Canadore film production facility is open for business: State-of-the-art centre allows for post-production work to remain in the North.

• Author: Dawson, Chris
• Position: NORTH BAY

Canadore College officially opened the doors of its state-of-the-art postproduction film facility to the public on Feb. 8.

For the past year, the North Bay school has been working on the 5,568-squarefoot facility which will allow TV and movie crews to stay in the North to complete any post-production on their projects.

"We have a lot of momentum going and we need to keep it going," said Yura Monestime, associate dean of the School of Media, Design and Dramatic Arts at Canadore College.

"This is just one step as part of the process. Maybe one day we could be Hollywood North."

The new facility includes a Dolby Atmos mix stage with 70,000 watts of power along with 41 speakers. Along with that, it also boasts a colour correction room, dialogue replacement technology, and specialized computer and software equipment that isn't being used in any other teaching facility in Canada.

Michael Gravelle, minister of Northern Development and Mines and chair of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, which chipped in to help pay for the $2-million facility, said this new complex is worth it and will continue to help build the film industry in the North.

"It is extraordinary to have a post-production facility available for the film and television industry here in Northern Ontario," said Gravelle.

"This is state-of-the-art, this is as good as anything you will find in Los Angeles or in Toronto, and it indeed is a...