Tobias Mehler (Lt. Simmons) in new series
From the Maple Ridge News (Canada):
http://www.mapleridgenews.com/portal...d=321299&more=
(There is a photo at the site.)
TV shoot sets down roots
By Karin Mark
Staff Reporter
Film-friendly Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows have stood in for the Western frontier, small-town U.S.A., New York and numerous other locales in commercials, TV shows and films.
They can soon add 17th century France to the list. A 40,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor set is being constructed in the heart of the two communities, complete with Parisian street scene, stables and a submarine interior.
Young Blades - a new adventure-comedy TV series by Shavick/Insight Studios about the exploits of the next generation of Musketeers - starts shooting its 22 one-hour episodes here on Nov. 8.
While the focal point is a reconfigured warehouse in Maple Meadows Industrial Park, the communities' forests, fields and rivers will also often serve as backdrops.
That means local residents can expect to see glimpses of period-costumed actors on horseback around the community for the next eight months or so - and also reap the commercial spinoffs as the production makes use of local stores and services.
"It was important for us to hold this out in Maple Ridge because we want to make an investment out here," co-producer Kirk Shaw told those who attended a kick-off event Thursday. He noted that local crews and extras are being hired for the shoot.
"We're very, very pleased to be in Maple Ridge," agreed co-producer James Shavick. "The community's been unbelievable to us."
Shavick has filmed eight to nine projects locally, including Eve's Christmas, which this summer transformed downtown Maple Ridge into New York in the winter.
Young Blades - which airs in Canada on CHUM Television Jan. 16 and in the U.S. on PAX early in 2005 - is billed as a melange of comedy, romance, adventure and fantasy, featuring hundreds of era-inspired costumes and an elaborate set. In this setting, the young swordfighters take on the establishment, coming of age and various threats to their homeland, including a mystical evil society.
"I've made a good living being a contrarian," said Shavick, who has bucked trends with projects such as The New Addams Family and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
"Everyone else is doing reality television. We're doing a period piece comedy and the thing is, we're not competing with anybody. We have something that is totally different. It's well written, it's a good idea."
While the show is rooted in historic authenticity, writers Billy Brown and Dan Angel take some liberties to make it relevant to today's viewers and for entertainment value.
However, Brown pointed out that references to coffee, a form of improvisational poetry ("rapsody") and even a submarine are historically accurate to the 17th century, a time of discovery and scientific exploration in Europe.
For the writers, the joy of this show is, "you don't have to worry about all the pop references, but you can also have fun with the anachronisms," Brown said.
"It is really a chance to use wit in a way you don't always get to in these shows."
Although auditions had included actors from the U.S. and Europe, the four lead roles ultimately went to Canadians.
Vancouver's Tobias Mehler (Taken, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Stargate SG-1) - was in the middle of a move to L.A. when he won the romantic lead role of D'Artagnan Jr.
Toronto's Karen Cliche (I Do (But I Don't), Mutant X) has the challenging role of Jaqueline, who disguises herself as 'Jacques' in order to join the Musketeer garrison.
Zak Santiago (The L Word, Dead Like Me, Dead Zone) is Ramon, while Mark Hilbreth (Earthsea, X-Men: Evolution, Andromeda) is Siroc, whose inventions and scientific forays are featured in each episode.
[Zak also appeared in "Evolution - Part One and Two."]
Although the more technical stunts will be handled by a professional stunt team - led by Pitt Meadows' Jacob Rupp - the actors have been busy practicing their equestrian and sword-fighting skills in preparation for Nov. 8.
"She's the best - she's pretty well the toughest," Santiago said Thursday of Cliche.
The actors have also been polishing their characters. "My research has been more like, 'Does this sound like a man'?" Cliche said, mimicking a masculine voice.
Period work is new to Mehler, Cliche and Santiago (Hilbreth is away shooting The Collector), but they are already charmed by the romance of the era - a time when people lived their lives with honour.
Mehler noted that the show is suited for younger viewers because it doesn't "push any boundaries," but added that "the writing is so clever that's there's room for an older audience."
The set is still a construction zone, but production designer Andrew Deskin is confident his creative vision will come to life in time for filming.
Deskin is dividing most of the warehouse interior into various rooms, many linked directly to the outdoors. The young Musketeers will hang out at Cafe Nouveau, whose two-level tavern-like design was planned with swordplay in mind.
Outside, a 200-foot-long Parisian street scene will wrap around the exterior of the warehouse. A 30-year veteran of the business, Deskin referred to the internet, books, movies and his own imagination to create the realistic set.
"I've been given more freedom to create for this show than any show ever."
© Copyright 2004 Maple Ridge News
|*|(*)|*|(*)|*|
Morjana
SG1-Spoilergate
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/SG1-Spoilergate/
Richard Dean Anderson Fans
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/rdandersonfans/
Proof-Positive
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/Proof-Positive
http://www.mapleridgenews.com/portal...d=321299&more=
(There is a photo at the site.)
TV shoot sets down roots
By Karin Mark
Staff Reporter
Film-friendly Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows have stood in for the Western frontier, small-town U.S.A., New York and numerous other locales in commercials, TV shows and films.
They can soon add 17th century France to the list. A 40,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor set is being constructed in the heart of the two communities, complete with Parisian street scene, stables and a submarine interior.
Young Blades - a new adventure-comedy TV series by Shavick/Insight Studios about the exploits of the next generation of Musketeers - starts shooting its 22 one-hour episodes here on Nov. 8.
While the focal point is a reconfigured warehouse in Maple Meadows Industrial Park, the communities' forests, fields and rivers will also often serve as backdrops.
That means local residents can expect to see glimpses of period-costumed actors on horseback around the community for the next eight months or so - and also reap the commercial spinoffs as the production makes use of local stores and services.
"It was important for us to hold this out in Maple Ridge because we want to make an investment out here," co-producer Kirk Shaw told those who attended a kick-off event Thursday. He noted that local crews and extras are being hired for the shoot.
"We're very, very pleased to be in Maple Ridge," agreed co-producer James Shavick. "The community's been unbelievable to us."
Shavick has filmed eight to nine projects locally, including Eve's Christmas, which this summer transformed downtown Maple Ridge into New York in the winter.
Young Blades - which airs in Canada on CHUM Television Jan. 16 and in the U.S. on PAX early in 2005 - is billed as a melange of comedy, romance, adventure and fantasy, featuring hundreds of era-inspired costumes and an elaborate set. In this setting, the young swordfighters take on the establishment, coming of age and various threats to their homeland, including a mystical evil society.
"I've made a good living being a contrarian," said Shavick, who has bucked trends with projects such as The New Addams Family and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
"Everyone else is doing reality television. We're doing a period piece comedy and the thing is, we're not competing with anybody. We have something that is totally different. It's well written, it's a good idea."
While the show is rooted in historic authenticity, writers Billy Brown and Dan Angel take some liberties to make it relevant to today's viewers and for entertainment value.
However, Brown pointed out that references to coffee, a form of improvisational poetry ("rapsody") and even a submarine are historically accurate to the 17th century, a time of discovery and scientific exploration in Europe.
For the writers, the joy of this show is, "you don't have to worry about all the pop references, but you can also have fun with the anachronisms," Brown said.
"It is really a chance to use wit in a way you don't always get to in these shows."
Although auditions had included actors from the U.S. and Europe, the four lead roles ultimately went to Canadians.
Vancouver's Tobias Mehler (Taken, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Stargate SG-1) - was in the middle of a move to L.A. when he won the romantic lead role of D'Artagnan Jr.
Toronto's Karen Cliche (I Do (But I Don't), Mutant X) has the challenging role of Jaqueline, who disguises herself as 'Jacques' in order to join the Musketeer garrison.
Zak Santiago (The L Word, Dead Like Me, Dead Zone) is Ramon, while Mark Hilbreth (Earthsea, X-Men: Evolution, Andromeda) is Siroc, whose inventions and scientific forays are featured in each episode.
[Zak also appeared in "Evolution - Part One and Two."]
Although the more technical stunts will be handled by a professional stunt team - led by Pitt Meadows' Jacob Rupp - the actors have been busy practicing their equestrian and sword-fighting skills in preparation for Nov. 8.
"She's the best - she's pretty well the toughest," Santiago said Thursday of Cliche.
The actors have also been polishing their characters. "My research has been more like, 'Does this sound like a man'?" Cliche said, mimicking a masculine voice.
Period work is new to Mehler, Cliche and Santiago (Hilbreth is away shooting The Collector), but they are already charmed by the romance of the era - a time when people lived their lives with honour.
Mehler noted that the show is suited for younger viewers because it doesn't "push any boundaries," but added that "the writing is so clever that's there's room for an older audience."
The set is still a construction zone, but production designer Andrew Deskin is confident his creative vision will come to life in time for filming.
Deskin is dividing most of the warehouse interior into various rooms, many linked directly to the outdoors. The young Musketeers will hang out at Cafe Nouveau, whose two-level tavern-like design was planned with swordplay in mind.
Outside, a 200-foot-long Parisian street scene will wrap around the exterior of the warehouse. A 30-year veteran of the business, Deskin referred to the internet, books, movies and his own imagination to create the realistic set.
"I've been given more freedom to create for this show than any show ever."
© Copyright 2004 Maple Ridge News
|*|(*)|*|(*)|*|
Morjana
SG1-Spoilergate
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/SG1-Spoilergate/
Richard Dean Anderson Fans
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/rdandersonfans/
Proof-Positive
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/Proof-Positive
Comment