A supernatural spin is put on the Wild West in a new film that just finished shooting scenes in Sundre.
Project: Six-Shooter is the working title of the Alberta-based Numera Films production being billed as a horror-western.
“It follows the story of these three traders, these three Old West trader merchants, travelling across the land and getting wrapped up in some occult and supernatural happenings. That’s probably all I can say,” said Calgarian Griffin Cork, who is producing and directing along with fellow Calgarian Morgan Ermter.
Also co-producing is Italy’s Andrea Materia, who owns Greater Fool, which lays claim to being the largest global YouTube network legal streaming of movie content. The movie is being funded and will be released world-wide, likely both in theatres and through video on demand, by Materia’s newly created Greater Fools Films LLC.
The movie features Reamonn Joshee, who has been in Wynonna Earp, Billy the Kid and Guilty Party; Emily Howard, who has appeared in Joe Pickett and My Life with the Walter Boys; and Alice Wordsworth from Crow.
A film crew was wrapping up in Sundre on Thursday, where they used the Sundre and District Museum’s historic pioneer village to recreate the Old West.
Cork said it has been a great experience for all involved in the production.
“I know our team was very much looking forward to Sundre,” he said. “We spent most of our time here at the pioneer museum. It’s been just lovely.
“The city received us really well and we’ve had a blast here.”
He credited the museum staff for being so accommodating to the crew that ranged from about a dozen to 20 depending on the day. Museum workers happily moved around exhibits so the crew could get the shots they needed when filming interiors.
“The other thing is we had a blacksmith on set because the forge here at the museum is a workable coal forge. We got some great footage of that.”
The crew was also bowled over by the nearby Chester Mjolsness World of Wildlife exhibit. It features 170 taxidermy mounts from the Sundre trophy hunter who visited every continent except South America and Antarctic in pursuit of exotic game.
“It’s fantastic. I feel like a lot of small Alberta towns have that, where you go to the town and you find this one hidden gem and you kind of go, ‘How did I not know about this?’”
After their long work days, actors and crew were welcomed by residents and local eatery owners. Cork also offers a shout-out to Jon Allan, Sundre’s economic development officer, who pitched the community’s potential with personalized tours of the museum and Timber River Station, a horse riding arena and event centre just east of Sundre.
“Small independent productions are fun to work with,” says Sundre Mayor Richard Warnock, in a statement. “We’re proud that Project Six-Shooter will allow Sundre to reach an international audience, as it is being produced for markets around the world.”
Warnock said the town, which is a partner in the Mountain View Regional Film Office, welcomes opportunities to work with film producers.
Location filming began in mid-June, with stops in Bassano, Drumheller, East Coulee, Longview and Canmore. They next head to Lethbridge before travelling to the Water Valley and Cremona area and Calgary before wrapping up in mid-August.
Cork is no stranger to Sundre. He spent time in the area in 2020 shooting Pipe Nation, a fictional take on the struggles of oil and gas workers in a small community. The film picked up a number of film festival awards and can be seen on Amazon Prime Video.
Numera Films is mostly known for its flagship series, Abracadavers, which will be re-releasing its first season next month in conjunction with its second season. Numera’s feature documentary OMA was recently acquired by Screen Media and Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. It will be premiering as a Crackle Ecluse this year and will be available in Canada through Shaw on July 25.
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