Happy New Year!

Wow, am I falling behind. January is almost behind us, and I am still dwelling on pictures from last fall! This was the beginning of construction on a new film stage at Vancouver Film Studios It has since been finished, and it possibly could not be at a worse time. The loss of tax incentives for the B.C. Film Industry means we are losing productions to other provinces like Ontario and Quebec. There is a petition going around to send to the B.C. government. You can sign online here

As I continue to work in the film industry, my travels have taken me back to Steveston, for a location survey for the T.V. show Fringe (Once Upon a Time also uses Steveston as a home base.)

It's a goreous spot if you ever get a chance to come out and see it.

Another spot the film production companies like to use is the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver

This is in Lynn Canyon Park

Still fall in picture land.

this is Cates Park in North Vancouver looking west back towards Vancouver

Later that night I ended up working for the T.V. show Falling Skies. They were doing a night shoot at the GVRD ( Vancouver watershed), way up above North Vancouver. A cold fall night, with temperatures dropping below freezing.

The next day, my daughter and I headed back to Lynn Canyon Park to scope it out.

The view from the suspension bridge. (no cost for this one)

Is that a sasquatch, or just a grumpy old man?

O Canada

This park is really something to see, we barely saw a fraction of all it had to offer.

A shot of the suspension bridge, it is safe, but you can still get it rocking enough to upset the people you are with!

good advice

Now we are in 2013. I went for coffee with a buddy in Coquitlam, on the way home I stopped by the Barnet Marine Park between Burnaby and Port Moody. It is very close to my place.

It was a little chilly that day, but I will be back to check this place out more in the spring.

Looking out over the north end of Burrard Inlet

tracks crossing at the enterance to the park,



North Burnaby is a bit higher up and there has been quite a few foggy days,

cruising down Willingdon Ave as the sun tries to break through

As January come to an end, I have started to go to more auditions for student film projects, today I had one at the         Vancouver Film School . (to be continued!)

The most wonderful time of the year?

This fluffly cloud day in the fall could be thought as the most wonderful time of the year, or is it this holiday season. Open to one's own interpretations .

The best part of working in the film industry to me is getting to see a lot of the lower mainland.

Even if it is at 3 in the morning! (waiting for filming to end on one show so I can take this old beast back to the studio.

looking out from my truck towards the other work trucks on the show "Motive"

One of the location surveys this fall was out in Delta, looking back towards Annacis Island. This is for the show "Fringe"

This location was more like an old equipment graveyard.

Being on call, I get moved around a lot. Today I was back out in Steveston working on "Once Upon a Time!"

A beautiful fall day on the river.

Shooting went quite late this day, the sun set on this sailing ship, which was actually part of the set today.

One last late fall day on the beach in Kitsalano

before the rain sets in for what seems like the rest of the year!

and even a little snow , (unfortunately did not stick around for Christmas)

that has not stopped the Chirstmas spirit in my neighbourhood.

these are two different house. This one on Kensington near Hastings is in honour of the Michael Cuccione Foundation.

Okay, I am not that comfortable around a Christmas turkey, and this is only the second time I have attempted Christmas dinner myself, so I thought the best approach was to introduce myself to the bird first!

the kids where there for some moral support. (holding a children's book called Eden and Heidi Lou dolphin, my brother and their uncle did all the illustrations , very cool)

Ta Da! nothing to worry about, easy peasy (yah , right!)

time to walk it off, and get a great view of downtown Vancouver on Xmas!

Location Surveys

One of my jobs in the film industry in to drive the bus for the various productions companies to scout out future locations. Today they ( I am reluctant to name the shows) are looking at a vacant bank building in Surrey.

They also were going to shoot a scene on this street in East Vancouver near Hastings.

And of course downtown Vancouver. You can kind of see some work trucks from another television production a couple of blocks down on the left.

A gorgeous September day, a far cry from the sleet, slush and snow that cause traffic gridlock in the lower mainland today.

Just  about morning  time in South Burnaby. I got called out at 3 am to move some of the work trucks for another one of the television productions.

Here's my ride for the early morning ( we had to wait until 7 am to move the trucks, there was a noise bylaw curfew in place in the neighbourhood)

In between work, I keep on riding my bike. This is a shot from the grounds of U.B.C.

Inside an art gallery at U.B.C..

One of my assignments this past summer was helping out with "picture cars", (the vehicles they use for filming). This time was on the show Fringe . Today they were filming by the Bus Station in Vancouver.

One of the scenes involved this truck that I had to pick-up and bring to set.

It was supposed to look bad ass, so these shiny wheels were just not going to do!

Yah, that's better!

They were back filming at the old "Watchman" movie set in New Westminster.

The scene of the crime

Another one of the picture vehicles, I had to drive this bad boy all over the lower mainland. (Not as cool as you would think, the exhaust fumes coming inside the cab where nauseating!)

The work done on these sets is amazing.

Intermission time! A quick visit the Okanagan. Here's my sister Tammy with her new ride, Sharp!

Then it was back to work on the set of Fringe again. Here we are back at the Watchmen set. This cab cab is going to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

On set they had these giant fans to blow leaves and debris around.

Some of the artwork on the street

Now this is a little frightening.

It was time to call it a night.

The next day I had to position the truck on set, they taped up the windshield to make it look that much more badass, I couldn't see anything!

A few adjustments on the cab.

there is the set, with the giant green screen in the background.

In the scene, I had to drive a 5 ton truck down the street before the other truck comes around the corner.

the local license plates?

The next day Fringe moved it's shooting back downtown. The circus (the trailers, catering and work trucks used in filming)  parking lot had a great morning view of B.C. Place stadium.

One of the scenes today was in this alley

which was across from Victory Square downtown.

Random street shot while I was standing around.

Random shot of animated characters at a toy shop window. (small things amuse small minds)

A nice shot of Vancouver from Cypress mountain.

Back to work driving survey bus again, this time on a film called "Horns" They were scouting out locations in Mission.

There my ride hiding around the corner.

Another location down by the Fraser River

And this church in Surrey. You sure get to see a lot of scenery doing this job.

While I was waiting for the production gang to come back I spied in my mirror a truck that tried to to do a u-turn and ended up jack-knifing himself. That's gotta hurt1

After work, it was time for one of my last bike rides of the year. (this guy is a fair weather rider). This was out at Deer Lake.  and as I finish this blog I can't help but think:  "Only 5 days till Christmas!"