Free and plentiful parking, easy accessibility and unique locations make the Tri-Cities a more welcoming place for filming productions, says a location scout for the hit television show Supernatural.
Russell Hamilton, a location manager for the past 25 years, said he and two full-time scouts are out five days a week scouting possible locations, shooting thousands of photographs that turn into about a hundred actual filming locations each season. In August the crew was shooting at the Terry Fox Theatre for three weeks and, most recently, they were spotted near Minnekhada Regional Park.
"For me it's what's affordable, what's the most cost-effective," said Hamilton, particularly when it comes to parking. "It can be the perfect location, but if there's nowhere to park 1,500 feet of truck, it's no longer the perfect location. A lot of things go into finding every location we film at, it's not just how it looks.
"What I like about the Tri-City area is the ease of the application process and the bang for your buck," Hamilton added. "Vancouver gets overused a lot; when we go into different municipalities they enjoy the filming, it's unique to themand it's a unique look as well."
TRI-CITIES REAP BENEFITS OF B.C. POLICIES
Like other B.C. locations, the Tri-Cities benefit from provincial policies designed to attract film crews north of the border (not to mention the cheaper Canadian dollar).
In 2012/'13, B.C. provided $352 million in tax credits (33%) for film and TV productions, with an additional $26 million for interactive digital media (17.5%), according to stats from the Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services.
"Advantages such as a talented workforce, world-class infrastructure, competitive tax credits and diverse, spectacular locations will continue to attract producers confident they can get what they want on time and on budget in B.C.," the ministry added.
COQUITLAM SHIFTS FILMING FOCUS
Coquitlam is hoping to attract more interest from the movie biz, starting with a department shuffle. Filming used to be handled by the parks and recreation office but at the beginning of September it was shifted to business and tourism portfolio to align it with economic development strategies.
David Munro, manager of economic development, said U.S. productions will naturally be drawn to film north of the border when the Canadian dollar is lower, but starting in 2015 the city will be ramping up its marketing efforts targeted at the film industry.
"We really want to emphasize the service side," Munro said, noting his office will be enhancing the website to feature a list of possible locations and streamlined application processes, developing a brochure with filming info and strengthening connections with location scouts and industry associations.
"We will continue to build relationships... and it's all about giving a quick response to any queries we do get," Munro said.
Unfortunately, Coquitlam doesn't reap the rewards of having the most-filmed location in Canada within its boundaries - permit revenues for filming at Riverview Hospital go to the province.
And last year was its most successful to date, with 114 productions filmed in 2013/'14 for revenues totaling approximately $1 million, money that helps offset the maintenance costs for the site, according to the Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services.
That was up significantly from one of the slowest years in 2004/'05, when there were just 39 film contracts at Riverview. So far this year (2014/'15) there have been 49.
The X Files were a frequent crew at Riverview but more recent productions include Godzilla, If I Stay (in theatres now), Elysium, The Killing, Arrow, Supernatural, Psych and Untold Stories of the ER (on TLC).
Some of the most commonly used buildings are Crease, East Lawn, North Lawn and Industrial Services. Shared Services BC, which operates the site, works with productions to film inside Riverview's iconic buildings.
CITIES BENEFIT FROM FILMING SPIN-OFFS
Port Coquitlam started tracking its filming stats about eight years ago and has since seen an average of about six to 12 productions each year, said Elaine Gladue, customer services manager.
Like most cities in Hollywood North, PoCo saw a significant dip in filming that coincided with the 2008 economic downturn but activity has since picked up, most notably in 2011 when the HGTV show Consumed, about hoarding, filmed in PoCo. Another significant production came in 2013, when PoCo city hall played host to the Bates Motel film crew.
But Gladue said it's not just the permit fees that benefit the city.
"The film companies often use local businesses for filming, purchase supplies locally, showcase some of the city's beautiful parks and other amenities," she said in an email. "This provides residents with an opportunity to work and live within their community."
Devin Jain, manager of cultural services in Port Moody, remembers well when the X Files filmed at the Inlet Theatre. At the time he was a theatre technician and knew every inch of the place like a second home. But when the typically dark episode aired, "I still had trouble picking it out," Jain said of the theatre's cameo.
Heritage Woods students got a glimpse of the film biz (with some students even hired as extras) when John Tucker Must Die, starring Jesse Metcalfe, filmed at the school in 2006. When Alien vs. Predator 2 descended in PoMo for just over a week in 2006, Clarke Street was shut down at night to film several fight scenes.
"There were overturned vehicles, people firing weapons," Jain said, noting off-duty Port Moody Police officers were hired to provide security and traffic control.
And when the Kyle Centre parking lot was transformed into a replica of the sheriff's office for The Twilight Saga: New Moon the crew attempted to keep Twihard fans at bay by filming under the moniker "Untitled Sports Movie."
Pressed for details on the Supernatural episode filming at the Terry Fox Theatre, Hamilton remained similarly tight-lipped.
"We're doing our best to keep what we're shooting under wraps," he said, noting a collection of die-hard fans had been camped at the parking lot entrance nearly every day of filming. "All I can say is it's going to be absolutely fantastic."
Perhaps one of the other benefits of filming here is something entirely intangible: secrecy.
FILMING IN THE TRI-CITIES
COQUITLAM
Filming permits peaked in 2006, followed by a slump that coincided with the economic downturn, and only picked up again in 2013, when 100 permits were issued. So far this year there have been 62 (as of mid-August).
Number of film permits issued in 2005 (the first full year of tracking): 95
Year that the highest number of permits was issued: 2006 (112 permits)
Year with the fewest permits issued: 2009 (63 permits)
Permit revenues in 2013: $24,586
Popular filming locations: Riverview Hospital, Blue Mountain & Mundy parks, Minnekhada Regional Park, Catalyst Paper site, various city facilities including council chambers and local pools, Quarry Road
Little-known locations: Coquitlam Crunch Trail, Fraser River trail along United Boulevard, Hoy Creek, Galloway Park
Other locations: Maillardville heritage sites, red bridge (connector between Coquitlam and PoCo), United Boulevard industrial area, Westwood Plateau (Whistler-style homes)
Filming highlights: Twilight series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3, A Christmas Story 2, Fringe, Psych, Once Upon a Time, Supernatural, The Killing
PORT COQUITLAM
Year with most number of permits: 2011 (12 issued)
Year with least amount of filming: 2009 (4 permits)
Popular locations: Argue Street (the closed portion is often used for vehicle driving scenes), Lions Park, Port Coquitlam Cemetery, downtown area near city hall
Filming highlights: Vampire Diaries, Bates Motel, Supernatural, Final Destination 5, Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2, The Killing - Season 2, Consumed (HGTV), Monster Trucks
PORT MOODY
Number of film permits in 2013: 7, for revenues totaling $4,525
Number of permits in 2011: 13 ($7,789)
Popular locations: Heritage Woods secondary, Belcarra Regional Park (rock quarry)
Filming highlights: Juno, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Twilight series, The Killing - Season 4, Arrow, Alien vs. Predator 2, Falling Skies, X Files
