Hi my name is Tony and this is Every Frame a Painting.
Hi my name is Tony and this is Every Frame a Painting.

The first time I ever felt like a movie lied to me, I was eight years old
The first time I ever felt like a movie lied to me, I was eight years old

and it was Homeward Bound 2: Lost in San Francisco.
and it was Homeward Bound 2: Lost in San Francisco.

Because this isn’t San Francisco.
Because this isn’t San Francisco.

--"What’s this? I thought we were going someplace cool."
--"What’s this? I thought we were going someplace cool."

--"This is my favorite place in the entire city."
--"This is my favorite place in the entire city."

This is Vancouver, where I grew up.
This is Vancouver, where I grew up.

If you watch enough TV or blockbusters, then chances are you’ve seen my city
If you watch enough TV or blockbusters, then chances are you’ve seen my city

disguised as Santa Barbara
disguised as Santa Barbara

or as Seattle
or as Seattle

and even one time as the Bronx.
and even one time as the Bronx.

--"Something’s always happening here."
--"Something’s always happening here."

--"That’s New York for you. You'll get used to it."
--"That’s New York for you. You'll get used to it."

But no matter how many movies or TV shows are filmed here
But no matter how many movies or TV shows are filmed here

there’s always been one nagging problem.
there’s always been one nagging problem.

We never actually see the city. It’s always pretending to be somewhere else.
We never actually see the city. It’s always pretending to be somewhere else.

--"I'm in Vancouver downtown, Robson Square on the set of The Interview..."
--"I'm in Vancouver downtown, Robson Square on the set of The Interview..."

--"This is where Seth Rogen and James Franco..."
--"This is where Seth Rogen and James Franco..."

--"...they’re supposed to be in North Korea, so check it out."
--"...they’re supposed to be in North Korea, so check it out."

--"You are fucking stupid and you are fucking ignorant, Dave."
--"You are fucking stupid and you are fucking ignorant, Dave."

--"Mmgh!! --"Ugh!"
--"Mmgh!! --"Ugh!"

Vancouver is actually the third biggest film city in North America.
Vancouver is actually the third biggest film city in North America.

But we’re so hidden we have movies about how we’re not featured in the movies.
But we’re so hidden we have movies about how we’re not featured in the movies.

--"My specialty is disguising Vancouver so it looks like an American city."
--"My specialty is disguising Vancouver so it looks like an American city."

But how do you fake one city as another without the audience noticing?
But how do you fake one city as another without the audience noticing?

Well first you need to know the city and Vancouver is kind of a chameleon.
Well first you need to know the city and Vancouver is kind of a chameleon.

In Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, it plays Seattle...
In Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, it plays Seattle...

and Eastern Europe…
and Eastern Europe…

and even India, all within a 15-minute drive of each other.
and even India, all within a 15-minute drive of each other.

Once you know the city, it’s actually pretty simple to trick the audience.
Once you know the city, it’s actually pretty simple to trick the audience.

Most people don’t question the establishing shot
Most people don’t question the establishing shot

so you can just find the right building and put a title card onscreen.
so you can just find the right building and put a title card onscreen.

The other option is to shoot 2nd unit footage of another city and then cut
The other option is to shoot 2nd unit footage of another city and then cut

to somewhere in Vancouver.
to somewhere in Vancouver.

This is especially common with Seattle since a lot of the architecture there
This is especially common with Seattle since a lot of the architecture there

looks pretty similar to here.
looks pretty similar to here.

But to really convince the audience, you're gonna need a lot of help.
But to really convince the audience, you're gonna need a lot of help.

Which brings us to the art department who control all the little details...
Which brings us to the art department who control all the little details...

Like decals on the sides of cars
Like decals on the sides of cars

American flags in the background
American flags in the background

new signs in front of buildings
new signs in front of buildings

and this one's my personal favorite
and this one's my personal favorite

--"I'm not gonna kiss them but let's just say I might give em some--"
--"I'm not gonna kiss them but let's just say I might give em some--"

USA Today vending machines
USA Today vending machines

Because nothing says America like USA Today.
Because nothing says America like USA Today.

--“I read it every day for news around the U.S.A."
--“I read it every day for news around the U.S.A."

The next step in faking a city is deciding how to light and shoot it.
The next step in faking a city is deciding how to light and shoot it.

One of the best ways to disguise Vancouver is to film at night in shallow focus.
One of the best ways to disguise Vancouver is to film at night in shallow focus.

This is to avoid pulling a "Rumble in the Bronx"
This is to avoid pulling a "Rumble in the Bronx"

when they pointed the camera north and you could clearly see the mountains.
when they pointed the camera north and you could clearly see the mountains.

It’s kind of remarkable what you can get from a location
It’s kind of remarkable what you can get from a location

by changing the angle and the lighting
by changing the angle and the lighting

This is the Orpheum Theatre, on a tripod from a high angle.
This is the Orpheum Theatre, on a tripod from a high angle.

And here’s the exact same entryway from a low-angle, handheld.
And here’s the exact same entryway from a low-angle, handheld.

Last, there’s the VFX team who composite specific elements in the shot
Last, there’s the VFX team who composite specific elements in the shot

Sometimes it’s a landmark like Alcatraz
Sometimes it’s a landmark like Alcatraz

the TransAmerica Pyramid or the Space Needle.
the TransAmerica Pyramid or the Space Needle.

But other times, they’ll change almost the entire frame.
But other times, they’ll change almost the entire frame.

This is Front Street, playing Japan.
This is Front Street, playing Japan.

And here it is again playing future Chicago.
And here it is again playing future Chicago.

And it’s all these little details that help us believe the illusion.
And it’s all these little details that help us believe the illusion.

So that a character can jump out of a window in Vancouver…
So that a character can jump out of a window in Vancouver…

and in the space of one cut…
and in the space of one cut…

end up in San Francisco.
end up in San Francisco.

But what does it mean for a city if it’s always playing somewhere else?
But what does it mean for a city if it’s always playing somewhere else?

Well for Vancouver, it means that our onscreen image is kind of generic.
Well for Vancouver, it means that our onscreen image is kind of generic.

What you’ve seen in the movies is mostly downtown
What you’ve seen in the movies is mostly downtown

like the glass buildings along Burrard Street.
like the glass buildings along Burrard Street.

And the area around Gastown, like this alley off of Cambie.
And the area around Gastown, like this alley off of Cambie.

The city is kind of like one giant backlot
The city is kind of like one giant backlot

a bunch of anonymous buildings that can stand in for anywhere else.
a bunch of anonymous buildings that can stand in for anywhere else.

Even when the movies go somewhere unique they have a way of typecasting it.
Even when the movies go somewhere unique they have a way of typecasting it.

For instance, BCIT’s Aerospace Campus actually looks pretty cool.
For instance, BCIT’s Aerospace Campus actually looks pretty cool.

But it’s always turned into some vaguely dystopian government facility.
But it’s always turned into some vaguely dystopian government facility.

Everybody walks around waving a special badge
Everybody walks around waving a special badge

and they try to maintain order, but of course they can't.
and they try to maintain order, but of course they can't.

Vancouver’s locations are like weirdly familiar character actors.
Vancouver’s locations are like weirdly familiar character actors.

For instance, the city's two biggest universities
For instance, the city's two biggest universities

play opposite roles onscreen.
play opposite roles onscreen.

SFU, with its concrete staircases, never plays a university.
SFU, with its concrete staircases, never plays a university.

It’s either a military base
It’s either a military base

or some evil corporation.
or some evil corporation.

Meanwhile, UBC always plays a university
Meanwhile, UBC always plays a university

that’s located everywhere else but Canada.
that’s located everywhere else but Canada.

This year, it even played Washington State University
This year, it even played Washington State University

which means that Vancouver, B.C. finally got to play…
which means that Vancouver, B.C. finally got to play…

Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver, Washington

For me, this is the single worst moment in local film history.
For me, this is the single worst moment in local film history.

I will never forgive this.
I will never forgive this.

But if filmmaking today is global...
But if filmmaking today is global...

why do so many of our stories take place in the same four cities?
why do so many of our stories take place in the same four cities?

Is it just so we can destroy the same landmark over...
Is it just so we can destroy the same landmark over...

and over...
and over...

and over?
and over?

By the way, take a guess where all four of these films were shot.
By the way, take a guess where all four of these films were shot.

--"Who wants to go to Vancouver?"
--"Who wants to go to Vancouver?"

Sometimes, I wonder if local film crews try to sneak the city into the shot
Sometimes, I wonder if local film crews try to sneak the city into the shot

As a form of protest.
As a form of protest.

To Hollywood, Vancouver is a location but not a setting.
To Hollywood, Vancouver is a location but not a setting.

It’s a place with talent and scenery and tax incentives
It’s a place with talent and scenery and tax incentives

but almost no film identity of its own.
but almost no film identity of its own.

Just other identities it can borrow.
Just other identities it can borrow.

But maybe there’s some hope.
But maybe there’s some hope.

For 50 years, there’s been a local movement of films and TV shows
For 50 years, there’s been a local movement of films and TV shows

where Vancouver does play itself.
where Vancouver does play itself.

--"We had no idea how to make a film."
--"We had no idea how to make a film."

--"We had no idea. We just went ahead and made the film."
--"We had no idea. We just went ahead and made the film."

A lot of these films aren’t widely distributed.
A lot of these films aren’t widely distributed.

But they offer a completely different perspective.
But they offer a completely different perspective.

For me, they’re often a lot closer to my own experiences…
For me, they’re often a lot closer to my own experiences…

As a child of immigrants who mostly explored the city on foot.
As a child of immigrants who mostly explored the city on foot.

--"Come on Dad!"
--"Come on Dad!"

--"Oh shit, my camera!"
--"Oh shit, my camera!"

These movies treat Vancouver not as a location but as a setting.
These movies treat Vancouver not as a location but as a setting.

And they capture the things that are unique to us.
And they capture the things that are unique to us.

So we need these images more than ever.
So we need these images more than ever.

Because films can preserve a particular time and place.
Because films can preserve a particular time and place.

Not as a documentary but as a fictional story about the real world.
Not as a documentary but as a fictional story about the real world.

And the city deserves better than the occasional joke about its weather
And the city deserves better than the occasional joke about its weather

--"Pack your winter coat. We’re going to Canada’s warmest city."
--"Pack your winter coat. We’re going to Canada’s warmest city."

So this is Vancouver. The third biggest filmmaking town in North America.
So this is Vancouver. The third biggest filmmaking town in North America.

Onscreen, it is ubiquitous and it is invisible.
Onscreen, it is ubiquitous and it is invisible.

But offscreen, there are other angles just waiting to be filmed.
But offscreen, there are other angles just waiting to be filmed.

And I think it’s time we made a push to create new images of ourselves.
And I think it’s time we made a push to create new images of ourselves.

Because honestly, it’s our city.
Because honestly, it’s our city.

Who else is going to do it?
Who else is going to do it?

Subtitles by the Amara.org community
Subtitles by the Amara.org community