The Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) is the largest organization of Location Managers and Location Scouts in the motion picture, television, commercial and print production industries. Their membership plays a vital role in the creativ
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28 • LMGI COMPASS | Winter 2023 the Cheakamus flows through more than 40 miles of mossy granite swaddled in Douglas fir, hemlock and cedars to feed the broader Squamish River, which winds behind Jack's Bar in the fictional town of Virgin River before draining into the Pacific at the head of the Howe Sound a few miles to the south—all within Indigenous Squamish Nation territory. A film entertainment hub with a robust production infrastructure and a growing skyline, where several shows are being filmed at once, Southern British Columbia is a sprawling, complex social ecosystem built at the intersection of Indigenous sovereignty, environmental stewardship, and thriving outdoor recreation and film industries. And as Virgin River goes full steam ahead filming Season 5 after Season 4's record-breaking June debut, Vancouver native Millar and a homegrown crew say the glue that holds the region's collective interests together is the same ingredient behind the show's remarkable production story and the secret to its incredible success: kindness and community. BUILDING A WORLD Millar was brought on to the series in its second season by Vancouver-based Hans Dayal/ LMGI, who assumed the role of production manager after working as the show's location manager on Season 1. He had zeroed in on the small town of Squamish, just 30 miles north of Vancouver, to provide the contours for the fictional town of Virgin River. Working with production designer Tony Devenyi, showrunner Sue Tenney and producer Ian Hay, he helped map out the town and find recurring locations like Mel's cabin, the charmingly traditional open-plan Murdo Park Caretaker's Cabin in North Vancouver, expertly designed and built out by Devenyi and set decorator Mecca Thornhill. Dayal also secured Hope's colorful and historic 1920's bungalow and doc's practice, a stately three-story late Victorian mansion in New Westminster. Jack's man-cave country bar is a real-life riverside restaurant in Brackendale called The WaterShed Grill that was built by the sister of Squamish Nation Chief Bill Williams. Dayal says the creators aimed to show a more personalized, mature side of the Vancouver area, which is popular real estate for action-packed sci-fi movies and young adult superhero shows like The X-Men, Supernatural, The Flash, Arrow and Smallville. Millar swung into the show's stride quickly, catching up on the dailies from Season 1 and Dayal's scouting photos and driving around to filming spots to introduce himself. "It was really nice taking over the show and reaching out to the locations from Season 1 and they all said, 'I'm so happy you guys are back, it was wonderful, and your crew is so amazing!' and I thought, 'This is great! I'm already coming into an established family that's respected and everybody loves it.'" THE ROAD TO VIRGIN RIVER Millar's early interests put him behind a drum kit instead of a camera. A metal musician and Army Cadets drummer, he considered a military drumming career but moved to Vancouver to become a rock star instead. Working a security gig at Vancouver Film School to pay the bills also earned him free cinematography and editing classes, and he instantly clicked with the controlled mayhem and camaraderie of production. It's no wonder that Millar uses tactical terms to describe his job: a The WaterShed Grill, Brackendale as "Jack's Bar"