Second Season of ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Floods Ontario Economy with $77.3 Million in Spending
TORONTO, ONTARIO, JUNE 20, 2022 – New data released today demonstrates the significant economic impact of The Umbrella Academy in Ontario with more than $77.3 million spent on the production for Season Two alone.
The analysis by Oxford Economics found that local wages and salaries accounted for the majority (59 per cent) of production spending, with the remaining 41 per cent ($31.9 million) spent on local goods and services. From the procurement of props and costumes to transportation and accommodations, The Umbrella Academy supported more than 980 Ontario-based businesses. From Southwest Ontario to Sault St. Marie, the production spending boosted local economies across the province, generating a total contribution of $111 million for Ontario’s GDP.
Oxford’s analysis found that for every 100 people employed on the production, a further 80 jobs were created across the province. In total, Season Two stimulated 1,120 jobs in Ontario, including 620 direct jobs for local artists and technicians. From set dressers to location managers, special effects experts and more, Canadian creatives working on The Umbrella Academy have been internationally recognized for their outstanding contributions on the series with nominations in 6 Emmy award categories to date.
The Umbrella Academy follows the estranged members of a dysfunctional family of superheroes as they work together to solve their father’s mysterious death while coming apart at the seams due to their divergent personalities and abilities. The Ontario-shot series is produced by NBC Universal’s Universal Content Productions for Netflix and is available to watch in more than 190 countries.
Audiences across the Greater Toronto Area may recognize familiar locations, with the City of Hamilton playing a starring role. From an apocalypse in Gore Park to time travel portals in the alleys of Ottawa Street, Season Two shot at more than 38 locations. Local crews transformed the city into 1960s Dallas, with wardrobe including used clothing from VintageSoulGreek in the International Village. The Umbrella Academy features Hamilton actor T.J. McGibbon as young Vanya. The City of Hamilton was also nominated for the 2020 Location Managers Guild International Award for its outstanding support throughout the filming of Season Two.
Season Three of The Umbrella Academy hits Netflix on June 22, 2022. Assuming that the level and pattern of production spending for Seasons One and Three were similar to Season Two the estimated economic impacts generated over the life of the series could be expected to total roughly three times that from Season Two.
For more on the economic impacts of The Umbrella Academy you can find the complete Oxford Economics report here.
*All figures calculated in Canadian dollars*
QUOTES
“The City of Hamilton’s Film Office and our first-rate community of film, tv, and creative professionals are ecstatic to have contributed to making The Umbrella Academy a smashing success with its outstanding storytelling, while furthering the economic engine that is our local film and tv industry,” said Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger. “Hamilton is pleased to be recognized by The Umbrella Academy and the Motion Picture Association – Canada as an exceptional place to film, and we will continue to provide the best environment to productions for years to come.”
“Ontario has been an ideal location for shooting several of our projects,” said Mark Binke, Executive Vice President, Physical Production, UCP. “The province is truly a one-stop-shop, with access to incredible crews, iconic backdrops, world-class infrastructure and a film-friendly business community. Hamilton became our home base for The Umbrella Academy thanks to an incredibly supportive local film office.”
“The Umbrella Academy celebrates the diversity and resilience of one extraordinary family, and we’re proud that Ontario’s extraordinary film and television family brought this story to life,” said Victoria Harding, Executive Director, DGC Ontario. “Ontario has steadily become a top destination for the film and television industry, thanks to our robust infrastructure and incredible pool of creative and logistical talent. NBC and Netflix trusted that our innovative and ambitious DGC Ontario Members would deliver on this series, and with 6 Emmy Award nominations, they were absolutely right.”
“As a principal provider of skilled motion picture technicians on the production, we are delighted to see The Umbrella Academy return for multiple seasons and the positive impact it has had on the wider communities where filming takes place,” said David Tellez, IATSE 873 Vice President
“The data released today demonstrates the significant local impact of global production, with just one season of The Umbrella Academy creating over 1,120 jobs and support for more than 980 businesses in communities across Ontario,” said Wendy Noss, President of the Motion Picture Association – Canada. “Through global streaming, the talents of local creators and technical artists are being showcased to audiences around the world, with millions of people in more than 190 countries enjoying Canadian creativity on The Umbrella Academy.”
ABOUT MPA-CANADA
The Motion Picture Association – Canada (MPA-Canada) serves as the voice and advocate of the major international producers and distributors of movies, home entertainment, television and streaming programming in Canada and is an affiliate of the Motion Picture Association, Inc. (MPA). The MPA members include the Walt Disney Company, Netflix Studios, Paramount Pictures Corporation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal City Studios and Warner Bros. Entertainment.
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ABOUT UCP
UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, is a best-in-class content studio that leverages the power and scale of NBCUniversal while collaborating with visionary storytellers. The studio is responsible for commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, including “The Umbrella Academy,” “Chucky,” “Mr. Robot,” “The Girl From Plainville,” “Monk,” “Dr. Death,” “Homecoming,” “The Sinner,” “Suits,” “Resident Alien,” “Psych,” “Joe vs Carole,” “Candy” and “Gaslit.”
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