Alberta’s film and television industry achieved a historic moment as The Last of Us, the region’s largest-ever project, clinched the award for Outstanding Locations in a Contemporary Television Series at the Location Managers Guild International Awards held in California. The distinction saw it outshine notable competitors such as Succession and The Handmaid’s Tale.
The series’ supervising location manager, Jason Nolan, expressed gratitude during his award acceptance speech, acknowledging several businesses that allowed shutdowns for a week or longer, and even entire cities that closed their major arteries to accommodate filming. The post-apocalyptic drama was filmed over more than a year in approximately 180 locations throughout Alberta, including Calgary, Edmonton, and Waterton.
In recognition of the exceptional sites featured in The Last of Us, the Alberta Film Commission and Calgary Economic Development were honored with the Outstanding Film Commission award. Alberta Film Commissioner, Mark Ham, emphasized the collaborative effort involved. Ham boasted the achievement as unprecedented at both provincial and national levels. He was echoed by Luke Azevedo, the Vice-President of creative industries, operations, and film commissioner for Calgary Economic Development, who affirmed the recognition as a testament to Alberta’s world-class contributions.
However, the triumphant atmosphere is tinged with concern as Hollywood actors and writers continue to strike, prompting shutdown of numerous productions throughout the province. Their demands are for improved pay, particularly when involved in streaming service shows, and for job protection against encroaching artificial intelligence. Azevedo voiced his hope for a speedy and fair resolution enabling the resumption of work for all provincial employees.
Despite the crisis, Canadian and independent productions are persisting. As an example, filming for Heartland season 17 remains underway. Ham recognizes these efforts aren’t at the desired level, but still stands proud of the Alberta shows that continue production during the strike.
In these uncertain times, Ham and Azevedo are committed to promoting Alberta as an ideal filming locale. Ham attributes much of their marketing success to the recognition of their award. He is confident this will prepare them to welcome international productions to Alberta once the strike concludes.
