Stratford, Ont. may be best known for hosting world-class stage performances, but a local filmmaker is making a big investment in the town’s film and digital media production future. “Seventy years ago, we got the Stratford Festival,” Craig Thompson, president of Ballinran Entertainment, said. “What is the next generation that is going to amplify the work that is already being done?” Thompson believes video production could be the next chapter for local artists. “I believe screen content is the next thing that will support the existing arts infrastructure, not only in Stratford, but across southwestern Ontario.” Thompson is the driving force behind Stageview Studio, an upcoming professional media production facility. Although the project is still in the planning stages, when it’s complete, it will include a 5,000 square foot sound stage along with production, editing and storage spaces. “There’s going to be offices, production equipment, production facilities and all sorts of other assets and resources that anyone can use for their production, whether you’re visiting Stratford to produce or whether you live in the region,” Thompson said. The project would not only transform the area’s filming landscape, it would also convert an old warehouse on Downie Street into an entertainment hub. “It will make locations in southern Ontario more attractive because they have a turnkey facility where [filmmakers] can base themselves while they’re doing the location filming. Let’s say it’s raining or there’s something you need the use of a small studio for. They can actually utilize that studio for whatever purpose they need for their shot,” Thompson said. The idea is getting support from the local business and tourism industry. “The idea of TV and film production, and the year-round facility here, is a real boon for Stratford’s creative community, especially for those that are impacted by the seasonal nature of the theatre schedule,” Zac Gribble, Destination Stratford’s executive director, said. Stratford is already an attractive destination for some productions, such as Netflix films Self-Made and In the Tall Grass, due to the architecture that already exists and the talented people who call the area home. “It is a great marriage between the talent and the people and the creatives that live here and the industry aspects of film and TV production,” Gribble said. To start, the facility will host Ballinran Entertainment and its performing arts streaming service, Stageview.TV. Construction is set to begin next year.
