Island film industry marks another big year, with help from Netflix series 'Maid'

While 2021 didn't quite match last year – which brought a record-breaking $55 million of direct spending into the capital region – it did come close.

While 2021 didn't quite match last year – which brought a record-breaking $55 million of direct spending into the capital region – it did come close.

Kathleen Gilbert, film commissioner for Vancouver Island South Film and Media Commission, said this year's total was only "a million or so less" than 2020.

There were 40 different shows shot in the region this year.

Those included three feature films, 10 Hallmark movies and nine television series, including Netflix’s critically acclaimed Maid.

“I just cannot overstate the success that Maid was here,” said Gilbert. “Not only the money that they spent but the attention, the worldwide attention they brought to Victoria.”

Shot in 160 different locations around Greater Victoria, Maid was released on Oct. 1 and sat on Netflix’s Top 5 shows for the first two months of its release.

The popularity of the show put southern Vancouver Island on the map, and brought fans of the show to visit some of the many locations that appear in the series.

“I’ll tell you, the people at Netflix, their ears have perked up now,” said Gilbert.