Forget Victoria’s outdated reputation as a “wee bit of Olde England.” For the next five months, it will become a slice of coastal northern California — the seaside town of Gracepoint.
As director James Strong and crews gear up for Tuesday’s start of principal photography on Gracepoint, Shine America’s 10-episode crime series inspired by the British hit Broadchurch, it will be hard to miss them.
David Tennant, who starred in Broadchurch, heads a cast that includes Anna Gunn, Nick Nolte, Jacki Weaver, Michael Pena and Kevin Zegers.
Signs are already evident on Oak Bay Avenue, where the forsmer Guardian pharmacy is masquerading as the Gracepoint Journal newspaper.
Oak Bay is one of several local “hubs” that have been established in the area, said executive producer John Goldwyn.
“We’ve bundled our locations around,” he said. “The first would be the Oak Bay area, the second is Brentwood Bay and shooting around that area, in the harbour. The third I would say is Beachcomber Beach at Island View. It looks like we’ll be going there to shoot on either side of that — on those cliffs — and the fourth is in Sidney.”
Sets depicting a police station and morgue are being built in Sidney’s Seaport Place, former site of Captain’s Table and Mineral World, for use in Fox’s 2014-15 “event series.”
Goldwyn said Victoria proved ideal because of its beauty, unique topography, sense of community and seaside locale.
“What’s so great about shooting in a location like this is that we get to literally be a part of a community for five months,” he said. “We’ll be staying in the hotels, shopping in the stores and eating in the local restaurants. We’ve received a tremendous welcome thus far and we are just thrilled to be a part of the community.”
