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SHOOT: Welcome To Storybrooke aka Steveston for ONCE UPON A TIME 2×17

Oh you’re an outsider. Not that welcome then. In the first six weeks of Regina’s curse in 1983, New Jersey intruders Kurt Flyn (John Pyper-Ferguson) and his son end up in what is supposed to be undetectable Storybrooke, Maine.

That explains the high speed car chase on two blocks of Moncton Street in Steveston in late January. Once Upon a Time paid the business on both sides of those blocks to close for the day out of safety concerns. And hired 35 PAs (production assistants) to keep people back for flashbacks of Sheriff Graham (Jamie Dornan) and Regina (Lana Parrilla) in a high-speed chase of the intruders. Crew alternated scenes of stunt doubles driving fast in the Storybrooke Sheriff’s car and cast driving slowly in it down Moncton Street. At mid-morning, Once Upon a Time opened up the grassy park at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery (dressed as the Storybrooke Cannery) where people could watch the high-speed chase below from a safe distance.

John Pyper-Ferguson

The Chase from Moncton Street to 3rd Avenue in Steveston.
One of the notices in a closed business on Moncton Street below. Once Upon a Time had to change signs for businesses not normally in Storybrooke scenes. The Royal Bank of Canada became Storybrooke Savings & Loan. Other businesses were dressed as Storybrooke Fish Shoppe,  The Storybrooke Barber Shop, Storybrooke Liquor and an empty storefront became “Store for Rent. Storybrooke Real Estate. 207-555-0179”.
Spectators were allowed to stand close for a later scene of the stunt driver in the Storybrooke Sheriff’s car accelerating around the corner onto Moncton Street. You could smell the burning rubber.

Let’s race, says one stunt driver to another.

New Jersey plates.

I have a feeling that however these intruders are dealt with in 1983 will inform what Storybrooke does with The Outsider (Ethan Embrey) in present day. If I were him, I’d have gotten the hell out of Storybrooke as soon as I could.

Once Upon a Time airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on ABC in the U.S. and 7 p.m. on CTV in Canada.

1 thought on “SHOOT: Welcome To Storybrooke aka Steveston for ONCE UPON A TIME 2×17”

  1. Great shots! I wondered about that vehicle in the title card of one of the sneak peeks. I’m super excited for this car chase.

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