Written by Murray Ashton on Jan 18, 2012. Posted in Interviews

Filming in New Brunswick with Location Manager Rex Baldwin

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Rex left the industry when he moved to New Brunswick a few years ago but soon realised that there was an opening for a talented location manager. He has since worked on a number of projects including Magnifier and American Sunset.

"Due to the economy productions are few and far between in New Brunswick but there are some extremely talented crew members here and I judge them by a British Columbia standard which is incredibly high."

What can you tell me about your region?

I work in New Brunswick, Canada. It's one of the smallest provinces in the country, so it’s easy to get around. I trained in film in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada’s largest film centre.

New Brunswick offers various locations from city scenes to wonderful natural beauty. We have the Bay of Fundy - one of the nominated modern natural wonders of the world - great beaches, national parks and various different city architectures offering both brick and wood.

We even have a historical settlement called Kings Landing that was used in American Sunset.

We have English and French-speaking crews and there are no union requirements. There are also no hire local requirements but it’s better for PR if at least a portion of the crew is from the province.

I’ve yet to meet an unfriendly hotel for film crews.

Tax breaks are under review but shooting in New Brunswick is significantly cheaper than other provinces. Any equipment you need you can generally rent ahead of time.

What has been your most difficult location assignment to date and why?

The street scene for Magnifier (pictured above) in Saint John was the most difficult as it was shot at midnight on a busy Friday. What you do not see are the 300-400 drunks just around the corner trying to watch the production being made.

What types of production do you work on most?

Film and shorts mostly. In British Columbia I did a lot of commercial work.

Are there any particular tips that you would like to share?

Be flexible – people are vary accommodating.

Which are the best airports to use?

Moncton is the best airport right in the centre of the province. Halifax in Nova Scotia is only a two-and-a-half hour drive away and serves all major capital cities.

Flying into Moncton can be easily done by flying through Montreal or Toronto.

What are the most film-crew-friendly hotels in your region?

I’ve yet to meet an unfriendly hotel for film crews.

What do you do with your time off and what would you recommend crew and cast do to visit, have fun and relax?

Time off as Location Manager? You jest! Most shows are non-union productions and so days off for the crew are normal work days for the Location Manager preparing the next day’s shoot. However, because the province is so small there is ample opportunity for those with time off to explore the Bay of Fundy, beaches and nature trails.

Thank you.

Click here to email Rex.