View Full Version : OKC Starring in TNT's "Grace"



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floater
09-25-2006, 10:18 PM
http://theland.antgear.com/holly_hunter.jpg

This tidbit has been floating in the internet for weeks now, and the Okmetropolis forum was the first to openly discuss it. TNT is developing a drama set in OKC starring Holly Hunter.

GRACE (TNT) - Oscar winner Holly Hunter has been tapped for the lead role in the drama pilot, about a jaded Oklahoma City police detective who is visited by an irascible angel and offered an opportunity to redeem her life. Her character, Grace Anadarko, is detailed in the casting notice as follows: "35. Grace is tough, audacious and sexy as hell. A homicide detective in Oklahoma City, Grace is headed for hell: she sleeps with her married partner, drives drunk, smokes too much, sings along with country music at the top of her lungs and avoids her mother on every occasion. A woman who's broken more than her share of the Commandments, and has turned her back on her Catholic upbringing, Grace is famous within the department for being a hard-nosed cop who clears cases, but her volatile persona keeps her under constant scrutiny, lest she go wholly off the rails. Still guiltily aware of the fact that she contributed in a minuscule way to her sister's death in the Oklahoma City bombing, Grace is an angry, unforgiving woman whose life is about to blow apart at the seams. When she's visited by a tobacco-chewing angel named Earl and ordered to reform her trainwreck of a life, Grace has a "Road To Damascus" moment, and when events (and the forensics lab) prove Earl to be more than a drunkard's dream, Grace begins her journey, stumbling through her Heavenly orders, painfully aware that the road to Calvary is steeper and straighter than the road to Hell." Nancy Miller is behind the Fox TV Studios-based hour, which has been in the works for nearly a year. Gary A. Randall and E. Duke Vincent also serve as executive producers on the project. "Grace" joins "Talk to Me" as the only pilots currently under consideration at the cable channel.

And the fetching Laura San Giacomo will be starring as Grace’s best friend:

http://www.gargoyles-fans.org/characters/images/laura_san_giacomo.jpg

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Laura San Giacomo will co-star opposite Holly Hunter in TNT's drama pilot "Grace."

Hunter plays a jaded Oklahoma City police detective who is visited by an irascible angel (Leon Rippy) and offered an opportunity to redeem her life. San Giacomo will play Grace's best friend, a forensic scientist. Bokeem Woodbine will play a death-row inmate who also can see the angel.

San Giacomo, probably best known for her role on NBC's long-running comedy series "Just Shoot Me!" will next do a multi-episode arc on the CW's "Veronica Mars." The stint will reunite San Giacomo with fellow "Just Shoot Me!" cast member Enrico Colantoni.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

I can only hope they shoot on location as much as possible and reference OKC names as much as possible (people, streets, restaurants, clubs, neighborhoods, and stores other than Wal-Mart).

BDP
09-26-2006, 07:38 AM
Hey, my wife tells me we were on Studio 60 last night. As one of the only markets in the country who censored a comedy sketch. Our reputation precedes us...


I can only hope they shoot on location as much as possible and reference OKC names as much as possible

After reading the synopsis, I can't imagine that many references would be very flattering.

Pete
09-26-2006, 08:29 AM
Holly Hunter often plays characters with thick Southern drawls... I would expect more of the same here.

floater
09-26-2006, 09:19 AM
Hey, my wife tells me we were on Studio 60 last night. As one of the only markets in the country who censored a comedy sketch. Our reputation precedes us...



After reading the synopsis, I can't imagine that many references would be very flattering.

I think it'll prove to be entertaining and helpful to OKC. It'll show that we actually do have clubs and restaurants to OKC and that we're not a bunch of squares. It's a series, so I think redemption will the dominant theme throughout the life of the program -- if it lasts. I've been a fan of Hunter since Broadcast News, and find her drawl very sexy. It helps that her characters are usually smart.

I luv Studio 60 but cringed at that OKC reference. Shows how much we have to overcome. Grace just may be the antidote.

Karried
09-26-2006, 09:59 AM
This should be a good thing.. we'll have to wait and see.. the Chamber should be all over this - sending the producers and writers, directora and anyone else influential, as much positive info on the city as possible.

I would venture to take it a step further and have them personally invited on a tour of the city, the Memorial, treat them to a few nice restaurants.. that would help our tourism if they took some of what they experienced and worked it into the script.

BDP
09-26-2006, 10:40 AM
It'll show that we actually do have clubs and restaurants to OKC and that we're not a bunch of squares. It's a series, so I think redemption will the dominant theme throughout the life of the program

I hope so. I'm just speculating, but as it will be focused on crime and a down-and-out character, I assume that much of it will be focused on the underside of the city. That's fine with me as long as the city's good side is included as well. My biggest fear is that it will play up the rednecky (sorry, cabbie) or other "negative" stereotypes associated with OKC. I think it will be hard for the writers to ignore the temptation to include Oklahoma stereotypes altogether. Hopefully, they mix in some of the good stuff as well...


Shows how much we have to overcome.

Unfortunately, it was fairly accurate of them to single out OKC. Our affiliates are notorious for letting their politics guide their programming decisions.

OUman
09-26-2006, 10:41 AM
A homicide detective in Oklahoma City, Grace is headed for hell: she sleeps with her married partner, drives drunk, smokes too much, sings along with country music at the top of her lungs and avoids her mother on every occasion. A woman who's broken more than her share of the Commandments, and has turned her back on her Catholic upbringing, Grace is famous within the department for being a hard-nosed cop who clears cases, but her volatile persona keeps her under constant scrutiny, lest she go wholly off the rails. Still guiltily aware of the fact that she contributed in a minuscule way to her sister's death in the Oklahoma City bombing, Grace is an angry, unforgiving woman whose life is about to blow apart at the seams. When she's visited by a tobacco-chewing angel named Earl and ordered to reform her trainwreck of a life, Grace has a "Road To Damascus" moment, and when events (and the forensics lab) prove Earl to be more than a drunkard's dream, Grace begins her journey, stumbling through her Heavenly orders, painfully aware that the road to Calvary is steeper and straighter than the road to Hell."

Hmm, this doesn't portray a good picture of the city's residents. Or am I taking this too seriously? After all, people from other nations thought everyone in Dallas is rich and drinks all the time and drives expensive cars (at least that's what a Swedish professor at OU said in class one time).

BDP
09-26-2006, 11:11 AM
people from other nations thought everyone in Dallas is rich and drinks all the time and drives expensive cars

Is this not true? ;)

floater
09-26-2006, 11:46 AM
Unfortunately, it was fairly accurate of them to single out OKC. Our affiliates are notorious for letting their politics guide their programming decisions.

Yeah.

I would rather Grace depict OKC as a gritty city than a huge oil patch and suburbs. I would think they'd portray her as living in a city neighborhood such as Crown Heights. Anyway, it's a drama, you can't expect to have perfect neighborhoods with perfect people.

And it is written by Nancy Miller, who is from Oklahoma. I would think she would see to it that OKC is portrayed honestly in service to the story. What will probably happen is that the neighborhood scenes will be shot in LA while shots of the PD and downtown will be thrown in for context.

ETL
09-26-2006, 02:46 PM
When does all this happen?

The Old Downtown Guy
09-26-2006, 02:59 PM
Grace Anadarko? Jeeeeez.

floater
09-26-2006, 03:33 PM
Grace Anadarko? Jeeeeez.

Yeah, I wasn't too thrilled with the name, either.

Spartan
09-26-2006, 03:54 PM
This has actually been a news story for about half a year now. The story was first in the Chicago Tribune, I believe. I found this while I was doing my usual hunt on FindArticles.

Hunter to take on her first TV series as Oklahoma City cop
Chicago Sun-Times, Jul 18, 2006 by Nellie Andreeva

In her first foray into series television, Oscar winner Holly Hunter is in negotiations to topline a drama pilot for TNT.

"Grace" centers on a jaded Oklahoma City police detective who is visited by an irascible angel and offered an opportunity to redeem her life.

It follows the breakout success of "The Closer," another TNT drama centered on a strong female cop character. Kyra Sedgwick's show has emerged as the most-watched cable series.

Hunter has been nominated for an Academy Award four times, most recently for "thirteen" in 2003, and won for best lead actress in 1994 for "The Piano."

Meanwhile, another film actress has joined Fox's drama "24" as a regular for next season. Regina King will play Angela, the sister of the late President David Palmer and a powerful advocacy lawyer.

King, who co-starred in such features as "Jerry Maguire" and "Ray," also lends her voice to the animated series "The Boondocks."

Intrepid
09-26-2006, 09:39 PM
Grace Anadarko? Jeeeeez.

Well then, how about the following:

Grace Gotebo
Grace Bowlegs
Grace Hooker
Grace Beaver
Grace Slaughterville

Just a few ideas.

:tiphat: :spin: :tiphat:

Karried
09-26-2006, 09:58 PM
LOL - you forgot

Grace Watonga
Grace PoncaCity
and my favorite

Grace Tuttle

heavy sigh.. Grace Anadarko

Spartan
09-26-2006, 10:28 PM
Why are we matching the name of the show with the hick towns surrounding our fine megalopolis?

Intrepid
09-27-2006, 03:59 AM
Why are we matching the name of the show with the hick towns surrounding our fine megalopolis?

Um...because it's funny?


:tiphat:

mranderson
09-27-2006, 04:15 AM
Here are more of them:

Grace Lawton
Grace Yukon
Grace Moore
Grace Purcell
Grace Antlers
Grace Shawnee

:tiphat:

Spartan
09-27-2006, 06:32 AM
Now, now Anderson I don't believe Moore or Yukon are considered the hick towns around our fire megalopolis.

traxx
09-27-2006, 07:38 AM
I like Grace Gotebo personally.

A tabacco chewing angel? Even our angels are redneck stereotypes. I mean I'm all for rednecks, I'm a bit of one myself, but come on.

Unfortunately, if this ever happens, I wouldn't expect it to be like Walker Texas Ranger where they shot extensively around the Big D. Expect it to be shot in Canada somewhere.

And a Catholic upbrining? While they're at the stereotype game why not make her the daughter of a hardnosed Southern Baptist? Anytime someone on tv or in the movies has a spiritual awakening or encounter they are Catholic, anytime they are religious jerk they are Southern Baptist.

jbrown84
09-27-2006, 09:32 AM
I always wondered when Hollywood would even reference the bombing. There has not to my knowledge (and I watch a lot of TV and films) been any plotline or character that even referenced it in someone's past as it's being done here.

I really hope they shoot this here. I don't think it would be any more expensive than Vancouver or Dallas, where Prison Break shoots.

mranderson
09-27-2006, 12:09 PM
Now, now Anderson I don't believe Moore or Yukon are considered the hick towns around our fire megalopolis.

Actually, Moore has more hicks per capita than any other city in the metro. I stuck Yukon in there just for kicks.

mranderson
09-27-2006, 12:11 PM
I always wondered when Hollywood would even reference the bombing. There has not to my knowledge (and I watch a lot of TV and films) been any plotline or character that even referenced it in someone's past as it's being done here.

I really hope they shoot this here. I don't think it would be any more expensive than Vancouver or Dallas, where Prison Break shoots.

Actually, several television programs and movies have made references to the Murrah bombing. "Promise Land," and "Elizabethtown" are two.

Intrepid
09-27-2006, 12:23 PM
Actually, Moore has more hicks per capita than any other city in the metro.


LOL

I didn't know the Census Bureau kept that kind of statistic.

:tiphat:

fromdust
09-27-2006, 07:12 PM
this is fun. naming a chick after a hick town and calling okc a megalopolis. its hilarious. ok so im being a little sarcastic. megalopolis. ha!
how about
grace durant
grace atoka
grace achille
or she could be american indian, grace broken bow

Spartan
09-27-2006, 07:25 PM
Grace Megalopolis

Kerry
09-27-2006, 07:26 PM
I would think OKC would be the perfect location to shoot the show. There are a lot of parts of OKC that would make nice backdrops. Plus downtown OKC at the street level is pretty empty during the day so shooting it the area wouldn't disrupt everyday life.

Spartan
09-27-2006, 07:27 PM
Actually, Moore has more hicks per capita than any other city in the metro. I stuck Yukon in there just for kicks.

You know I'm starting to get kind of annoyed at your bantering. How can we have a forum where a suburb with most of the suburban growth and about 50,000 people doesn't even have any respect?

:respect:

Oh and I'd bet some of the houses in my neighborhood on the east edge of Moore are a lot bigger than what you live in over in Westmoore... :fighting3

mranderson
09-27-2006, 07:48 PM
You know I'm starting to get kind of annoyed at your bantering. How can we have a forum where a suburb with most of the suburban growth and about 50,000 people doesn't even have any respect?

:respect:

Oh and I'd bet some of the houses in my neighborhood on the east edge of Moore are a lot bigger than what you live in over in Westmoore... :fighting3

You can be annoyed all you want. As an umpire said decades ago, "I calls 'em as I sees 'em."

Spartan
09-27-2006, 07:49 PM
Did that fine officiating sir work for the PacTen?

Anyway, getting BACK on topic, I do not believe it's likely that they will put a lot of resources into a show and have it portraying a negative image of a touchy state. Chances are the worst it will be may come close to TexasRanger... (I can't stand that guy but that's a whole nother story).

traxx
09-28-2006, 07:16 AM
Even though it's not a small town how 'bout Grace Tulsa because we all know what Tulsa spells backward.

Spartan
09-28-2006, 10:26 PM
Well we all know that Oklahoma City IS backward so I don't know what really to say...

Spartan, sticking up for cities like Moore and Aslut all the time...

Swake2
09-28-2006, 10:59 PM
Tulsa’s experience with television has been good and bad recently.

Friends (NBC) spent a season in Tulsa, it started out as a joke but actually had shots of the city and downtown that looked good, the joke turned around as the character Chandler decided he liked Tulsa and almost moved.

The show Rodney on ABC stars Tulsa comedian Rodney Carrington. It’s your typical redneck comedy stuff. I’ve only watched about half an episode and despite being set in Tulsa, and staring and being written by a Tulsan, none of the shots I saw were actually of Tulsa.

Gardening by the Yard on HGTV is made in Tulsa, It’s done by Tulsa gardener Paul James and it’s nice to have Tulsa as a natural setting out there. Most people think Oklahoma is a dry desert; you can’t watch this show and think that. If you realize the show is made in Tulsa, which is not mentioned very often.

There’s another new show coming out that going to be made in Tulsa. One of those car restoration shows. It’s going to be called “My New Ride” and I think it’s already started to film at a local car restoration shop. That all sounds good but the show is going to be on CMT.

Spartan
09-28-2006, 11:15 PM
Yea it's a restoration shop on South Memorial almost in Bixby. But I thought it would be on the Discovery Channel...

Intrepid
12-22-2006, 11:13 PM
NewsOK.com | Powered by The Oklahoman and NEWS 9 (http://www.newsok.com/article/2989856/?template=home/main)

By Mary Reinauer Funk
Special to The Oklahoman

Former Oklahoma City resident Nancy Miller is in town to celebrate the green light from the TNT network on the production of her new series, "Grace,” set in Oklahoma City, which is to begin filming in March. The official word from the network came to Miller, the show's writer, creator and executive producer, on Dec. 15.
Miller's other credits include "The Round Table,” "Leaving L.A.” and "Any Day Now.”

"Grace” stars Oscar-winning actress Holly Hunter ("The Piano”) in the title role and is very much about the city Miller calls her hometown.

"I wanted a show set in the Bible Belt and I want people to understand what a great city Oklahoma City is,” Miller said. "I want her (Grace) surrounded by good, honest, solid, fun, God-fearing people, and of course, OU football.”

Miller, who graduated from Bishop McGuinness High School and attended the University of Oklahoma from 1972-77, still is an avowed OU football fan. Other Sooners might divine this fact just from watching "Grace” when the show debuts in July.

"All of the last names of the good guys are cities in Oklahoma. But the last name of the bad guy is Austin,” Miller said, in reference to the city of OU's football rival, the University of Texas.

The lead character Grace, a street-tough detective with the Oklahoma City Police Department, may well need a solid citizenry behind her, as well as some divine intervention.

"The show is very edgy. There is a lot of humor and a lot of raw emotion,” Miller said. "It's about a woman who doesn't believe in God. She is visited by an irascible angel who will drag her, kicking and screaming, on a journey of redemption.”

Although Miller's depiction of Grace's lifestyle might bother the audience in which the story is set, Miller said it is by no means gratuitous. "I had to start her at a place of complete pain and destructive behavior in order to take her on this journey.”

Miller hopes her audience will be able to relate to the character, perhaps even in a Biblical sense. "Grace is like all of us. She's a sinner. She has her questions about why bad things happen and has even been angry at God for some of the things that have happened to her.

"But she's a good person who needs a spiritual focus in her life, just like we all do,” Miller said.

Some of the pilot is shot in Oklahoma City, but most of it was made on location in Canada. The series will be shot in Los Angeles. But that has not stopped Miller from touting her hometown to Hollywood big-wigs.

"Holly (Hunter) and our director, Sergio Mimcama-Gezzan, were here in September for a couple of days,” Miller said. "We ate at Cattleman's and did Oklahoma City things to try to give them a taste of the unique flavor of Oklahoma City. They loved it. We tried to make it to Johnnie's (Charcoal Broiler), but we didn't have time. But we did make it to Sonic for a cherry limeade.”

Hometown folks likewise stepped up for the kickoff, Miller said. "Jill Simpson and Dino Lali from the Oklahoma film board have been spectacular in helping us. We shot here for a day in October and hope to be back when we start shooting in March for a couple of days, at least. Becky Switzer (Barry Switzer's wife) has been a tremendous help to us as well.”

writerranger
12-22-2006, 11:31 PM
So, a few weeks of location shots (landmarks, sunrise, sunset, cloudy days, rainy days, sunny days, airport, canal, etc. etc.) and the rest filmed in LA. That's too bad.

Reminds me of the bad blood between Minneapolis and LA during the filming of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The only time MTM ever stepped foot in Minneapolis was to shoot the now-famous opening scene. They ignored Minneapolis and it created problems. Only later, years later, did Mary Tyler Moore embrace Minneapolis and now there's even a statue of Mary downtown.

Hopefully, Grace will embrace the city they will portray as home.

--------------------

jbrown84
12-22-2006, 11:49 PM
Don't feel too bad. This is the usual situation. ER does the same thing with Chicago and CSI with Vegas. If they shoot interiors in L.A., it will probably make us look better anyway.

Now it would really be an insult if they were shooting in Dallas.

writerranger
12-23-2006, 12:16 AM
Don't feel too bad. This is the usual situation. ER does the same thing with Chicago and CSI with Vegas. If they shoot interiors in L.A., it will probably make us look better anyway.

Now it would really be an insult if they were shooting in Dallas.

That's funny! Not to mention, a very good point.

------------

HOT ROD
12-23-2006, 05:00 PM
Actually, I remember OKC mentioned often in the hit show "Dallas". I also even remember a few scene-scapes of Downtown OKC (that were actually San Antonio - I think), but it really gave OKC a nice cosmopolitan image.

It's interesting that they used SA (I think) with quite a few more trees/green - as that is what we currently have downtown. Interesting insite - DALLAS (the show).

So, it will ONLY be good if they use Vancouver (a world class city mind you) for shots of the show!!!!! Maybe we are headed for some Vancouverization in esp downtown OKC (think highrises guys), which for those of you who have never been - Vancouver is arguably the best urban city in North America (and one of the best in the world).

Can you say Van-klahoma City or Okla-couver!!! Both sound good to me. :)

I hope they shoot primarily in Van City instead of LA. Both cities have sizeable infrastructure for TV/Movie production but Vancouver has the best urban feel, hipness, and cosmopolitan feel. LA has the suburb thing or ghetto (anything outside the production set warehouses).

SpectralMourning
12-23-2006, 11:46 PM
Even still, this show sounds as if its plot is becoming more progressively terrible as time rolls on. I'm not really looking forward to actually watching the program more than what it does for our city.

floater
12-24-2006, 08:46 AM
Cattlemen's and Sonic? That's Oklahoman to outsiders, but it'd be nice if they shot scenes at Cafe Nova, Blue Note and Cao Nguyen, and not just the Johnnies and Stockyards Cities. Interior places that tourists often miss are what police dramas should be showing.

BDP
12-24-2006, 09:31 AM
Sounds like this show will play heavily on and reinforce a lot of stereotypes. It doesn't sound like it will do much or anything to advance the city's image. But it sounds like a pretty boring show, so I doubt it will last unless they spice it up a bit.

SpectralMourning
12-24-2006, 08:42 PM
Much agreed, BDP.

Karried
12-24-2006, 09:06 PM
I feel the same way.. Just please don't be too cheesy!

jbrown84
12-25-2006, 08:54 PM
Cattlemen's and Sonic?

That's not where they shot, they just visited there.

traxx
12-26-2006, 12:22 PM
Cattlemans, Johnnies and Sonic. Sounds like an outsiders view of OKC. Kinda like if a British film were set in NYC they'd show Rockefeller Center, Empire State Bldg. and the Statue of Liberty.

Unfortunately I was correct in my earlier post on this subject, that they would not film extensively here but do it in Canada etc. I thought that this is what the film district was supposed to fix so that we'd have more trained TV and film workers in the city which would make it cost effective to shoot more in Oklahoma instead of LA or Canada. :(

jbrown84
12-26-2006, 12:38 PM
I thought that this is what the film district was supposed to fix so that we'd have more trained TV and film workers in the city which would make it cost effective to shoot more in Oklahoma instead of LA or Canada. :(

It won't happen overnight. And it's extremely rare that a series will shoot outside of L.A. Only in instances where it's absolutely necessary to shoot a different environment, such as The WB's Colorado-set Everwood, which shot on soundstages in Salt Lake City that were built for the Olympics.

Now movies are a different story. With the help of the revamped Okla. Film Commission and the Film District, we will likely get a lot more temporary movie shoots.

traxx
12-26-2006, 01:02 PM
I really don't see that shows like Everwood or Walker would need more location shooting than this show. With Grace being a cop she's going to be out and about around the town quite a bit, thus the need for location shooting. Unless the show calls for her to hardly ever go outdoors. The thing is there will be outdoors and location shooting, it just won't be here. It's like a previous poster said; OKC will just be used for establishing shots and the rest will be shot elsewhere.

And I realize it takes time for these things like the film commission and film district, it just seems like they've had enough time to rectify this. I remember reading about it in the early 90s when Oklahoma got passed over for location shooting in Far and Away saying that Oklahoma didn't look enough like Oklahoma to shoot here. That's when the ball really got started rolling, as I recall it, on the film commission so this kind of thing wouldn't happen in the future. That seems like enough time to see some improvement to me.

jbrown84
12-26-2006, 02:39 PM
We can't force cameramen and grips and lighting technicians to move here and wait around for the occasional project. We have to train our own residents as students in this field and hope some of them stick around permanently. We are getting better in this area. OKCCC and OCU have growing film departments, and other schools like OU and OBU offer programs in video beyond just Broadcast News. Hollywood producer Gray Fredrickson moved here and set up a production company.

The fact is that they would have to relocate industry professional here indefinitely to shoot the show, and it's just rare that a show will do that. Like I said, even ER doesn't shoot in Chicago.

metro
12-27-2006, 10:30 AM
[QUOTE][Unfortunately I was correct in my earlier post on this subject, that they would not film extensively here but do it in Canada etc. I thought that this is what the film district was supposed to fix so that we'd have more trained TV and film workers in the city which would make it cost effective to shoot more in Oklahoma instead of LA or Canada. /QUOTE]

Yes, this thing takes years to establish and we're doing a good job right now. More and more tenants are moving into the film district. Even when fully established, there isn't a ton of land like say Studio City, CA. We will never be, however we will be able to have a few spaces where the occasional project can shoot. Like someone said, thousands of grips, techs, directors, producers, extras, etc. are not going to move to OKC for an occasional small shoot, it's not worth it to them. Would you move across the US to make far less money? Grey Frederickson isn't even the biggest producer in Oklahoma, there are a ton of producers in OK. The biggest Hollywood producers in OK are Every Tribe Entertainment in OKC (aka EthnoGraphic films) and Tom Newmann in Tulsa who just landed a multi-million dollar deal to produce 2 new films. These two companies produced major motion pictures that come out in theatres nationally. Frederickson focuses more on movies straight to DVD's that sell a few hundred thousand copies at best and gets limited exposure.

HOT ROD
12-28-2006, 01:32 AM
We can't force cameramen and grips and lighting technicians to move here and wait around for the occasional project. We have to train our own residents as students in this field and hope some of them stick around permanently. We are getting better in this area. OKCCC and OCU have growing film departments, and other schools like OU and OBU offer programs in video beyond just Broadcast News. Hollywood producer Gray Fredrickson moved here and set up a production company.

The fact is that they would have to relocate industry professional here indefinitely to shoot the show, and it's just rare that a show will do that. Like I said, even ER doesn't shoot in Chicago.

And Grey's Anatomy does NOT shoot in Seattle (although they did do a recent episode completely on location in Seattle and Washington - but that was just ONE episode).

Like I said, if they use anything from Vancouver that will show OKC as a positive urban area. Those of you who watched the film Fireside (??) or whatever it was with Harrison Ford? And it says Seattle and shows the Space Needle and a big city skyline... Well, the film was shot exclusively in Vancouver and the skyline you saw was Vancouver's with the Space Needle computer generated.

All of the streetscapes, skyscrapers, ect. were done in downtown Vancouver (aside from the country scenes, which were done in rural BC). This is true for many movies and TV shows, because downtown Vancouver is so damn urban - it can stand in for NY, SEA, SF, Asian cities like HK, Chicago - just computer insert a landmark or two like Sears or ESB and remove the mountains - and you're in Chicago or New York.

Im sure we all want downtown OKC to have that Vancouver big city character, especially on a TV show set - who cares if they insert in a SONIC or Cattleman's, just as long as they use Vancouver's urban fabric - it will get the message that OKC is more than just sprawl suburbs. And hopefully downtown will continue to move in Vancouver's direction anyways!!!!!

dismayed
12-29-2006, 03:25 PM
Yeah, Vancouver is cool. Lots of TV shows are filmed there... Smallville, The X-Files, Dark Angel, Stargate SG-1, Battlestar Gallactica (what do you know, OKC and Caprica may have something in common... wonder if we will see a Cylon or two running around our downtown), the old MacGyver TV show, House, Dead Like Me, etc.

traxx
01-05-2007, 02:49 PM
We can't force cameramen and grips and lighting technicians to move here and wait around for the occasional project. We have to train our own residents as students in this field and hope some of them stick around permanently. We are getting better in this area. OKCCC and OCU have growing film departments, and other schools like OU and OBU offer programs in video beyond just Broadcast News. Hollywood producer Gray Fredrickson moved here and set up a production company.

The fact is that they would have to relocate industry professional here indefinitely to shoot the show, and it's just rare that a show will do that. Like I said, even ER doesn't shoot in Chicago.
Exactly, and as I read in the early 90s when this whole thing started that that was the goal. Almost 15 years later and we still haven't developed any homegrown techs that have stuck around the area. I'm not asking that we become another hollywood but I'd at least like to see that when a show is set in Oklahoma that they would shoot here and use local techs. I hate seeing a show about Oklahoma shot elsewhere. They have plenty of industry professionals in places like Dallas and Austin to shoot on location there, what's wrong with asking that we could do the same. I don't think we're all that different from an Austin, we can do it. And it seems to me that we've had enough time to do this. Time, to me now, is just an excuse.

jbrown84
01-06-2007, 04:56 PM
We can have a movie industry on the level of Dallas and Austin, but it's very rare that a TV show shoots anywhere besides LA or Vancouver.

animeGhost
01-12-2007, 11:38 PM
getting the film industry here is a hard thing to do... even if we do have programs and schools with filmography classes and video tech classes there are currently no jobs to keep those ppl here with.

jbrown84
01-13-2007, 01:06 AM
Not NO jobs, just very few relative to LA, Vancouver, NYC, even Dallas and Austin.

traxx
01-13-2007, 01:36 PM
Not NO jobs, just very few relative to LA, Vancouver, NYC, even Dallas and Austin.

That's what I'm saying, Dallas and Austin had to start somewhere. It didn't just happen. I realize it's the whole "chicken and the egg" thing, but if both sides work together we can have the techs as well as the work for them to do instead of one waiting on the other.

metro
01-13-2007, 02:10 PM
getting the film industry here is a hard thing to do... even if we do have programs and schools with filmography classes and video tech classes there are currently no jobs to keep those ppl here with.

that's not true, I'm working on my 3rd movie here in OKC now and I have barely even tried to get the work. There are all sorts of film companies here and talent agencies. if you make a little effort you can find the work, just as someone said its not as abundant and you can't pick and choose as much as you could in L.A.

jbrown84
05-02-2007, 11:51 AM
from thefutoncritic.com:

Over on TNT, the Holly Hunter-led "Saving Grace" is set to debut on Wednesday, July 18 at 10:00/9:00c.

writerranger
05-02-2007, 12:43 PM
from thefutoncritic.com:

Over on TNT, the Holly Hunter-led "Saving Grace" is set to debut on Wednesday, July 18 at 10:00/9:00c.


I was wondering whatever happened to that. TNT now has a site up for the show as well...
Saving Grace on TNT (http://www.tnt.tv/title/?oid=663121)

Grace Hanadarko?

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