Ottawa Film Office
The Ottawa Film Office is a not-for-profit, City of Ottawa-funded film commission that provides free location support, crew and resource databases, permitting guidance, and business development to attract film, television, and animation productions to the National Capital Region.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersOttawa, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ottawa Film Office does
The Ottawa Film Office (OFO) is a not-for-profit organization, fully funded by the City of Ottawa, whose mandate is to stimulate Ottawa's economy by attracting film and television production to the National Capital Region, fostering the local industry, and promoting the region as a preferred production destination. It serves local, national, and international productions—including feature films, TV series, made-for-TV movies, commercials, and animation studios—providing location support (look books, dedicated scouts, on-site accompaniment), a searchable Crew Database of local talent, a Production Resources Directory of equipment and service vendors, multi-jurisdictional permitting guidance (City of Ottawa, National Capital Commission, Parliament Hill), and business development assistance linking productions to Ontario tax incentives.
Operationally, the OFO is staffed by a small core team (1–10 employees, with the Film Commissioner Sandrine Pechels de Saint Sardos and Communications & Administration Coordinator Tsenu Zelleke identified) supported by a volunteer Board of Directors. It generates no commercial revenue; all services are delivered free of charge to productions. Its go-to-market is sales-led outreach, conducted through direct meetings with producers, content marketing via the ottawa.film website and blog, social media (#FilmOttawa across X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube), an email newsletter, an annual career fair co-located with the International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO), and self-guided film tours of Ottawa neighborhoods.
The most consequential recent initiative is the Ottawa Soundstage Project (announced 2024), a planned purpose-built 60,000–80,000 square foot facility comprising three 20,000 square foot soundstages on approximately 22 acres of land leased from the National Capital Commission. Backed by partnerships with Ontario Creates (curating a 250+ film-friendly location digital library), the NCC (land and location access), IFFO (annual events), and GBA (RFEOI preparation), this initiative marks an explicit evolution from location-services broker toward infrastructure-based production destination development.
Ottawa Film Office firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ottawa Film Office
- Legal name
- Ottawa Film Office
- Website
- https://ottawa.film
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Ottawa Film Office is a not-for-profit, City of Ottawa-funded film commission that provides free location support, crew and resource databases, permitting guidance, and business development to attract film, television, and animation productions to the National Capital Region.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ottawa Film Office industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film Commission Services
- SIC
- Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Studios, Stages & Location Services (Facilities, Location Scouting/Permits) (MPAAAMAG)
Keywords
Where Ottawa Film Office is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ottawa
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ottawa Film Office business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- City of Ottawa Funding: The Ottawa Film Office is a not-for-profit organization fully funded by the City of Ottawa. It does not generate its own revenue but receives public funding to stimulate the local film and television industry.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Ottawa Film Office product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Ottawa Film Office is a not-for-profit, City of Ottawa-funded film commission that provides free location support, production attraction, crew and resource coordination, and permitting navigation to film, television, and animation productions seeking to film in Ottawa and the National Capital Region. It also operates a searchable crew database, a production resources directory, an annual career fair, and self-guided film tours, while advancing a planned purpose-built soundstage facility.
Product overview
The Ottawa Film Office is a not-for-profit organization funded by the City of Ottawa that stimulates Ottawa's economy by attracting film and television production to the region, fostering local industry growth, and promoting the National Capital Region as a preferred production destination. Its core services include Location Support Services (look books, scouts, and location guidance), a searchable Crew Database of local professionals organized by position, and a Production Resources Directory of equipment and service providers. The organization also provides Business Development Services to connect productions with tax incentives, Film Permitting Navigation across three jurisdictions, and operates the Film, Television, and Animation Career Fair. Planned infrastructure includes a purpose-built Soundstage Initiative. The OFO also maintains a Film Tours program and showcases Made in Ottawa productions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Ottawa Film Office
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ottawa Film Office technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ottawa Film Office partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Ontario CreatescoreOntario Creates administers the digital library of 250+ film-friendly locations in Ottawa with photos, descriptions, and contact info. They also facilitate dedicated location scouts for qualifying productions and administer provincial tax credit programs.
- National Capital Commission (NCC)coreNCC owns and manages significant land in the National Capital Region including popular filming locations such as Rideau Canal pathways, Major's Hill Park, Confederation Park, and ByWard Market courtyards. Approximately 22 acres have been leased from NCC for the planned soundstage facility.
- International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO)majorIFFO is a key annual event partner. The OFO's Career Fair takes place during the IFFO festival, creating synergy between industry talent development and film exhibition.
- GBA (Consulting Agency)coreLocal consulting agency that prepared the Request for Expression of Interest (RFEOI) for the Ottawa Soundstage Project, providing project management expertise for this major infrastructure initiative.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ottawa Film Office competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ontario Creates: Provincial agency that administers Ontario's tax credit programs and the digital location library the Ottawa Film Office uses. Functions as a parent/partner ecosystem for Ontario film commissions, making it a natural peer/partner rather than a direct competitor.
- British Film Commission: National film commission for the UK supporting international productions through location services, co-production guidance, and incentive promotion. Comparable film-commission role at a national rather than municipal scale.
- Film London: UK regional film commission and production support agency serving London. Operates a similar film-office service model (location library, crew database, permitting) in a much larger, more established production market.
- New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment: NYC's municipal media office that supports film and television production through permitting, location services, and incentive programs. Comparable municipal film commission mandate operating at a much larger scale with established production infrastructure.
Regional players
- Toronto Film, Television & Digital Media Office: Municipal film commission for Toronto that provides location assistance, permitting support, and production attraction across Canada's largest production hub. Directly comparable service model to the Ottawa Film Office, but operating in a larger market with established soundstages.
- Creative BC (Vancouver Film Commission): British Columbia's film commission supporting Vancouver productions, including location services, crew databases, and incentive guidance. Comparable municipal/regional film commission model, although operating in a much larger established production ecosystem.
- Halifax Regional Municipality Film Office: Halifax's municipal film office providing permitting, location support, and production attraction services. Comparable Canadian municipal film commission with similar service mandate and funding model.
- Calgary Film Commission: Municipal film commission providing location scouting, permitting assistance, and production attraction for Calgary and surrounding area. Operates the same core film-commission service stack as the Ottawa Film Office in a different Canadian city.
- Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ): Quebec's film commission responsible for promoting Montreal and the province as a filming destination. Closest geographic competitor to Ottawa in Eastern Canada with a comparable role attracting productions through location services and tax-credit promotion.
Others
- Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA): National industry association representing Canadian screen-based media producers. The OFO's Communications Coordinator previously worked at the CMPA, and it serves as a complementary ecosystem organization supporting the same production community the OFO serves.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ottawa Film Office social profiles
Digital presenceOttawa Film Office financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ottawa Film Office leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Ottawa Film Office funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ottawa Film Office M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ottawa Film Office
What does Ottawa Film Office do?
The Ottawa Film Office is a not-for-profit, City of Ottawa-funded film commission that provides free location support, production attraction, crew and resource coordination, and permitting navigation to film, television, and animation productions seeking to film in Ottawa and the National Capital Region. It also operates a searchable crew database, a production resources directory, an annual career fair, and self-guided film tours, while advancing a planned purpose-built soundstage facility.
Is Ottawa Film Office a public or private company?
Ottawa Film Office is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Ottawa Film Office founded?
Ottawa Film Office was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ottawa Film Office based?
Ottawa Film Office is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Ottawa Film Office make money?
One revenue line is on record: city of Ottawa Funding.
Who are Ottawa Film Office's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ontario Creates, British Film Commission, Film London and New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment. Regional players are Toronto Film, Television & Digital Media Office, Creative BC (Vancouver Film Commission), Halifax Regional Municipality Film Office, Calgary Film Commission and Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ). Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) is listed as an others.
Does Ottawa Film Office have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ottawa Film Office.
What industry is Ottawa Film Office in?
Ottawa Film Office's product category is Film Commission Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAMAG, Studios, Stages & Location Services (Facilities, Location Scouting/Permits). Its SIC code is 7819.