Words June Murray Dagnall
Photo Emma Rossum photography
On southern Vancouver Island, where rugged coastline meets creative energy, a quiet transformation has been unfolding that is powered by filmmakers, local businesses, and the people who call this place home. At the centre of it is Tara-Lee Novak, the newly appointed Film Commissioner, whose journey into the role feels as natural as it is inspiring. For 15 years, Tara-Lee has worked as a producer, carving out a career behind the scenes of factual television and media projects. Her background in marketing and communications for a crown corporation has helped guide her pathway in a role that requires equal parts creativity and diplomacy.
The Vancouver Island South Film & Media Commission has a purpose as compelling as the stories filmed here. As a non-profit, its mission is simple yet powerful: it aims to drive regional prosperity by marketing southern Vancouver Island’s locations, talent and services to the global film industry. It is a mission that impacts far more than camera crews. Every production that is filmed here supports a large amount of local small businesses, hotels, restaurants, construction suppliers, costume designers, caterers and countless residents with well-paying jobs who step in to help make the magic happen.
The types of projects filmed in the region are as diverse as the Island’s landscapes. One week, a windswept beach transforms into the cinematic backdrop for a dramatic feature film; the next, a downtown street becomes the set of a fast-paced television series. Producers are drawn here for Movies of the Week, Documentaries, Feature Films, TV series, Music videos, and vertical and digital first content. From big budget productions to smaller projects, the Vancouver Island South Film & Media Commission supports them all!
For many productions, the commission is the first knock on the door. Filmmakers will share a script, and from there the commission creates a custom look book by pulling images and details from their database of approximately 2,500 registered filming locations. They also manage a directory of local businesses, support services and film crews. It is so important not to only find the perfect area for the production, but to also connect filmmakers with the region’s community of professionals.
The film commission plays a vital supporting role in connecting people, such as youth, emerging filmmakers and Indigenous storytellers, to the provincial organizations offering these connections. A small training program was run in 2025 introducing half a dozen volunteers to location scouting. The film commission has run training programs in the past and if funding expands, they hope to offer them again. Right now, their operating budget allows for two full-time positions. They also have a couple of people who work part-time hours when needed, and there are 12 volunteer board members. They are focused on attracting and servicing productions and communicating their efforts and results with their massive network of stakeholders. The commission is always looking to grow the region’s film sector and economy, by communicating our region’s unique challenges and needs with provincial stakeholders. They open the doors, make the introductions and help guide individuals toward the programs that will help with their careers. The commission has a newsletter that individuals can sign up for which highlights many of these opportunities.
For people in the region there are lots of ways to get involved. People can register their properties as filming locations, list their businesses in the commission’s free directory, and support the commission as a sponsor. As a non-profit operating with a modest budget, sponsorships are critical to keeping phones answered, emails returned and opportunities seized. Often, productions are looking to bring millions of dollars into the local economy, and before that can happen, a location is needed so being able to respond quickly to inquiries
is paramount.
2025 has been a banner year for filming on the Saanich Peninsula. Multiple productions have chosen the Peninsula as their backdrop, from sweeping rural scenes to beloved local landmarks and businesses.
The future is bright for filmmaking on the Island. With Tara-Lee at the helm, and the creative energy in the region surging, southern Vancouver Island is stepping confidently onto the global filmmaking stage. Growth for the commission is not just about lights and cameras, it is about people and communities, and our own South Island is a place full of wonderful stories worth telling.
