He was born into one of Canada's most powerful families, but Paul Bronfman has never coasted on his bloodlines. He is a survivor in a punishing industry, as owner of a leading supplier of production gear (lights, dollies, trucks) for the volatile film and TV industry - as well as shareholder in a new film studio in Toronto's Port Lands.
This son of the late business leader Edward Bronfman was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the mid-1990s, but the illness has not impaired his passion or drive for his company and his industry.
What has happened to your business?
Canada is becoming much less competitive in attracting American film and television. It's a combination of factors - the currency for sure, but the Americans are also taking our tax model and in many cases making it a lot better than what we had going previously. The Americans are unbelievably resilient.
What has the economic crisis meant?
It's been tough. Independent producers have had a much tougher time getting financing. Credit for the industry is substantially tightened. People say the entertainment business is recession-proof. It's a bunch of nonsense. The entertainment industry is subject to the same pressures as other businesses.
What would you say to policy makers?
You hate to go cap in hand to the government. This industry does have an image - wrongly, I think - of being fat cats. Sure you have Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise making $20-million but most people in this industry are working hard and not living high on the hog. The one thing we really need right now is for the federal government to step up their tax credit. It's been sitting at 16 per cent for years and it is just not competitive any more.
How do you describe yourself?
I'm a member of the family of black sheep we call the film industry in Canada.
We are people who didn't want to, or couldn't, conform to normal businesses and normal jobs, so we all ended up in this industry. Most of us fell into it by accident.
I was a roadie for April Wine and I worked as an assistant production manager for Supertramp and the Stampeders. Then a job opened in Toronto at Pathé Sound in film sound post-production. I figured, "Film, sound, music, it's got to be all related." Of course, it's not related at all. But I started 32 years ago.
Some might say you were a kid born with a silver spoon, playing with music and movies.
To me it is the curse of the last name. People have preconceived notions about you, good and bad. It is one of the reasons I left Montreal [at age 20] to get out of that little glass bubble there. I loved Toronto the day I got here. People like me for what I am, and I have always wanted to make my own name, my own place in life.
How did you get your tenacity?
It was probably the combination of a very dysfunctional family growing up, and the fact I just had to step away from that and go make my own life. I had to prove my own worth, and I probably took it to the extreme. As you get older you get a little more comfortable in what you've done and your record speaks for itself. With the MS thing, from the moment I get out of bed to the moment I get into bed, it doesn't leave you - it's always there. I just have to keep going. I have a great wife, great kids, great colleagues at the company who help me out. They build me scooters. These people will walk on coals for me. I am so blessed.
What kind of education did you get?
