“We’ll end up bringing interesting projects that wouldn’t have otherwise found their way into Toronto,” Cerenzie tells. “We want to get it out there that we, Toronto, can support these types of productions.”
Cerenzie stresses that there’s significant demand for backlot space as many productions require substantial set-building to allow for filming versatility. He stresses that the partnership will broaden the types of productions that come to Toronto, which have historically opted for other locations due to a lack of backlot availability, because they can more easily replicate the likes of London and New York, among other places.
“If you’re trying to do a Harlem piece or a Paris piece, we don’t have the architecture that New York or London has, so we lose out on some independents and features and high end television,” Cerenzie said. “This [partnership] opens that back up.”Stratagem’s joint venture with Kleinburg is among several partnerships the studio will unveil throughout 2023.
In March, Stratagem said it will add two purpose-built clear span stages of 20,000 square feet. The plans brought Stratagem Studios Eastside to 350,000 square feet, with around 100,000 square feet of soundstages and another 200,000 square feet of supporting production space once development is completed.
Cerenzie says he plans for Stratagem to have one million square feet of studio space within the next five years, largely in Toronto to fill a continued shortage of film and TV studio space.
Ugh. Canada is already getting 70% of the major projects in production.