5. Filming ‘I Want To Believe’ in Vancouver 2007 - Our X-FILES Experience!
I flew into Vancouver airport from the UK on December 10th then met up with my girlfriend Anne from California, USA, and we headed for a hostel in the city I’d booked online. We ended up staying only one night as it was a little on the downtrodden side and the steps were extremely steep which was a problem for me being disabled. Anne ended up finding us a Days Inn in Richmond near the airport for the rest of the seven nights she was with me. However before we left, the guy running the hostel let us know that X Files were filming the night we arrived! After checking Anne’s laptop we saw the unofficial photos from Flynet of David Duchovny and Amanda Peet. It was a little disconcerting to know they had been just around the corner from us! But, we found out the crew were still there on the 11th, so went to check it out. After booking in at the motel we returned in the evening to discover the street was decorated with bright lights! We parked in Gastown and walked over to Homer St, and found the ‘Done One’ crew. (That day we had noticed piles of snow all over the roads, and discovered, it had been dumped there by them!) We met several really nice folk ( and promised not to reveal any names) and ‘hung out’ all through the night until 4.30am! During the time we were there four more female fans came along, but only stayed an hour. Then it was just us two, apart from the time we got hungry so went to the wonderful Spaghetti Factory in Gastown and later for a drink at a bar on West Pender St. During the early hours on Homer St we saw Chris Carter (twice) walking his dog and said ‘Hi’, and we watched Xzibit and some other actors filming a scene over and over again. Long winded process, but it was fun getting to see how a movie is made! We also waved to David’s stunt double, but unfortunately he never showed up that night. The crew set overhead lights all up the street for a running shot with him, but due to being behind schedule they decided to postpone this to another day. One of the PA’s kindly let us have a photo with him in between takes. We realised we could not take photos of them filming, and this was confirmed to us. We told them about those photos of David and Amanda that were already out on the Net, and they weren’t too happy. Since then I know there have been official photos released of Gillian Anderson (who was in India at the time we were there) and David.
My pal is a professional photographer and got this photo copyrighted. We also decided to blur any tell tale details as we keep our word with people who trust us. It was really freezing weather that night, but such fun joking around with this guy. I was telling him (and a few others) that ‘done one’ means you’ve farted, in the UK! After that the crew were kidding each other and saying they’ll take it to the boss! My response was that I decided Chris probably knew its British meaning already! LOL! We met another PA the second time we found them with the same name, so decided to call them Thing 1 and Thing 2! One of the production crew wouldn’t tell us his name but was happy to chat. So we chose the name ‘Deep Throat’ for him! LOL! In the early hours of the morning a woman approached us suggesting it would be warmer inside? She thought we were a couple of extras in the movie!
555 Homer Street
We had heard the running shot was happening the following Sunday? However when we returned they weren’t there, so had obviously rescheduled again. However now we could walk past the building they had been filming inside and out. It’s actually the Salvation Army only was posing as a medical centre for the movie. I took this photo on night vision which slows the speed down. It’s made the folks walking by look like ghosts!
I had arranged with Boyd McConnell (who ran the movie tours back then) to go and see him. I went on the X-Tour in a limo back in 2004. Anne suggested we go looking for the locations ourselves,so on the 12th we took a walking tour around the Pendrell Suites.
I had arranged with Boyd McConnell (who ran the movie tours back then) to go and see him. I went on the X-Tour in a limo back in 2004. Anne suggested we go looking for the locations ourselves,so on the 12th we took a walking tour around the Pendrell Suites.
During the X-Tour I had seen ‘Scully’s apartment’ inside the building but this time got the opportunity to see the whole place. Over email Boyd asked me if we’d like accommodation there? What I wasn’t aware of until I saw him again was he would have offered us his mother’s apartment for a night (Scully’s) for only $100.00. The going price is $500.00 per night! That was so sweet of him so maybe next time? I finally got to meet his Mum this time, which was really nice. In each room there was a DVD player and we were shown scenes from various TV series and movies (including X Files), which showed the particular room being used in a scene. The apartments are beautifully furnished and well worth a visit. We weren’t allowed to take photos inside but discovered a rather amusing X File titbit. There is a light on the landing at the top of the first set of stairs with a round, lamp shade ball with various coloured pieces of glass. The X Files ended up using this item in the series. Have you guessed what it was used for? Yes, it was the ball emitting glowing lights in the opening credits! Now you know! ;)
This is me with Boyd and one of his assistants who took us on the tour. Remember Mulder racing into 1419, and having visions of Scully’s abduction from the living room in Ascension 2/06? (They really did break that window on the right for Duane Barry 2/05, but fixed it, and had to ask permission to put fake blood on the floor and elsewhere.) Mulder also met Mrs Scully in the hall and there was another interior scene in Colony 2/16 where the two agents were talking to the man who was really the bounty hunter in disguise.
On Sunday 16th we found the ‘Done One’ lot filming again and this time they were down on the waterfront. We got chatting to another friendly PA beside the craft services (boy the food looked delicious!) He let us know the crew were filming a chase scene inside the new convention centre, which is still under construction. We walked along the promenade of Canada Place and were able to get photos of the building on the opposite side, which they had lit up like a Xmas tree!
On Sunday 16th we found the ‘Done One’ lot filming again and this time they were down on the waterfront. We got chatting to another friendly PA beside the craft services (boy the food looked delicious!) He let us know the crew were filming a chase scene inside the new convention centre, which is still under construction. We walked along the promenade of Canada Place and were able to get photos of the building on the opposite side, which they had lit up like a Xmas tree!
Unfortunately the actual filming was taking place underneath…I guess in an underground parking lot? So we couldn’t see anything, but it was fun talking to the guy. He was dealing with this drunkard at the time and I think was glad when we came over. We decided we were not going to pull another all-nighter though and left just after midnight. It was rather eerie walking back down Gastown to the creepy deserted parking lot afterwards!
Anne and I spent some of the week looking for old XF locations armed with our trusty ‘X Marks The Spot’ book, and found quite a number of them. Here are some you may recognise.
Anne and I spent some of the week looking for old XF locations armed with our trusty ‘X Marks The Spot’ book, and found quite a number of them. Here are some you may recognise.
The Union Pacific Railway station was the location for Sleepless 2/04 when Mulder and Krycek entered and crossed over to the opposite door leading to the trains and platforms, where Mulder believed he was shot!
This was also the station used in Soft Light 2/23 where the guy spent his waking hours looking at the floor for his shadow! Yes, we did check that out! Couldn’t resist it! LOL! Today they are a little more pronounced (but still softened somewhat) due to the lights in the building, which were obviously toned down for X Files. Looks like they saturated the colours giving it a greenish hue. I tried this and also blurred and softened the photo slightly. What do you think?:-) The suspended clock has remained the same throughout both episodes.
During the week we visited a small town called Steveston, which featured in the episode Genderbender 1/14 and realised the street has hardly altered in all these years! You can clearly see the red bricked building on the TV screen! ) Mulder mentioned they were heading for Steveston in Massachusetts, which as far as I can tell doesn’t exist? He and Scully walked into one of the red brick building stores and I’m certain it was the one I went in to ask where the old grocery store was? How spooky
The reason we wanted to find this grocery store was because it was used as the exterior of the ‘feed store’ in the episode. Today, it’s a bread store.
Several locations were used a number of times throughout the series around Robson Square in the city of Vancouver. Such as…
Whilst down on the waterfront we discovered more locations from those past episodes…
Locations can also be found in the beautiful Stanley Park…
Another famous apartment was of course Agent Mulder’s…
The Wellington in the Kitsilano area is where Deep Throat met Mulder outside in The Erlenmeyer Flask 1/24
Look, he’s decorated for Xmas!
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Where’s Mulder’s window? Which ever one they chose they altered the pane of glass, as none seem to match the one in the episodes
Here’s me paying Mulder a visit! Scully was also on these steps when Deep Throat came calling in The Erlenmeyer Flask 1/24. (This was taken by Anne Marie.)
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Our two intrepid agents visited many motels on their journey and X Files decided this was their favourite one…
On our final day together Anne and I visited the North Shore Studios. I wanted to drop a package off for David. (Long story shortened, I met him online in the past and he showed a bit of an interest in my writing and singing. So I brought a copy of my latest fiction, Key To The Kingdom and a CD demo I put together.) The guard very kindly let us inside, and into the office building – which we were not expecting! So I got some great pics of the lot
NB: For those of you who watch Supernatural, the studios featured in the episode ‘Hollywood Babylon’ from the second season, which featured another actor I like, Gary Cole (American Gothic.)
The office building
We couldn’t find a space and ended up parking in XF2’s Production Manager, Wayne Bennett’s parking space! This was right next to it. I think everyone knows that's an anagram for Chris Carter!
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Trailers for the actors.
And here’s the entrance to the studios on Brooksbank Avenue.
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So that’s our X Files experience! I was in for several more surprises when my friend went home. My parent’s friends invited me to stay for four nights at their house in Naniamo on Vancouver Island. Then on my final night I was invited to stay at another friend’s abode. I met Christine last year and we hooked up again this time. I introduced her to Anne and we went out to dinner (at The Spaghetti Factory in Gastown. The reason we kept going there was because they offered 50% off at the 24 hour parking garage across the street. That, and it’s always been my favourite place to dine.) Christine had moved to this big house and I was invited to a Xmas party, which was awesome! The lady who owns the place, has now said I can stay there next year for a while, to save on hotel bills, which is so kind of her.
I thought people might also be interested in seeing some of my photos of Vancouver and Vancouver Island? They are wonderful places and I hope to return in the near future
I thought people might also be interested in seeing some of my photos of Vancouver and Vancouver Island? They are wonderful places and I hope to return in the near future
Back in Vancouver…
Xmas in Gastown
Going over Granville Bridge
Downtown Vancouver
Casino that used to be Plaza of Nations building
Steveston
Driving over Granville bridge
North Shore
Stanley Park
Simon Fraser University was used for exterior shots of the FBI building and also in Blood 2/03
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False Creek with Science World ball and BC Place in the background
Old ice rink at Robson Square.
Downtown with the Harbour Tower
From BC place looking at Granville St & bridge
Houses in Steveston
Canada Place
Grouse Mountain
Lions Gate Bridge spans from Stanley Park to North Shore.
“Lots ‘n lots of files!” Mulder & Scully discovered them in the mining museum at Britannia Beach in Paper Clip 3/02
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And finally, the wonderful Vancouver skyline by day and night
Hope you’ve all enjoyed my photos. Here are some that Anne Marie, my professional photographer friend from California took of me in Vancouver while we were together. I really like these…
In a café bar in Gastown.