the Magicians, week one

 Not even tall buildings can stand in the way of day one of shooting on the new upcoming series "the Magicians", which will air next year on the Syfy channel

Driving cast and driving all over the lower mainland, it is mind-boggling the amount of new condo construction that is going on.

including this new one close to our studio on Marine Drive and Cambie

an early start to the day, (hence the no traffic), in Chinatown in Vancouver.

ahhh, i like alleys, this day started in the infamous "blood alley" in Gastown.

According to stories Blood Alley was the location for a number of butcher shops. At the end of each day they would be rinsed out resulting in the inevitable blood in the street. As if that was not enough they used to hold public executions in blood alley square. (and that one one of many stories I heard)

filming the first scene, very exciting, there was two scenes in the alley that day

and one at this coffee shop around the corner.

The rest of the week was at this tudour style house on Marine Drive in the very affluent neighbourhood in the south west end of Vancouver. Apparently this home has been vacant for ten years. The production has it rented until the end of the first season at Christmas.

Hard to tell, but the back yard green space was amazing, going down into a little valley

Our "circus" , or base camp was at a school on 41st ave.

Back at the studio, the sets are coming along

round and round I go, back downtown for one last time Friday night. Next week we start at UBC. ( www.ubc.ca ) The end.

Prep, Pride, and Fireworks!

After a long week of prepping for the new t.v. series, "the Magicians", (see trailer here ) it was nice to get out and about in Vancouver. (this shot is from the Burrard Street bridge looking out into Burrard Inlet.

Earlier in the week while I was waiting to pick up one of the actors downtown, I had a couple of minutes to go for a quick walk by Stanley Park.

The marina in Coal Harbour

Prepping a show for a cast driver includes a lot of things, including driving execs and cast around. In the next four months I will travel the route between the studio and downtown via Cambie St. many times.

I had to take one of the actors to a special effects studio in Burnaby so they could make a mask of his face , for a scene where he will be disfigured. (not as bad as this poor guy, though). This place was fascinating, the skill these FX people have!

All of the displays have been in a t.v. show or a movie at some point.

Apparently this poor guy met his end on the t.v. show "Fringe."

While waiting for cast, I got to hang out in some of the finer alleys around Vancouver, this one was close to Broadway in Kitsilano.

Also errands to pick up gear for the grip and electrics departments. It's so busy, this warehouse at PS (Production Services) is looking very empty.

Another job was to pick up this New York City cab from 911 Films cars and bring it to the studio to be used in filming next week.

This truck is another of the vehicles used in the show. It has been purposely dirtied just for one of the scenes.

When in Vancouver, join the other 500,000 (estimate) for the final night of the celebration of light fireworks display. This was Canada's turn and they did not disappoint, winning the competition. China and Brazil were the other countries competing earlier in the week.

My phone camera had trouble keeping up with the fireworks, most of my pics were blurry.

The next day, we headed back to English Bay, but this time for another well known event, the Gay Pride Parade.

There's the barge that the fireworks were set off from only 11 hours previous.

looking back east towards the Burrard Street bridge.

the calm before the pride storm, our view across the street on Beach Ave.

This guy was in his own parade

and here they come! It was a spectacle to be sure, and one must keep an open mind on these things.

there was no lack of colour , in more ways than one

dare ya to zoom in on some of these pics

this was all about people expressing themselves

zoom zoom zoom (in)

afterwards, the massive crowds descended on the food vendors and beer garden.

wow!

heading back home, one last look at the pride scene.

chilling out afterwards with my brother, son, and his buddy from Summerland. Very pride, I mean proud.

The Magicians

One of the perks of my film industry job is some of the places I get to go to. Today, I was day calling on the t.v. show "the Flash", working for the set decorating department. I had to pick up some crab traps for one of the sets from the False Creek Harbour authority. What a view!

Also went to another place I have never been to before, out in the town of Aldergrove. This place had everything military for rental to to the film industry. I had to pick up some camouflage nets for a set that will eventually look like a grow-op.

I had it all today. This piece of machinery was being sent to the Flash paint shop to be re-painted for a different set.

This was a set from a previous Flash episode, and was in the process of being wrapped.

More shots from False Creek

As the day continued, it got even more interesting. I actually filled the truck up with dead plants for the grow-up set. The nursery I went to was more than happy to get rid of them.

Having to get used to the Vancouver traffic snarls again.

Inside one of the stages at Vancouver Film Studios. This part of a set for "the Flash".

Later in the week I was at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre at the University of British Columbia. (We were scouting out locations for a new series.)

Across the way at UBC was the Ladner Clock Tower

The studio for the new series, "the Magicians". (kind of a modern day Harry Potter, based on a trilogy of books by Lev Grossman). The sets are being built for the shows first season. 

And our transport department is assembling the fleet of vehicles needed for the show's run.

Including this 7 passenger Town and Country van which I will be using as one of the cast drivers.

Let's see how many kilometres I rack up in the next 4 1/2 months.

The window sticker, here we go again.