The Niagara Region is a large area that has many different aspects to it. The perfect location for films and other media, is here in our backyards. With the high-tech infrastructure in place, Niagara is the best solution for the film and media industries.
Does your script call for a vineyard in France? A Las Vegas casino? How about Class 6 rapids raging through a cavernous gorge? A butterfly conservatory perhaps? Or a world-class regatta scene? What about period buildings? Neo-Classical or Gothic Revival? A log cabin or Frank Lloyd Wright? Italianate or Queen Anne? Looking for some waterfalls? Niagara has more thundering cascades than you might think.
Here's what industrial leaders say about Niagara:
"From Grimsby to Fort Erie, to my quaint hometown village of Chippawa, the Niagara Region abounds in unique, diverse location sites. And the hospitality is second to none. So, grab your gear and bring the crew to Film Niagara - you'll find perfect locations for your script and point of view."
"On a film shoot, each location poses its own unique challenges. You can have a perfect and beautiful location but if you don't have the support of the community, you're in for a tough ride. Any time I've chosen to shoot in Niagara, I've been overwhelmed at the eagerness and generosity of the community to help out. 'Kudos Niagara' -- you'll be seeing more of your locations in my work."
The Niagara Region can provide the setting for film and television requiring a vast array of natural and man made features.
While Niagara Falls is the most widely photographed feature in the region, it is only one part of a dynamic ecosystem. It is a system that hosts churning rapids, a powerful whirlpool and a major river channel that flows through a gorge as it changes colours to reflect the distinctive seasons characteristic of Eastern North America. This river is not only the natural boundary between two countries, but it also links two of North America's Great Lakes - Ontario and Erie. All this is contained within a compact 26-mile corridor.
Other water settings include a series of waterfalls across the peninsula, tranquil smaller lakes, ponds, water dams and hydro dams and an active shipping canal paralleling the course of the Niagara River. There are also two international class rowing courses.
The Niagara Escarpment is the predominant topographic feature in the region. In its natural state it contains the broad range of tree species characteristic of the North American Carolinian forest. It also contains many rock outcropping areas and where the brow of the escarpment is traversed by rivers and streams, it is the setting for numerous waterfalls. North of the escarpment is a tender fruit farm land characterized by a combination of rolling vineyards and orchards. South of the escarpment is more rural, generally flat and the countryside is dotted with mixed farming.
The history of Niagara is often characterized by agriculture. Known traditionally for the production of tender fruit such as cherries, peaches and grapes, in recent years the region has become widely known for maturing vineyards and greenhouses. These agricultural/agri-businesses increase is quantity and size on an annual basis.
Since the 1800's a series of canals have been built and replaced to handle Lakers and ocean going vessels that pass through Niagara between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The Canal is a series of contemporary engineering solutions including a series of 8 locks that raise and lower water levels so that ships can travel changes in elevation across the local landscape. Vehicular tunnels pass below the canal at two separate points. At various points the canal passes through urban settings. There is an active harbor in Port Colborne and a busy ship yard in Port Weller.
Bridges are vital links across the many bodies of water found throughout Niagara. A series of fixed link bridges, lift bridges, and jack knife bridges are part of the engineering that enables the community to cross over the Welland Canal with relative ease. The international border shares four vehicular/pedestrian crossing bridges in Queenston/Lewiston, Niagara Falls and Fort Erie /Buffalo and one independent rail link in Fort Erie.
Niagara is a series of cities, towns, villages and hamlets. As such, the neighborhood housing mix is varied from the very contemporary to historically significant to a selection of isolated rural farms and homesteads. The old village area of Niagara on the Lake contains historically restored main streets. Waterfront communities include Port Dalhousie on the Lake Ontario shore, and Crystal Beach on the Lake Erie shore.
Sheltered by the Niagara Escarpment, and with the moderating influence of two Great Lakes, Niagara enjoys a unique micro-climate.
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