Fe atu re STo ry
Wherefore Art Thou Romeo? Vancouver, Where Else? Chris Haddock Comes Home to Canada and CBC By Mark Le ire n-yo u ng
C
hris Haddock has a cold.
When
other shows, including his own.
Frank
As he’s perched in a director’s
Sinatra had a cold in
chair to keep an eye on the dozens
1965, he refused to
of crew members setting the next
be interviewed by Es-
scene, I ask Haddock what he’s
quire writer, Gay Talese, who turned
watching for. “Everything. Every-
his subject’s disappearing act into
thing. First of all that it’s well man-
the world’s most famous magazine
aged and that everybody is working
profile. But as famously tough as
well together. That’s number one.
Sinatra was, he was just a super-
Making sure that everybody’s got
star. Haddock is a showrunner. The
what they intended. What could
only concession Haddock makes to
be better? What’s the health of the
a cold is declining to shake hands to
scene on the day? It’s endlessly an-
avoid sharing his germs.
swering questions immediately be-
Haddock’s outside an auto re-
cause I’m here and there’s no chain
pair shop on East Hastings watch-
of command and anybody can ap-
ing the crew for his new ten epi-
proach me on the set at any time.”
sode CBC drama, The Romeo Section
After stopping our conversation to
(which debuts mid-October) shoot
talk through the next set-up with the
a few scenes. Despite the fact that
director, Haddock explains that as a
he should be in bed sipping chicken
showrunner he always wants to be in
soup, Haddock is in nonstop motion
the middle of the action. “I am sort of
— consulting with his producer, di-
addicted to the set because you can
rector, first AD and other members
Director DAVID FRAZEE with CHRIS HADDOCK on set of The Romeo Section.
take advantage of all the happy ac-
of his team. Stars can get colds.
Photo by Phillip Chin
cidents. Sometimes your obstacles
Showrunners can’t.
provide you with great opportunities,”
As the creator of Da Vinci’s Inquest,
little bit. I went out there and real-
gritty crime show, Mom P.I. — and
says Haddock, citing a delay the pre-
which begat Da Vinci’s City Hall and
ized I really do love running my own
David Frazee, director of photogra-
vious day that led to him seeing and
Intelligence, Haddock is one of Can-
thing. I realized I’d learned a lot over
phy and director on both DaVinci’s
approving a better location than the
ada’s only brand-name showrun-
the years and I wanted to do some-
shows and Intelligence. “You’ve got
one they’d planned to use.
ners — and his brand is high quality
thing that was close to home again
a good mixture of all the vets and
Being on set also makes it easier
crime drama set in the mean streets
because I really enjoy the freedom
some young people who are just
to find inexpensive solutions to po-
of East Vancouver.
of working in Vancouver, because I
sucking it up. It’s really great.”
tential problems – a key for most
After CBC axed Intelligence in 2007,
do know the town and I do know a
For this show the band didn’t in-
Canadian productions. “The actual
Haddock took his act on the road
lot of the crew base and the actors.
clude BC’s best-known actors, who
economic feasibility of shooting
and wrote about crime in Prohibi-
And I love working here. It’s getting
seemed like Haddock’s personal
in Vancouver has greatly changed.
tion era New York for HBO’s Board-
the band back together in a way.”
rep company. “I was using what I
Back when we started Da Vinci in
walk Empire. But Hollywood — okay,
The band includes players like Ro-
thought were the best actors in Van-
‘98, we weren’t paying the kind of
Brooklyn — wasn’t as appealing as
meo director and executive produc-
couver before and I thought, I’m not
money they’re asking for now for
home. “It just wet my whistle,” says
er, Stephen Surjik — who Haddock
going back to that well.” He wanted
locations and that’s all about real
Haddock. “I only really left for a
first worked with back on the not so
stars who weren’t associated with
estate. Parking lots are disappear-
Reel West Fall 2015
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