Keep Alberta Rolling spotlights Claresholm

By Rob Vogt, Local Press Writer
Have you ever watched a movie or TV show and seen a place you swear you saw in real life?
That may be because you have.
A new initiative wants to highlight not only Southwest Alberta’s support for film and television production but also show off what the area has for potential settings for film and TV.
Keep Alberta Rolling is launching Film Friendly Southwest Alberta and “We love Alberta film”, an initiative with Community Futures Southwest and the Alberta SouthWest regional economic development alliance.
Brock Skretting, head of advocacy for Keep Alberta Rolling, explained the initiative will be a website of photos and stories.
“We’re showing off communities in the region that are film friendly,” he said.
That includes small businesses who are open to be film locations, or who just support the film and TV industry.
In turn, film producers are encouraged to shop local and utilize local services.
The initiative is a way to show off tourism, business and landscapes.
“How cinematic Alberta is,” Skretting said.
He was in Claresholm on Oct. 22, where he visited the fire hall; the bridge and an old school house west of town; the airport; various businesses; Centennial Park; the aquatic centre; main street; the murals; the agriplex; community centre; and new town office and multi-use community building.
“There are some great assets in town,” Skretting said.
He stressed if anyone was missed who wants to be involved, he will be back in town.
“It will be an on-going thing that we’ll continue to build,” Skretting said.
He was in Nanton the week before Claresholm, heading to Fort Macleod the next week, and Pincher Creek, the Crowsnest Pass, and Cardston after that.
“The response has been amazing,” Skretting said. “People have been super welcoming and supportive and engaged in what we’re doing.”
“The whole region is excited and has been supportive,” he later added.
The idea is to build off the success of Fort Macleod. The community and its historic main street have been the backdrop of many productions.
Those have included “Ghostbusters”; “The Last of Us”; “Let Him Go”; “Fargo”, the television series; and “Brokeback Mountain”.
“It’s a successful small town with the film industry,” Skretting said.
Part of the goal is to celebrate the industry and promote projects shot in the area, such as “Ghostbusters”, which premieres on Nov. 19.
Skretting said one of the major benefits of the industry is tourism and marketing.
“This is the opportunity for the region to get behind Fort Macleod,” he said. “It’s a way to celebrate a lot of local Alberta work goes into these projects.”
In turn, the region can get behind the next community that attracts a production.
Once the website goes live it will be used, as an example, to market the area to film producers and site locaters, as well as at events such as film festivals.
Virtually anywhere can be used as a location for a production, all depending on what the project is looking for.
“Never count yourself or your location out,” Skretting said, adding places have unique things that cannot be found anywhere else.
This year the value of film production in Alberta will exceed $500 million.
“Hopefully we can continue to grow it here and bring it to more communities in Alberta,” Skretting said.
To get involved with the project contact the Claresholm & District Chamber of Commerce at info@claresholmchamber.ca