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James Callis

WEEK: February 18-24, 2013

 

WEEK: January 7-13, 2013

  • Sunday, January 13th – Once Upon a Time 2×12 The Outsider has Rumple finding a way to cross the town border without losing his memory of his son Bae, Hook stealing Bae’s cloak,  a Rumple vs Hook showdown and then a big twist involving Rumple’s beloved Belle.
  • Sunday, January 13th – CTV airs a promo for Vancouver detective series Motive during the Golden Globes with the tagline: The Murder is Just the Beginning. Debuts on February 3rd after the Superbowl on CTV.
  • Sunday, January 13th – Cult panel at the Television Critics Association (TCA) winter press tour, with cast Matt Davis, Jessica Lucas, Robert Knepper and Alona Tal and Farscape creator Rockne O’Bannon. Debuts February 19th on The CW.
  • Sunday, January 13th – The CW president Mark Pedowitz says new version of Vancouver-filmed pilot The Selection still in contention for pilot order. Tells TCA winter press tour that he loves the new script.
  • Friday, January 11th – Fringe 5×11 The Boy Must Live – the third-to-last episode features naked Walter in deprivation tank and father-son bonding between Walter and Peter and between September and his son, the child Observer! Oh, and someone must die for the plan to work.
  • Friday, January 11th – Arrow Fraturday: star Stephen Amell steals a motorcyle in a scene at Portal Park as news breaks of his Christmas wedding to longtime girlfriend Cassandra Jean; his stunt double rides the motorcycle down the stairs at Oceanic Plaza and over a prop Starling City cab into prop traffic on West Hastings. Arrow crew then moves to underground parking at the Vancouver Convention Centre to film overnight scenes until Saturday morning.
  • Friday, January 11th – Supernatural Fraturday: films overnight again inside Century House in downtown Vancouver.
  • Friday, January 11th – City releases promo image of  sitcom Package Deal, featuring Randal Edwards, Julia Voth, Harland Williams and Jay Malone.
  • Thursday, January 10th – Sitcom Package Deal tapes in front of live studio audience in Burnaby.
  • Thursday, January 10th – Once Upon a Time films at Deer Lake Park with Charming, Snow & Henry on set.
  • Thursday, January 10th – Arrow films at the PNE
  • Thursday, January 10th – Supernatural films inside Century House in downtown Vancouver.
  • Thursday, January 10th – Red Widow panel at TCA winter press tour. Debuts March 3rd on ABC.
  • Thursday, January 10th – News via @Lemon_Buzz that feature film Ninja Turtles closed its Vancouver production office and opened a NYC production office = Vancouver loses another feature film.
  • Thurday, January 10th – Premier Christy Clark’s BC Jobs Plan boosts several industries but not our declining film & TV biz. Click on the SAVE BC FILM petition and sign it to let her know the cost to the province of losing film & TV productions to places with better tax credits.
  • Wednesday, January 9th – Fringe showrunner Joel Wyman and cast Lance Reddick present early screening Read More »WEEK: January 7-13, 2013

SHOOT: James Callis Films ARROW 1×15 Dodger on the Vancouver Art Gallery Roof – Updated

James Callis (best known as Gaius Baltar from Battlestar Galactica) filmed scenes for Arrow on the Vancouver Art Gallery roof today while star Stephen Amell and co-star Katie Cassidy attended the People’s Choice Awards in Los Angeles. [Updated: As TV Guide reported last month, Callis plays international jewel thief The Dodger, who forces innocent people to carry out his heists under duress. When the Sherwood ruby goes missing in Starling City, Amell’s Oliver Queen will try to catch this elusive thief.]

Read More »SHOOT: James Callis Films ARROW 1×15 Dodger on the Vancouver Art Gallery Roof – Updated

WEEKS: December 17-30, 2012

  • Friday, December 28th – SPACE channel marathon of Vancouver’s own dinosaur procedural Primeval: New World
  • Tuesday, December 25th – Arrow star Stephen Amell marries long-time girlfriend Cassandra Jean at sunset ceremony in the Caribbean.
  • Saturday, December 22nd – Psycho prequel series Bates Motel begins its holiday hiatus. Returns January 7th, 2013.
  • Saturday, December 22nd – Vancouver sitcom Package Deal begins its holiday hiatus. Returns January 7th, 2013.
  • Friday, December 21st – Fringe airs tenth episode of its final season featuring Olivia, Peter, Walter, Nina Sharp and the child Observer Michael filming in downtown Vancouver, the tragic but brave death of a favourite character and the answer to the question, Who is Donald?
  • Friday, December 21st – Sitcom Package Deal tapes in front of a live studio audience in Burnaby
  • Friday, December 21st – Bates Motel films at the Psychiatric Assessment building in the Burnaby Youth Detention Centre.
  • Friday, December 21st – Supernatural begins its holiday hiatus. Returns January 8th, 2013.
  • Friday, December 21st – Falling Skies wraps filming of its third season.
  • Thursday, December 20th – Vancouver detective series Motive begins its holiday hiatus. Returns January 6th, 2013.
  • Wednesday, December 19th – USA Network renews Psych for eighth season of filming. Here are the crime-fighting quartet — Shawn, Gus, Lassie & Jules.
  • Wednesday, December 19th – Once Upon a Time casts Rose McGowan as younger Cora.
  • Wednesday, December 19th – Once Upon a Time begins its holiday hiatus. Returns January 3rd, 2013.
  • Wednesday, December 19th – Emily Owens MD studio liquidation 10AM-6PM at North Shore Studios
  • Wednesday, December 19th – Second day of Supernatural filming inside Langara College library.
  • Tuesday, December 18th – Supernatural films inside Langara College library
  • Tuesday, December 18th – TV Guide reports Battlestar Galactica’s Baltar, aka James Callis, cast on Arrow.
  • Monday, December 17th – Vancouver dinosaur procedural Primeval: New World mid-season finale directed by Amanda Tapping Read More »WEEKS: December 17-30, 2012

BIG READ: Battlestar Galactica Reunion at TV Pilot 17th Precinct

Published March 17, 2011 on Vancouver is Awesome

“Frak yes! It’s a BSG reunion” read the New York Post headline of a PopWrap post illustrated with my photos of three of Battlestar Galactica’s cast filming a new NBC TV pilot 17th Precinct on location in Yaletown earlier this week. Why all the excitement? It’s the first major project from BSG showrunner Ronald D. Moore which reunites him with main cast – Apollo (Jamie Bamber ), Baltar (James Callis) and Cylon Six (Tricia Helfer) – from the cult sci-fi series plus one of its best directors, Michael Rymer.

As a long time fan of the Vancouver-shot BSG, I joked with friends that 17th Precinct needs Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff ) in the cast to be a true reunion for me, but she will not be in the mix. She has a new project in the offing. BSG’s Chief/Cylon (Aaron Douglas) tweeted her: “Take me with you? Jamie, James and Tricia are ganging up with Ron. I think it is high time you and I gang up somewhere else.”

17th Precinct is not the average cops and robbers procedural. Think cops and warlocks instead. It’s a Harry-Potter-for-grownups show about detectives Caolan (Jamie Bamber) and John (James Callis) investigating magical occurrences in the fictional town of Excelsior, with the help of the sorceress Morgana (Tricia Helfer). I spotted the strange steering-wheel-less unmarked car driven by the magical detectives and the Public Necromancer Van at a location shoot in the West End late last week. Police extras loaded a body into the rear of the van.

Most of that shoot happened inside The Kensington, the mustard-yellow Italianate heritage building on Nicola Street, with some exterior scenes scheduled at night until the high winds of last Thursday caused havoc. The craft tent blew off the street, damaging a fridge, and all exterior scenes got pushed to Friday evening. That night shoot introduced other cast members: the venerable Stockard Channing as robbery detective Mira and her partner, the relative newbie Matt Long (Peggy fired his ass on Mad Men), doing a scene at the staged crime scene. Later I spotted Eamonn Walker, who plays Dectective Chief Inspector Wilder Blanks, pile into the cast van after filming wrapped for the week.

On Monday 17th Precinct crew re-established themselves for a two-day shoot in Yaletown off Hamilton Street. I arrived to see Read More »BIG READ: Battlestar Galactica Reunion at TV Pilot 17th Precinct