Let me start by saying that I haven't been a Fringe Fan since it started. To be perfectly honest, I came across Fringe by accident in the summer of 2012. We binge watched the four seasons and were soooo bummed to have to wait for season 5, but also that it was already known there would only be a season 5.
Me and my boyfriend were in Vancouver for two weeks in september and october 2012. We knew Fringe was filming there, but we had no idea how to come across filmsets.
With the help of Twitter we found a location on Jervis street. We went there the night before and already saw that parking wasn't allowed in certain areas.
Since this filming location was only a 2 minute walk from our hotel, we were there around 9 in the morning. They were still busy setting up. We walked along the street and just waited. We felt a bit uneasy, because we have never seen such a big operation filming a tv show. Maybe it's because we're Dutch and obviously not used to big productions like this!
Out of nowhere, Joshua Jackson and John Noble were walking towards us, happily chatting. They stopped to get some coffee, looked at us and the two huge cameras (I felt so awkward!!) and continued their conversation. It was just too early and I was too shy to already ask for a photo, so I just let them do their thing.
We walked back to the set and a police man came over to ask us who we were. As soon as he discovered that we're just plain old tourists and not paparazzi, he was very friendly and told us about a great spot to see the filming where we could also take pictures.
They were filming the scene where Peter, Olivia, Walter & Astrid are exiting the pocket universe building and where Peter eventually gets shot.
The view was awesome! We could see everything very clear! And wow there are a lot of people involved!
When they were finished with that scene, they started with entering the building where the pocket universe is. There were also doubles for Peter, Olivia and Astrid.
We were able to see this being filmed from different angles. It was so awesome!
After this scene was shot, Joshua Jackson got into a car and drove off.
We had to change accomodation that day, so we had to get our stuff and move. It was soooo far away from the centre, and because we would miss more Fringe being filmed it sucked even more.
At the end of the afternoon we headed back to the set, hoping to be able to see someone. Only John was there. He was filming shots that were used as material of the tapes before ambering himself.
I saw someone handing him things to sign, so I just didn't think and walked over. He was very friendly and took the time, even though he wasn't done filming! (We thought he was, we just got back)
He did the last scene and about ten minutes later they were done for the day! Sooo lucky to have been there just in time!
Jon Cassar also came to talk to us and also asked who we were, he recognised us from earlier, I believe it had a lot to do with my boyfriend's camera.
We also saw some scenes from S05E07 being filmed in the Olympic Village. There already was a group of people. We didn't stay very long, but Blair Brown was there. I love it how they put all these extra stuff in the shot. Like a train from the future, that isn't really there. Sometimes it's really hard to see where they filmed, I believe.
There was also something shot in a parking garage. I'm not really sure when that was anymore. We couldn't see anything, I believe we only saw John Noble briefly.
We rented a bike for a day. We took the whole seawall (of course) but we then headed to Kitsilano taking the Burrard Bridge. Along the water all the way to West Point Grey to the Harvard building. We loved it! It was really far, but it was totally worth it!
And of course, during our stay in Vancouver, we wanted to rent a car to go to Whister. We knew there was going to be Fringe filming, but decided that it probably wasn't gonna work to get a picture with Joshua Jackson, since we hadn't seen him anymore.. When we got back to the hotel, Twitter was full of pictures from people with Joshua Jackson from filming that day :( I believe it were shots from when he's turning into an observer? I was really bummed!
In 2013 we went to Vancouver again and we took the tour at the Orpheum. This was really great, even without the Fringe connection. So if you are there in July or August, this is totally worth it!
All in all, we had a wonderful experience. Apart from Fringe, which will be always connected to Vancouver in our minds, we have fallen in love with Vancouver!
Can't wait to be there again (next week already!!) and look up some other filming locations.
Pics by: M. Elsenbroek
Pics by: M. Elsenbroek
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