June 5, 2019
While HISTORY’s hit reality show Alone bills itself as a brutal challenge for survivalists in the woods, season six is also a showcase of the growing profile of the NWT among guest producers.
This season, 10 people were dropped into wilderness around the East Arm of Great Slave Lake with minimal equipment and personal cameras to self-document their attempts to outlast other competitors.
While the survival journey was self-shot, a production team still made their way up to the territory to first scout locations, then cut tape and run logistics. Lutselk’e was homebase, and the team worked with the Lutselk’e Dene First Nation – contributing to the community’s economy while they were at it.
The NWT Film Commission – a division of the GNWT’s Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment --- were the first point-of-contact. They assisted the production team with logistics and helped familiarize them with the territory.
You can see what came of it all as the series kicks off Thursday June 6 at 8pm MST.
It’s just the latest in a series of high profile guest productions the film commission has helped shepherd to production.
Toyota recently shot a new ad for their #MoreOutThere campaign – featuring iconic North Slave experiences like the Dettah Ice Road, a feast at Bullocks, and ice fishing on the big lake alongside their new Rav4. The Film Commission helped with initial planning and connected the production team with a local fixer to set up many of their great experiences.
Related Story: #MoreOutThere Toyota RAV4 comes to the North Slave
And late last year, Chevrolet Canada centred their huge media launch of the Silverado on the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk highway.
This kind of work is part of how the NWT Film Commission achieves its two-pronged mandate of building a resilient local industry while putting the territory on the map as a great locale for productions.
The fact more high-profile guest producers are choosing the Northwest Territories is a testament to how far the territory has come.
With a refreshed presence from the NWT Film Commission, guided by the NWT Film Strategy, the NWT is officially on-the-map for guest producers.
This has made the industry more viable – bringing opportunities for economic diversity while telling the territory’s stories around the globe.
The NWT Film Strategy – a follow-up to the Economic Opportunities Strategy which the GNWT is implementing as part of its mandate.
