Hindle working to ensure Canadian film industry has staying power

August 4, 2015 · 0 Comments

ACTRA members Theresa Tova, Grace Lynn Kung and Clara Pasieka celebrate the passing of protective legislation at Queen’s Park. Veteran actor Art Hindle and ACTRA work to ensure the longevity of Canada’s film and TV industry.
By Mark Pavilons

Countless souls are beating the drums, working behind the scenes to ensure that Canada’s film and TV industry has staying power.
One such cheerleader is veteran actor and King resident Art Hindle. If you’re involved in the entertainment biz, Hindle and his colleagues have your back.
A solid, in-demand character actor, Hindle has changed his circle of friends from Hollywood A-listers to provincial and federal politicians and civil servants, lobbying to help retain our moniker as “Hollywood North.”
And to some extent, it’s working and politicians are listening. No one can deny the economic benefits of this estimated $20 billion a year industry in Canada.
The most recent success came this past May, thanks to an NDP?MPP?private member’s bill presented by Paul Miller. The legislation covers both the live and the recorded entertainment industries and contains provisions to protect a portion of minors’ income, ensure their education is not compromised, guarantees parental supervision, age-appropriate hours of work and breaks, and health and safety measures. Under the terms of the Act, the law comes into effect on Feb. 5, 2016.
He noted it’s the only industry in Canada that allows children of any age to work and their protection needed to be enshrined in law.
“We’re so excited, we’re jumping for joy,”?Hindle explained. “That’s the kind of thing we do.”
He’s referring to the incredible amount of work carried out by executive members of ACTRA?(Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists), the union of more than 22,000 professional performers working in English-language recorded media in Canada including TV, film, radio and digital media. Hindle is currently vice-president of external affairs.
Wearing another ACTRA?hat, Hindle is a resource for young Canadian filmmakers, offering his support and recommendations for many up-and-comers. He’s even appeared in some shorts to help boost made-in-Canada productions.
Canada has a long history of amazing shows, some that have suffered what’s known as the “Canadian irony” – quality programming loses out to the larger demographics and bottom line business practices. Canadian shows simply don’t generate the required advertising revenue.
One recent example is Remedy, a gritty medical drama, starring Nobleton’s Enrico Colantoni. Others include Bomb Girls and Working the Engels.
And yet, who can forget memorable shows like The Beachcombers (387 episodes), The Littlest Hobo, The Red Green?Show, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Degrassi High, Corner Gas, Street Legal (124 episodes), Danger Bay (123 episodes), King of Kensington (111 episodes), Katts & Dog (107 episodes), North of 60 (90 episodes), E.N.G. (96 episodes, starring Hindle), Night Heat (96 episodes), Road to Avonlea (91 episodes), Psi Factor, Traders, Paradise Falls, Due South, Counterstrike and Lexx.
We have had some wonderful TV shows like The Book of Negroes, X Company, 19-2, Continuum, etc. Even the current sensation The Strain, created by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, is a made-in-Toronto show. Audiences are now enjoying, in record numbers, programs like Heartland, Rookie Blue and Orphan Black.
The last provincial budget cut back the amount of tax credits they offer production companies and that came as a blow to ACTRA. But Hindle won’t be deterred and they will continue to hammer away at provincial leaders to get those credits reinstated.
As well, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) once had very clear rules demanding a certain level of Canadian content. Those rules fell by the wayside and were scaled back in 1999, 2000 and again this year. That puts a noticeable dent in local content on prime time TV.
Ideally, ACTRA wants the CRTC to revisit these rules.
While many think actors are guaranteed millionaires, that isn’t always the case. For them it’s typically feast or famine and some years there’s little or no work at all. For that reason, ACTRA would like to see some form of “income averaging” for income tax purposes, be they through systems like https://taxlawcanada.com/foreign-income/ or other means.
Hindle stresses ACTRA not only supports actors, but all manner of arts and culture, which suffer from chronic under-funding and a lack of government support.
The arts and culture generates an estimated $80 billion annually in Canada, adding more to our GDP than the mining and forestry industries combined. Using the recent TV shoot in Schomberg, Hindle notes for every $1 the industry spends in a community, it generates roughly $5 in spinoff business. Local business in Schomberg were compensated for the days the filming disrupted their business.
Canada, he said, needs to promote arts and culture in the schools and communities, and that means providing education and employment opportunities for our extremely talented youth.
Instead of harping on the negative, Hindle sees everything as a learning opportunity, a way to increase awareness and promote ourselves.
Canada, and Ontario in particular, has become a movie tourist destination – a location of choice for American film companies. Tax credits and a lower Canadian dollar help attract U.S. business. But Hindle is quick to point out what keeps them coming back is the quality of the Canadian crews.
To ensure this relationship endures, Hindle has even held court with Ontario?Premier Kathleen Wynne and he’s pleased that Toronto Mayor John Tory is a strong supporter of the arts.
One fact remains – the influx of money thanks to a vibrant film industry is “a golden goose.”?And Hindle would prefer we “not mess with it.”
The future does look bright in Ontario, he noted. Since 2008, there’s been a steady increase and it brings and estimated $1.2 billion into this province every year.
Ontario, and Toronto, are vibrant in terms of both talent and post-secondary education in film related courses.
“The young ones are incredibly talented,”?Hindle said. “There’s a steady stream through?ACTRA. They’re also socially and politically aware.”
Raised on a diet of Mad magazine, Superman comics and Jerry Lewis movies, Hindle was drawn to the business at a young age. He’s been entertaining audiences since 1968 with such classics as Face-Off, Black Christmas, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Porky’s, which is the highest-grossing Canadian film of all time in Canada’s domestic box office, with a total of $111 million by 1999.
He’s still in demand. He’s heading up to Sault Ste. Marie for a film in which he becomes a bit of a monster. He wrapped up RDG?Entertainment’s “Adam’s Testament”?co-starring Nick Mancuso.
With or without make up, Art Hindle is a force to be reckoned with. And that’s very good for the Canadian film and TV industry.