Filming is picking up in Cloverdale.
Paul Orazietti, the executive director of the Coverdale BIA, said the number of productions coming to the town for the immediate future just keeps increasing.
“Everything’s picking up,” said Orazietti, who—in his role with the BIA—liaises with production companies looking to film in the downtown area. He brings up any concerns with them that local businesses may have.
“‘Final Destination 6: Bloodlines’ was here a couple of days ago,” explained Orazietti. “We’ve got another one now, I don’t remember the studio’s name, but it’s based on the story where a daughter discovers her father is a serial killer. We’ve got ‘Earth Abides’ too. It’s a TV series based on a book from 1949.”
Orazietti said he’s getting a lot of notice now about when productions are coming to town. In the past, companies would reach out a week or two in advance, but now they’re contacting him several weeks and event several months in advance.
“They are preparing better,” he added. “This last group, instead of setting up all day, is filming in two-three hour increments in four different locations.”
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He said the companies are putting in more prep work to save both time and money on site.
“It does streamline it by doing it all at once—you concentrate all your craft services and support services—and they work strategically,” he said. “It requires a high degree of planning.”
He noted some productions will be doing night-time filming in the next month or so. That filming will end around 11:30 p.m.
He said in their effort to be efficient with both time and cash, the production companies are working closer with the BIA than they have in the past.
“The process has become more involved, they work with us more,” Orazietti explained. “So, in doing all of that, there are more detailed maps; they’ll tell me whether or not there’s issues with pyrotechnics, explosives, or other special effects—things like that.”
He noted the production companies seem to be more willing to work hand in hand post-pandemic than before where they’d take up space, block it off, and lock everyone out.
He said in some places, such as Vancouver, the business community doesn’t have as much say at all in working with production companies to minimise disruptions to business owners and local residents.
However, he said the City of Surrey recognizes the city is not really a film studio.
“When someone comes in and takes up parking spaces, there really is an impact,” Orazietti noted. “They take away the ability for people to walk in front of your business. That really has an impact.”
Orazietti gets the heads up from the city or from the production companies about upcoming plans for filming. He then goes over the plans and figures out what kind of impact the production will have on local business. Then he goes back to the companies with any concerns and the two try to find solutions that will work best for both.
“There are several tiers, so sometimes it takes a lot of work.”
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Sometimes the companies will pivot to a better plan; sometimes they say the changes will cost too much money.
“There are so many factors involved,” he added. “We always have to be very flexible. It’s all grey and you really have to give and take.”
He also said some companies that are interested in filming in Cloverdale will reach out to the BIA first, scout the town’s locations, then approach the city for the required permits once they’re satisfied Cloverdale has “the look” they want.
In Orazietti’s role as BIA executive director, he’s become the de facto film rep for the Cloverdale town centre.
“The relationships are growing and they are all very positive,” Orazietti added. “So, in doing all of this, our stance is both pro-business and pro-filming.
He also said Final Destination 6 wanted to donate some cash after all the help the BIA gave them.
“The BIA was to receive $500 for filming in town … which we had redirected to the Cloverdale Community Kitchen as a donation.”
Orazietti said there are a lot of productions coming up over the spring and into the summer.
“Based on what I’ve been hearing from the city, the phone’s ringing off the hook,” he noted. “And many of these won’t just film here, they’ll film all over the city. That’s the hope.”