In a reversal of the typical tv movie-pilot-followed-by-a-series scenario, the long-running cbc series North of 60 is enjoying new life – and pulling in viewers – as an anthology of mows, the latest installment just wrapping production in Bragg Creek, Alta. Production company Alberta Filmworks is in initial talks with the cbc about greenlighting a third North of 60 movie.

After a six-year run, the series was canceled two years ago by the pubcaster. According to the cbc, several factors led to the decision not to renew: a desire to make room in the schedule for other dramas in development, the difficulty in picking up financing through the Canadian Television Fund for series moving beyond the sixth cycle, and, after pulling in an average of 900,000-plus viewers throughout its run, a drop to 750,000 in season six.

Rather than giving up on the ongoing sagas of rcmp corporals in a northern community, Alberta Filmworks producers Tom Dent-Cox and Doug MacLeod asked the cbc to consider a tv movie version and got the okay on the first mow, In The Blue Ground – A North of 60 Thriller.

‘We didn’t want a wrap-up movie, we wanted another way to bring what was a successful and popular program to our audience,’ says Dent-Cox. ‘From a creative standpoint, we knew there were many more stories yet to tell. One of the difficulties of a long-running series is keeping it fresh – the different style and format of long form was a way to do that.’

In February, before In The Blue Ground went to air, Dent-Cox needed a commitment from the cbc on a second installment, Trial By Fire, in order to make the ctf deadline. Despite not having the benefit of ratings, Dent-Cox says the cbc made the leap and said yes, based on the series’ loyal audience.

The gamble paid off. The first North of 60 mow aired March 28 to an audience of one million-plus. Distributed internationally by Alliance Atlantis Releasing, In The Blue Ground has exceeded initial expectations, selling throughout Europe, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Spain, as well as to the Latin American territories of Argentina and Chile among others, proving there is a world market for unabashedly Canadian programs.

‘Strong characters, an interesting setting and a good yarn are what make audiences watch – it doesn’t matter if it’s Canadian or British,’ says Dent-Cox.

While In The Blue Gound is very much in the vein of an action adventure set in the woods of Lynx River, Trial By Fire has the tone, feel and storyline of a murder mystery. The whodunit involves an arson/murder investigation and the political intrigue of ambitious men vying for top jobs in the Northwest Territories legislative assembly.

Both scripts were penned by Andrew Wreggitt, executive editor of the last couple of seasons of the series.

‘The challenge is to continue to satisfy the loyal audience that enjoyed the series and tell stories about the characters they knew,’ explains Dent-Cox. ‘But we also want to attract a new audience not familiar with the series.’

Trial By Fire went into production July 28 on a $2.9-million budget. Financing was pieced together with the cbc licence, the Licence Fee and Equity Investment Programs, equity funding from the CFCN Production Fund, the Alberta Production Fund and the aac distribution advance.

The 20-day mainly exterior shoot took place on the North of 60 series back lot in Bragg Creek. The final leg of production saw a small contingent of cast and crew trek to Yellowknife for a three-day location shoot at the legislative assembly.

Returning cast include Tina Keeper, Tracey Cook, Peter Kelly Gaudreault and Tom Jackson as well as Graham Greene.

With so many productions on the go in Calgary, crew were shipped in from as far away as Halifax to work on the project. This past summer has seen as many as six projects shooting at once in the city, including two series, Honey, I Shrunk The Kids and Just A Kid, and a slate of American westerns.

A new director was brought in for Trial By Fire, Alberta-based Francis Damberger, whose credits include the feature films Heart of the Sun and Solitaire, and episodic directing on Due South, Jake And The Kid and Honey, I Shrunk The Kids. Incidentally, Damberger had a recurring acting role on the North of 60 series.

‘The script is adventurous for the size of the budget,’ says Damberger, referring to the boat chases and burning down of a lodge.

‘I shot a lot more coverage,’ says the director. ‘I wanted those extra beats, bigger shots, to show more of the landscape. I wanted to use the scenery to make it feel bigger, get a cinematic feel.’