Hearties Speed Round
When Calls The Heart Executive Producer
Brian Bird Responds to
Burning Hearties' Questions
In 100 Words or Less (Give or Take)
+ 1 BONUS QUESTION About the Hearties Family Reunion
(In honor of the Hearties’ Record-Breaking Season 4 10-Episode Twitterpalooza)
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Lettie Bolinger: Hope Valley has a lot of hardships. What's the biggest hardship you had to overcome with creating When Calls the Heart?
Brian: Okay, Lettie, so two answers. First, we had to overcome the economic meltdown in 2008 to preserve our dream of bringing WCTH to the screen. Remember that time… the sky was falling on all of us and we suffered a 4-year delay in making the movie version of WCTH. But we’re thankful we did because by 2012, the Hallmark Channel was ready to start broadcasting their first episodic TV series and we fit their need perfectly. And second answer… keeping the Hearties happy. It’s become our No. 1 goal!
Jacquie Kimmel Bush: Are there other films made at the same location as When Calls the Heart?
Brian: Jacquie, before we first moved onto the Macinnes Ranch and into their western movie town (called Jamestown) to begin prepping to film When Calls the Heart, it was our understanding that the Macinness family had allowed some small films and commercials to film there. We do know that it had been scouted by some big movies in years past. But now, since Hope Valley has grown and we’ve been able to build more buildings and sets, we like to think that WCTH will be the production that puts Jamestown on the map for years to come. We hope many other films and TV show will film there… after we are done with WCTH in the year 2030 or so .
Allison Chatsworth: Where do you get your inspiration for the stories? I realize they are based on Mrs. Oke's books, but as we know, the story lines are a bit different, and how much say does Mrs. Oke have in the creation of the stories?
Brian: Allison, as with all television shows based on books or series of books, the shows often take on a life of their own. When you first start out, you have no idea how many episodes or seasons it is going to last. But when you start to get renewed season after season, you realize you need more stories than may have existed in the original book(s), so that’s where you have to expand the world and the characters of the show to allow for more story lines. We feel at the very least we have been faithful to the themes and spirit of Janette’s books, and guess what? She agrees. She loves the show and we consult with her every season about the story lines.
Kristan Key: How would one go about becoming an extra on this fabulous show?
Brian: Kristan… I know you! You keep Hearties entertained with your “Hey Girl” memes. Here’s the straight answer: We wish we could have all Hearties come up and be extras in Hope Valley. Unfortunately, the customs rules in Canada restrict us on how many employees we can bring into British Columbia from outside the country. On top of that, the actors unions in Canada also protect local jobs for actors and extras who are already citizens of Canada. Good news for all our fine cast and crew from B.C. Not so fun for all our family and friends we would like to do favors for.
Margaret Mingione D’Aurizio: How would you and Michael Landon, Jr. feel about being in a cameo role in a future episode of WCTH?
Brian: Michael has done plenty of acting during his career, including being one of the school kids in Little House on the Prairie and playing Benj Cartwright on the Ponderosa reboot, Bonanza: The Next Generation, years ago. He would be great in a Hope Valley cameo role. As for me, you do not want to see this ugly mug anywhere near a camera… except behind the camera where it belongs.
Michelle Lunsford: Brian, what motivated or inspired you to get involved in the entertainment industry and how do you see your role in the overall task of storytelling?
Brian: Michelle, I knew I was supposed to be a writer all the way back to my freshman year of high school. My English teacher held me after class. I thought I was in trouble for something. She was holding an essay I had written, and looked me straight in the eye and said: “You could do this for a living if you want to.” She lit a fire under me that day and I have been putting one foot in front of the other ever since, just trying to do excellent work. When doors open, I just keep marching forward and let God sort out the rest. I don’t know how to do anything else. The words and the people are what matter to me, and I love it all so much, I’m just going to keep working until there is nothing left of me except for a brain in a cigar box.
BONUS QUESTION:
Choo Freemon: Will you be hosting another Hearties Family Reunion in Season 5?
Brian: Yes, we are, Choo, and it will be better than ever! But only for the Hearties who keep their eye on the ball and get registered quickly. The HFR3 is happening October 20-22 in Vancouver… but the registration opens July 8, 10 a.m. EST/9 a.m. CST/8 a.m. MT/7 a.m. PST. Go to our dedicated website for all the information you will ever need: Heartiesfamilyreunion.com. It’s like summer camp for Hearties. Don’t miss your opportunity. Space is limited and it will fill up fast!