One of Vancouver's nicknames is Hollywood North. This name comes from the fact that Vancouver is  the third most filmed city in North America behind Los Angeles and New York City. Vancouver became known as a filming destination because it is a perfect stand-in  for other  cities. Shot from the right angles, the downtown core could look like New York, Seattle, Boston or a variety of other places. Also, the architectural smorgasbord  that is Vancouver, the low Canadian  dollar, and generous tax subsidies  attracted film production companies to the city. Many would accuse Vancouver of simply being a stand-in city, and not really being of any  significance to the overall culture of film production. However, this has proven not to be the case. The  creative establishment in the film sector has realized that Vancouver is more than just a stand-in; it is a city that is filled with talent. Earlier this year Pixar Studios opened an animation studio in Vancouver. The animators made famous  by such hits as Toy Story, Monsters Inc, and Wall-E, demonstrated that Vancouver is now a major player  in the film industry by opening up shops in the city. Amir Nasrabadi, the General Manager for Pixar Canada said the company decided to open an office in  the city because of the "very mature , high-quality talent pool, driven primary by the strength of  the industry and great local universities and schools"  For now the studio will work as a satellite branch of Pixar's California studios, but future plans  include the Vancouver studio taking on its own feature films. The British Columbia Film Commissioner,  Susan Croome, told CTV News in an interview that "Pixar's announcement is  ly fantastic". When  asked if this expansion of Vancouver's film industry was the result of favorable exchange rates, she  responded that it wasn't, and the company was making plans for the long term. What is a factor that makes Vancouver an attractive city for film production?
Lower expenses Historical places Pixar Studios opening an animation studio Right angles suitable for shooting films