BC At Work, Episode 8, Video
BC at Work, Episode 8, was first broadcast on October 23, 1988. It was produced by Michael Morgan and Associates and Shane Lunny Productions for the BC Federation of Labour as a public affairs television program comprising 13 episodes. Twelve episodes have survived.
Length: 29:14
Hosts: Scott Swanson, Judy Pal
Date: October 23, 1988
This episode of BC at Work focuses on the booming film and television industry in British Columbia, dubbed “Hollywood North,” and the broader provincial economy.
The hosts explore the Metro Theatre in Marpole, highlighting it as a training ground for aspiring actors and technical crew, including members of IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees), the union for film technicians. The skills learned in theatre—such as working with lighting, sound, rigging, and ropes—are highly transferable to a professional film set.
British Columbia’s film industry had expanded rapidly, offering quality television production less expensively than other locales. Key factors attracting foreign companies include a quality workforce, diverse locations, and proximity to Los Angeles. Established in 1978, the BC Film Commission helped transform BC from just a location to the fourth or fifth largest production center in North America. Over 90% of film crews were now British Columbians, creating a massive number of labor-intensive jobs across all departments (camera, sound, grips, props, etc.).
In a segment devoted to BC’s labour history, storyteller Clay Perry describes the Great Depression of the 1930s and the demoralizing hardship faced by many. Perry asserts these experiences fueled the powerful union organizing drives of the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Advertisers:
- Canada’s NDP
- Ambulance Paramedics of BC
- BC Federation of Labour (with Martin Sheen discussing California grape boycott)
- Hotel, Restaurant union, Local 40
- Kenneth Gordon School
- Vancouver Helicopters
- BC Telephone Company