Residents of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) have long known how popular the area is with filmmakers, with familiar towns, cities, and locations popping up in everything from car commercials to Hollywood blockbusters.
Now you can see just how popular the region is — and pinpoint productions filmed in your area — via the TNRD’s interactive Movie Locations Map. It’s a digital tool that showcases the many filming locations throughout the area over the years, highlighting the region’s rich history on film.
The map contains data from the TNRD’s Past Productions database, so that when you click on a link you can find details about the production, including whether locations are accessible to the public, and where to watch each film, show, music video, or commercial. The map will even tell you if the production can be borrowed through the Thompson-Nicola Regional Library.
The new map makes it easy for anyone — film enthusiasts, tourists, and locals — to see what was filmed, and where, within the TNRD. It builds on a previous film location map that was active for several years before being taken down about seven years ago.
“We’ve loved being able to bring the map back,” says film commissioner Terri Hadwin of the Thompson-Nicola Film Commission. She explains that the previous map was closed down when the third party that hosted it started charging a bit more than the film commission wanted to pay.
“It was great when we had it before, but the technology has come along so much since we last hosted it. Now it looks clean and beautiful and easy to use, and we’re able to host it internally, so that’s saved us some money.”
She adds that traffic to the new site has been busy since the map was reintroduced.
“Tourism entities really missed it. Bringing it back is helpful from a visitor information hub perspective, but it’s also impactful when I speak with people in the film industry who ask what was filmed in our area. Plus it’s a great conversation piece, and very beautiful.”
While many residents know about movies or TV shows filmed in their area, Hadwin says there have been many different commercials filmed throughout the region, particularly car ads. The film commission tries to stay on top of them, and asks when and where the ads are airing.
“We like to share them," she says. "The ads are usually made for TV, but many are also available on YouTube, so we like to collect that information so people can see them and see our beautiful locations.”
Hadwin notes that a lot of the commercials, especially for cars, are often filmed in remote areas. “They’re not smack dab in a city, so unless you live in the area or they’re filming on your property you might not know. They’re usually only here for a day or two, so come and go quite quickly. If they’re filming on Crown or Indigenous land they need a permit, but if they have an agreement with a private property owner to film on a dirt road coming through their ranch there’s no permitting required.”
The past production database lists more than 250 projects that have been filmed within the TNRD, from feature films, TV shows, and miniseries to commercials, documentaries, reality TV shows, and even music videos. Anyone who notices something missing can contact the film commission at tnfcspecialprojects@tnrd.ca.
“I’m hearing from the media as much as anyone else that they had no idea such-and-such was filmed here,” says Hadwin. “I still haven’t seen every movie or TV series filmed in our area, as people have been filming here for more than 20 years. I’d like to consider myself a pro, but even I’m surprised by some of the stuff I’m learning.”
To view the TNRD’s Movie Locations Map, go to https://bit.ly/42PTD9K. To view the Past Production database, go to https://bit.ly/3Qc29bk.
