An Edmonton-based film production company hopes to make Canmore and its surrounding mountainous landscapes the backdrop of a new sci-fi film.
Western Directives Inc. is going into production for the film Q4 Dream Corporation and producer Tim McKort said along with shooting in New York, the Bow Valley will be widely featured in the movie.
The “quirky script,” according to McKort, is an action thriller set in the future that has a mystery woven through it. He said it is about dream technology in the future that lets you essentially pick your dreams like pay-per-view.
“With this movie and the dream technology and dream elements I really wanted to highlight the outstanding Albertan geography,” McKort said.
The cast includes Michael Madsen (The Natural, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill) Mike Starr (The Office, The Bodyguard, Dumb & Dumber) and Eric Roberts (The Pope of Greenwich Village, The Dark Knight, The Expendables) and being directed by Bill Cowell.
In August the film will begin shooting in Niagara Falls, New York and will also use the Edmonton Film Soundstage in September. The shoot in Canmore begins in October and locations already scouted include Beaver Falls, Quarry Lake and the abandoned gas station east of Canmore on the highway.
McKort said with Canmore’s experience as a back drop for movies and the fact there is no complex system of permits needed, he expects the local experience to be positive.
“That is one thing I found with Canmore, you’ve had these crews and productions come through here and the community is aware of what takes place when you shoot a movie,” he said.
He hopes the movie will be out of post-production by the spring and would also like to see it entered into Sundance Film Festival.
“We’ll position it to hit the ground running in the best place we can position it,” he said.
With part of the movie set in an underground subway system, McKort said there is also opportunities for businesses to engage in product branding placement in the film, which will also help generate revenue for the small production. The placement would be in the underground advertising of the transit system, and he said there are also opportunities to do something similar with the dream channels. He said it is an opportunity to promote Canadian businesses.
And of course once the time comes to film, he said extras will be needed and he is looking to the local community for that help.
McKort and his company are best known for a series of short hockey films called Sure Shot Dombrowski, which saw independent releases across the country and was picked up by Super Channel and was entered into 10 international film festivals.
“When it was time to end that series I looked at a script I had for years,” he said, referring to Q4.
Email McKort at [email protected] for more information on the production or to sign up as an extra for the film.
