they go smoothly, Perrin said.

“Whether it’s they need power, or they’re trying to get a certain lighting, so you need to bring a light,” he said. “It’s one of those things where you almost have to have someone totally with the film crew that is there just to solve problems and help wherever is needed.”

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That was one of the lessons learned after Three Friends Productions filmed at Canatara Beach in July.

“Staff learned that there are last-minute requests as things can change quickly in filming due to factors such as weather, delays, human resource, etc.,” has been postponed from Sarnia economic development director Kelly Provost says.

City council recently OK’d staff coming up with a film permit policy, something that’s a best-practice in other communities, the report says, and that helps itemize what’s needed for filming requests in terms of hotel rooms, catering, transportation, traffic interruptions , clean-up requirements, and other things.

Staff will bring the policy, including filming rates and fees, back for council’s approval before implementation, Provost said.

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Getting something in place to streamline that process for film crews is the right move, Vijayabalan said, as more filming in the city could help with tourism and economic development.

“There’s lots of second-order outcomes that are beneficial, just as long as the marketing piece is done as well and done properly,” he said.

Things with Three Friends Productions in July generally went well, Provost said in the report, noting it was a small-scale production in a small beachfront area and many people may not have even noticed filming was happening at the time.

“We appreciate that the crew was respectful of the residents’ and visitors’ experience while they were filming and caused minimal disruption,” Provost wrote.

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