A second big-budget TV series that was partially filmed in the Southern Interior of B.C. has made its small screen debut, providing yet another showcase for the Thompson-Nicola area.

Tracker, starring Justin Hartley, premiered on CBS on Feb. 11, airing immediately after the broadcast of Super Bowl LVIII. More than 123 million people watched this year含羞草研究社檚 Super Bowl, making it the most-watched program in US TV history, eclipsing the 1969 moon landing, and the Thompson-Nicola Film Commission含羞草研究社檚 Terri Hadwin suspects that many of those viewers watched at least the opening minutes of Tracker, which were filmed west of Kamloops between Cache Creek and Walhachin.

含羞草研究社淭o have a premiere immediately following the Super Bowl is generally viewed as a pinnacle for releasing a new series on television,含羞草研究社� says Hadwin. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 the most lucrative prime time you can have on TV, so I含羞草研究社檓 hoping that Tracker got some spillover, particularly as we were in the first five minutes.含羞草研究社�

The filmmakers were in the area in 2022, with filming taking place in the same area as, and almost back-to-back with, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters starring Kurt Russell, which debuted on Apple+ in November 2023.

含羞草研究社淭丑别 Tracker crew was in our area for about two weeks, with prep, filming, and wrap, and we made it into about five minutes含羞草研究社�-worth of the show,含羞草研究社� says Hadwin. That might not sound like a lot for a multi-episode TV series, but the film commissioner is buoyant.

含羞草研究社淭丑别 desert landscapes of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District are generally a huge draw for film productions of all sizes, and what含羞草研究社檚 exciting is that productions tend to use it in key moments. We get high action or really exciting scenes, or the opening scene like in Tracker or Jurassic World to really excite the audience.

含羞草研究社淲e may not have a lot of screen time, but we have quality time.含羞草研究社�

Tracker 含羞草研究社� based on the book The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver 含羞草研究社� centres on the story of lone-wolf survivalist Colter Shaw, who has extensive tracking skills. He travels the country in his Airstream trailer as a 含羞草研究社渞ewardist含羞草研究社� who helps police and private citizens solve crimes and find missing people in exchange for reward money. Shaw is played by Justin Hartley, who previously had prominent roles in Smallville, This Is Us, and The Young and the Restless.

Hadwin says she understands the appeal of the dramatic landscapes near the McAbee Fossil Beds east of Cache Creek.

含羞草研究社淚 think it含羞草研究社檚 the very drastic desert and commanding presence. You can be in places where there are wide open fields of nothing, or a backdrop of hoodoos in some places. There are acres and acres of land where you can have different appearances.

含羞草研究社淭丑别 close proximity to Ashcroft and Cache Creek for quick amenities doesn含羞草研究社檛 hurt, and you含羞草研究社檙e close to Kamloops for hotels for the talent.含羞草研究社�

While Hadwin can含羞草研究社檛 say much about what projects might be coming to the region, she is optimistic about the outlook for the rest of the year.

含羞草研究社淚 think 2024 is shaping up to be one of our better years, just with how busy it was in 2023 with scouting and trying to assist productions in finding their locations. Last year wasn含羞草研究社檛 a good year because of the writers含羞草研究社� and actors含羞草研究社� strikes during our prime time for filming, so [filmmakers] weren含羞草研究社檛 able to move forward, because productions were on pause for so long. Now they含羞草研究社檙e really itching to get out there and get creating, so I think 2024 is going to be monumental.含羞草研究社�

She adds that a good year for filming in the area translates into a real economic boost, with filmmakers spending about $18 million in direct spends in the Thompson-Nicola region in 2022. 含羞草研究社淚t was about $2 million last year, but we含羞草研究社檙e probably looking at closer to 2022 numbers this year.含羞草研究社�

Hadwin notes that the local landscape features in the main poster materials for Tracker, and says she含羞草研究社檚 thrilled that residents can tune in and see an area that含羞草研究社檚 familiar.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 so great when people can recognize that work is being done here and celebrate it. That doesn含羞草研究社檛 happen everywhere. It can really drive tourism, especially if the show develops a cult following. There含羞草研究社檚 the spin-off of 含羞草研究社榃ow, I didn含羞草研究社檛 realize I could have that type of a landscape when I visit this area.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淎nd it will definitely impact filmmaking, because when people want to film in desert-like locations they含羞草研究社檒l say to someone 含羞草研究社楬ey, I know you worked on Tracker, where did you film?含羞草研究社� They talk to each other, and that含羞草研究社檚 where you get bang for your buck.

含羞草研究社淛ason Hartley with his Airstream in our area is very much free advertising that I含羞草研究社檓 thrilled to see. You can含羞草研究社檛 purchase that.含羞草研究社�