Film industry

Robert Buckley and Mattia Castrillo are among the actors in The Christmas House II currently shooting in Sidney. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Sidney blanketed in snow during final days of summer

Crews spread holiday cheer for Hallmark Christmas movie shoot

Robert Buckley and Mattia Castrillo are among the actors in The Christmas House II currently shooting in Sidney. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Three of the movies included at this year’s Free-B Film Fest: Tammy and the T-Rex (1994), Moonraker (1979) and The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). (freebfilmfest.com)

Free-B Film Festival moves to Victoria’s Royal Athletic Park

Low-budget movies and cult classics will hit the big screen Friday and Saturday nights

Three of the movies included at this year’s Free-B Film Fest: Tammy and the T-Rex (1994), Moonraker (1979) and The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). (freebfilmfest.com)
A film crew prepares for a shoot downtown on Broad Street this week in Victoria. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

Victoria buzzing with filming activity so far this year

But South Island film commissioner worries the pandemic-delayed uptick could be short-lived

A film crew prepares for a shoot downtown on Broad Street this week in Victoria. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)
The Netflix series Maid shoots in Sidney in November 2020. The show stars Margaret Qualley. (Bob Orchard photo)

Healthy lineup of filming set for Greater Victoria in 2021

Netflix series Maid leads the charge into the summer

The Netflix series Maid shoots in Sidney in November 2020. The show stars Margaret Qualley. (Bob Orchard photo)
The rainbow crosswalk at Glover Road and Mary Avenue in Fort Langley has been temporarily covered up for the filming of a movie. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)

Fort Langley rainbow crosswalk covered up for filming of Sonic the Hedgehog sequel

The crosswalk will return in late April

The rainbow crosswalk at Glover Road and Mary Avenue in Fort Langley has been temporarily covered up for the filming of a movie. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)
The 10-part Netflix series Maid, which is being exclusively shot in Greater Victoria, was filming near Prospect Lake in Saanich last month. (Photo courtesy Fred Haynes)

Province announces $150,000 investment into movie studio study at Camosun College

South Island NDP candidates promised funding to develop business plan during 2020 election

The 10-part Netflix series Maid, which is being exclusively shot in Greater Victoria, was filming near Prospect Lake in Saanich last month. (Photo courtesy Fred Haynes)
“Taste The Bread!” declares Walter Rasmussen, the mayor of fictional Windward, Washington (Haig Sutherland) during filming of The Baker’s Son in Chemainus Friday. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Parallels between Island community and fictional town evident in Hallmark movie

Tourism boost likely down the road for Chemainus from publicity after a week of filming

“Taste The Bread!” declares Walter Rasmussen, the mayor of fictional Windward, Washington (Haig Sutherland) during filming of The Baker’s Son in Chemainus Friday. (Photo by Don Bodger)
Willow Street between Mill Street and Victoria Street is a busy place Monday as filming for The Baker’s Son gets underway. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Island community provides the perfect small town atmosphere for movie shoot

Chemainus takes on the persona of Windward, Washington for Hallmark production

Willow Street between Mill Street and Victoria Street is a busy place Monday as filming for The Baker’s Son gets underway. (Photo by Don Bodger)
Vancouver International Women in Film Festival kicks off March 5.

Women in Film Festival features two B.C. filmmakers

The 16th annual festival kicks off March 5, 2021

Vancouver International Women in Film Festival kicks off March 5.
The Gordon Head Recreation Centre stands in as the Quimper Regional Hospital on Feb. 23 for filming Maid, a 10-part Netflix series. (Greg Sutton/District of Saanich)

Netflix transforms Saanich recreation centre into hospital for filming

Facility was closed to public Feb. 23 for filming of Maid

The Gordon Head Recreation Centre stands in as the Quimper Regional Hospital on Feb. 23 for filming Maid, a 10-part Netflix series. (Greg Sutton/District of Saanich)
Arabella Costello, left, from Parksville, played the role of Cher in ‘All-in Madonna’, while Clayton Neuwirth, right, from Bowser, played the role of Victor. ‘All-in Madonna’ plays at the Victoria Film Festival through Feb. 14. (Submitted photos)

Island actors all-in for their roles in ‘All-in Madonna’

Feature film, directed by Arnold Lim, currently showing at Victoria Film Festival

Arabella Costello, left, from Parksville, played the role of Cher in ‘All-in Madonna’, while Clayton Neuwirth, right, from Bowser, played the role of Victor. ‘All-in Madonna’ plays at the Victoria Film Festival through Feb. 14. (Submitted photos)
Langford’s Heather Charlton had dozens of her custom cookies featured in two Hallmark holiday movies. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)

How one Langford baker got her homemade cookies featured in Hallmark films

Film company ended up ordering over 11 dozen cookies

Langford’s Heather Charlton had dozens of her custom cookies featured in two Hallmark holiday movies. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)
Sturdee Street in Esquimalt will be closed to public parking on Dec. 7 and 8 for a film crew. (Screenshot via Google Maps)

Esquimalt warns of parking impacts from production filming in town

No parking on Sturdee Street Dec. 7 and 8

Sturdee Street in Esquimalt will be closed to public parking on Dec. 7 and 8 for a film crew. (Screenshot via Google Maps)
The TV series Gracepoint filmed scenes in Oak Bay in 2014. (Black Press Media file photo)

Saanich mayor holds B.C. NDP to campaign promise to fund movie studio study

South Island candidates promised $150,000 to develop business plan

The TV series Gracepoint filmed scenes in Oak Bay in 2014. (Black Press Media file photo)
Film crews will be shooting on the Pat Bay Highway from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Oct. 14 and 15. Traffic control personnel will be guiding drivers through a planned detour. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

Rolling closures on Pat Bay Highway for filming in Saanich, Sidney

Traffic to be detoured around film-site

Film crews will be shooting on the Pat Bay Highway from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Oct. 14 and 15. Traffic control personnel will be guiding drivers through a planned detour. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)
Carver Ryan Villiers puts finishing touches on the lifelike chainsaw carving of John J. Rambo (played by Sylvester Stallone) before it was installed at Hope’s Memorial Park Aug. 14, 2020. (Emelie Peacock/Hope Standard)

Sylvester Stallone gives shout-out to new Rambo chainsaw carving in Hope, B.C.

Sylvester Stallone, the star behind John J. Rambo, “very proud” of newly installed red cedar work

Carver Ryan Villiers puts finishing touches on the lifelike chainsaw carving of John J. Rambo (played by Sylvester Stallone) before it was installed at Hope’s Memorial Park Aug. 14, 2020. (Emelie Peacock/Hope Standard)
A sign in Langford directed crews during the filming of a Hallmark TV Movie in April 2019. (Black Press Media file photo)

Saanich calls for lights, camera, government funding for movie studio construction

Mayor estimates cost of build at $24 million

A sign in Langford directed crews during the filming of a Hallmark TV Movie in April 2019. (Black Press Media file photo)
(File photo)

B.C. film industry given go-ahead to restart productions halted due to COVID-19

The industry will likely look very different than it was before the pandemic

(File photo)
A police officer photographs a motorcycle after a female stunt driver working on the movie “Deadpool 2” died after a crash on set, in Vancouver, B.C., on Monday August 14, 2017. British Columbia’s workplace safety agency says multiple failures of a production company contributed to the death of a stunt performer on the set of “Deadpool 2.†THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

‘Deadpool 2’ production company fined by B.C. agency after woman’s death

WorkSafeBC says in a report issued last fall that among other violations, the company did not conduct a risk assessment

A police officer photographs a motorcycle after a female stunt driver working on the movie “Deadpool 2” died after a crash on set, in Vancouver, B.C., on Monday August 14, 2017. British Columbia’s workplace safety agency says multiple failures of a production company contributed to the death of a stunt performer on the set of “Deadpool 2.†THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Brentwood Bay’s Daniel Diemer stars in the soon-to-be-released Netflix original The Half of It, alongside Leah Lewis as Ellie Chu. (Facebook/The Half of It Netflix Movie)

Greater Victoria actor stars in upcoming Netflix film The Half of It

Brentwood Bay’s Daniel Diemer plays love struck teenager Paul Munsky

Brentwood Bay’s Daniel Diemer stars in the soon-to-be-released Netflix original The Half of It, alongside Leah Lewis as Ellie Chu. (Facebook/The Half of It Netflix Movie)