While a $50,000 loss due to the cancellation of a film shoot left LaRue Entertainment up in arms, the insurance policy covering such an event has helped make for a movie ending.
The Toronto-based film crew had to cancel shooting in Hamilton’s scenic Gage Park because city officials had double-booked the site with another event, VIII Fest, a local music festival, which the city ended up cancelling anyway.
The new movie is called Filth City and is the fictional story of a crack-smoking mayor of a major city. The crew had started setting up at Gage Park in Hamilton, Ont. in the morning – since they had been given a permit six weeks earlier - but had to stop shooting at around 1 p.m. after getting a call from the city’s film and television office informing them of the double booking.
In an email, city spokesperson Ann Lamanes confirmed that the festival was given preference since it had received a permit first.
“There was a double booking of a film permit and a special event permit – something that was unfortunately a staff error and is exceptionally rare,” she said.
Still these types of errors are expected to become more commonplace as “Hollywood North” works its way through the best year for business in the last decade – all thanks to the loonie’s dramatic decline against the greenback.
That spike in activity has ushered in new opportunities for those brokers looking to cater to the insurance needs of independent production companies. Many are using local financiers to perform the treasury function for their films. That affords brokers greater access to that business.
