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Arts, Audio-Video Technology and Communications

Documentary Producer

Real-Life Activities

Real-Life Communication

Documentary producers need to be great communicators. That's because communication is their job.

For example, documentary producer and professor Alexis Krasilovsky chose to make a documentary to tell a very personal story about her experiences and the experiences of her students during an earthquake.

"My students and the people I knew were affected by this. I found myself surrounded by stuff these people's grandchildren would want to hear," says Krasilovsky.

You and your film crew are making an educational documentary on timber wolves. It's a big deal and is to be distributed internationally. You'll be traveling to Canada to film it and plan on being there for about four months.

You've got a lot of gear you need to bring with you as well -- things like camera equipment, clothing, supplies and extra film. You and your crew are all United States citizens.

You assume you'll have to pay duty on all this stuff when you enter Canada, but someone has mentioned to you that you might be entitled to special consideration by customs when you're filming in the country.

You called the Government of Canada and requested a document, which arrived today. You open the letter and have a look. It's not exactly a light read! Still, you'd better get through it. After all, it might make a big difference to you at the border.

Here's what it says:

Certain types of goods, when imported temporarily for periods up to one year, may enter on the one-60th proportionate duty basis. This means that the usual customs assessment is calculated on only one-60th of the value for duty for a minimum duty payment of $25. Here are some items that may receive this treatment:

  1. Photographic equipment imported by non-residents for their use in the filming of a television production, other than a television commercial, or in the production of feature-length motion pictures or films of an educational character where the film or video recording to be produced is intended for international distribution (Item 28). The tax is calculated on the one-60th basis.
  2. Wardrobe properties, stage properties and special effects equipment, not available from Canadian sources, imported by non-residents for their use in the filming or video recording of a television production, other than a television commercial, or in the production of feature-length motion pictures or films of an educational character where the film or video recording to be produced is intended for international distribution. The tax is calculated on the one-60th calculation.
  3. Photographic equipment, wardrobe properties, stage properties and special effects equipment, not available from Canadian sources, when imported by a resident of Canada for use in the filming or video recording of a television production, other than a television commercial, or in the production of feature-length films, motion pictures or films of an educational character. There is no relief of taxes; it is calculated on the full value for duty plus any duties not remitted.
  4. Equipment imported by non-residents for their use in recording performances by artists in Canada, when the recording will be distributed internationally. The tax is calculated on the one-60th basis.
  5. Photographic equipment, video and sound-recording apparatus to film the operation of a Canadian subsidiary of a foreign company when the content will be included in a film or brochure illustrating the company's international aspects and where it is essential that the Canadian and foreign produced segments be consistent with each other. The tax is calculated on the one-60th basis for non-residents; for residents there is no relief. It is calculated on the full value for duty plus any duty not remitted.
  6. Other goods to be imported temporarily, but not listed above may be considered for one-60th entry if it can be established that similar or substitute goods were not available from a Canadian source of supply for the requisite time period.
  7. In instances where production has commenced outside Canada and segments are to be filmed in Canada consistent with the previously filmed portion, consideration will be given to temporary importation on the special one-60th basis in order to preserve the esthetic quality of the film.

Some members of your crew will be traveling separately with some of the gear. You have to tell them what they need to know to get across the border without spending too much money on duty.

Review the document and find out if you'll have any breaks on paying duty when you get to the border. Then write a brief memo to your crew about your findings.