Set in Calgary and shot in Calgary are different things
Plenty of stories are set in Calgary. Fewer were shot here, and for film fans that difference is where the fun starts.
The best first stop is ACTRA Alberta, the Alberta branch of the performers’ union. Its What’s Shooting list names productions and where they’re filming right now.
Chasing the older titles
That list covers the present day. For older productions you’ll need credits, archives and festival programmes, and we’ll say which is which whenever we write about a title. Think of it as a treasure hunt with clues scattered around town.
If you worked on a Calgary production and kept a call sheet or a photograph, send it our way through the contact page. In the meantime, Fortress Mountain keeps turning up in big movies, which is a great example of a Calgary-area location doing the heavy lifting.
Keep going with Superman Left Its Cape Prints All Over Alberta and Calgary’s Lost Cinemas Were Local Businesses Too.
Quick answers
For a look at the studios and shows behind the credits, our posts on the Calgary Film Centre and on how The Last of Us turned Calgary into Boston are good next reads.
A story set in Calgary takes place in the city on screen, while a production shot in Calgary was filmed here. Plenty of stories are set in Calgary, but fewer were actually shot here, and for film fans that difference is where the fun starts.
Start with ACTRA Alberta, the Alberta branch of the performers’ union. Its What’s Shooting list names productions and where they’re filming right now, which makes it the best first stop for anyone curious about current Calgary and Alberta film sets.
For older productions, the ACTRA Alberta list won’t cover it, so you’ll need credits, archives and festival programmes. We say which kind of source we’re using whenever we write about a title, so you can tell what each claim rests on.
Fortress Mountain keeps turning up in big movies, which makes it a great example of a Calgary-area location doing the heavy lifting. Our post on Fortress Mountain covers it in more detail, and you can follow the link in the text above.
Sources: ACTRA Alberta.
