Film studio with 21 sound stages makes B.C. debut

A new, 1.3-million-square-foot film production complex in Burnaby, B.C., significantly expands high-end studio infrastructure in a region that is known as a premier Canadian movie and TV production hub.

Lake City Studios, a $350-million facility with 21 sound stages, is one of the largest purpose-built film studios in North America. It’s a subsidiary of Bridge Studios, one of Vancouver’s major film production companies that’s owned by local real estate investor Larco Investments.

While the COVID-19 shutdowns and restrictions put significant pressure on the film, TV and video industries, the consistent demand for streaming content kept the cameras rolling. However, the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild unions went on strike in 2023, stalling momentum and decreasing revenue. British Columbia, for example, saw film and TV revenues decline by 17 per cent that year.

Now, Hollywood North is experiencing a resurgence, making the new studio space a welcome addition to the industry.

“What British Columbia has really become known for in the last 10 years is being able to produce very high-end television series,” says Marnie Gee, British Columbia film commissioner at Creative BC. The province is home to big-budget productions such as Emmy-winning Shōgun (FX) and The Last of Us (HBO), as well as the upcoming Every Year After series (Amazon Prime), based on Canadian author Carley Fortune’s bestselling romance novel.

“To have such a premier facility like Lake City alongside all of our other incredible studios, it just makes us an even better sell,” Ms. Gee says.

The challenge of total silence

Lake City’s scale, technical innovation and sustainable features make it attractive to major production houses.

The studio, which is steps away from the Vancouver SkyTrain’s Lake City Way station, is a manageable commute for roughly 5,000 employees. It also has parking space for 1,000 vehicles and 200 electric vehicle charging stations so workers can drive to the studio.

When it comes to scale, the property has an impressive footprint. It’s complete with 18 to 21 sound stages, depending on configuration, ranging from 7,900 square feet to 42,000 square feet. Plus, there’s 100,000 square feet of office space and more than 300,000 square feet for set design, hair, makeup, wardrobe and more.

There’s a great deal of satisfaction in seeing Lake City being used by the production companies, that it’s as busy as it is and that it is making this contribution to the city of Burnaby,” says Craig Mitchell, lead architect for the project and principal at Vancouver’s Arc Studio Architecture

Depending on configuration, the studio has 18 to 21 sound stages that are completely soundproof and range from 7,900 to 42,000 square feet. To ensure no noise, the architect built thick walls on either side, with sound-absorbing blankets layered in between. Supplied/Arc Studio Architecture

For a studio of this size, the location is rare. Most exist on industrial land that isn’t easily commutable because they need total silence for the sound stages, according to Mr. Mitchell.

“You need to make sure that whatever sounds or events happening in one film studio are not permeating into the next,” he says.

Concrete and steel form the property’s foundation, with enough concrete poured to fill 30 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The builders, Mississauga-based Bird Construction Inc., also used 8,600 tonnes of structural steel, equivalent to 36 Statues of Liberty, according to Arc Studio Architect.

Innovations in acoustics and empty space

To ensure total silence, the architect worked with an acoustic consultant.

“The interior walls between sound stages are about five-feet wide with sound-absorbing blankets layered in between,” Mr. Mitchell explains, adding the exterior walls are 9.5 inches of thick concrete to absorb and attenuate sound.

This means that each studio is completely soundproof, even to low frequency sounds human ears can’t pick up. It’s a significant feature as the equipment often used by film production studios is sensitive to vibrations, making total silence a value-driver, he says.

Beyond the challenge of silence, Mr. Mitchell also had to consider the width of space across sound stages, called the span, which is 30 feet in most of Lake City’s studios, and the height, which ranges from 50 to 75 feet high. Clear spans and heights, with zero obstructions like support columns, allow for complex aerial camera rigs, making the Lake City Studios stand out.

“Studios want enough height so that they can perform exciting stunts in a controlled and safe environment,” Mr. Mitchell says. “The structural system of the project is more about being able to accommodate the spans and clear heights of these studio spaces.”

Lake City Studios has 100,000 square feet of office space and more than 300,000 square feet for set design, hair, makeup, wardrobe and more. It’s also steps away from the SkyTrain’s Lake City Way station, making for an easy commute for roughly 5,000 employees. Supplied/Arc Studio Architecture

Sustainability is a selling point

Lake City Studios is powered by renewable BC Hydro electricity.

The offices and sound stages use an energy-efficient, air-to-air heat-pump technology that simultaneously heats and cools various spaces by transferring excess warm or cool air within the building. A 40,000-square-foot green roof also aids in stormwater drainage and absorbs heat.

On the west side of the site, Eagle Creek is “an important salmon-bearing stream,” says Jesse Dill, the City of Burnaby’s development director. “Over seven per cent of the total site is protected for streamside conservation,” he adds.

To preserve the creek, the developers built in natural buffers and erosion control.

“B.C. is known for sustainable production…the opening of Lake City has been great for me as a commissioner,” says Ms. Gee. “The film studios are members of our Reel Green initiative, so they all sit at the table with us, and Bridge Studios is at that table, too.”.

An important part of future planning

While production details are embargoed, the sound stages have proven to be a boost to the local economy as they have been used regularly since they opened last summer.

Boosting Burnaby’s film studio inventory is a boon to the city.

“We see a site like this being hopefully a catalyst for other great proposals in the same neighborhood,” Mr. Dill adds. “We often see accessory commercial businesses such as restaurants or other services to support that base of employment.”

Mr. Mitchell says he’s proud of the finished product.

“I know that I’m never going to be able to look at the content that I’m watching and go, Yeah, that’s my film studio!,” he says, referencing his work behind the scenes. “But just wait until the credits at the end, right?”