Cambridge anticipates better year for local film industry

2023 was a tough year for the film industry on the back of the strikes in Hollywood, when the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA striked for better deals with production studios.

Those strikes had a large impact in Waterloo Region, as the City of Cambridge had a major down year for their local film scene.

With pandemic-related production pauses still close by in the rearview mirror, a year like 2023 was another unfortunate step backwards for the film industry in Cambridge.

Film and Marketing Economic Development Officer Matthew Walker put into perspective how slow 20 filming days is compared to their best years.

“We saw quite a significant drop last year compared to our record-breaking years in 2021 and 2022 where we saw 75 days of filming.”

Cambridge is hoping to attract more film crews in 2024. Walker told CityNews what he’s anticipating for this year.

“We are expecting a little bit less than what we had in our record-breaking years, however we are excited to welcome film back into Cambridge and we’re excited to welcome back productions of any size as well as for any of our locations within the city.”

Walker said Cambridge will continue use their picturesque venues and distinctive downtown cores that offer a mix of development and heritage to draw interest from filmmakers.

The Handmaid’s Tale is a popular TV series that films often in Cambridge. Walker could not confirm its return, though he did share that there have been a few inquiries for both domestic and foreign films. However, he said he’s not allowed to give any sneak peaks into what shows or movies could be coming out of the city in the near future.