Newsletter S4 V1 (Issue 13)                                                                                      July 2017

Message from your

#Hearties eNews Editor and Admins

Dearest #Hearties,

We're baaack !!  - with great news and updates for Hearties!

We'll be going back to our quarterly newsletter while our lives are all so busy. Thank you for your patience.  

A lot has happened for Hope Valley and Hearties since our last newsletter: We enjoyed a "When Calls The Heart" Christmas movie on Dec. 25, 2016, on The Hallmark Channel USA followed by the rest of season 4, which was a great success. Production stills, sneak peeks, and cast-and-crew pictures and videos from the set still keep Hearties entertained and busy guessing (hoping) about what's coming for season 5. The Hearties Family Reunion (HFR2) was enjoyed by many Hearties who shared their experience with fellow Hearties on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. A new #Hearties on-line store was launched. The Facebook group has some new admins and ... well, you'll have to read on for the big news about tomorrow.

From our hearts to yours, we wish you a fabulous summer,

Allyson Lapp, Debi Watson-Bailey, Bobbi Schutte, Lisa Viera Colangelo, and Lori Meeker (Facebook Admins), Sheri Lynn DiGiovanna (Webmaster & eNews Editor) and  Nikki Oakley Getman (Website Admin)

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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!

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Heartie thanks to our Hearties for their great questions for this edition of Q&A with When Calls the Heart Executive Producer Brian Bird.

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Hearties Family Reunion 3

Message from your

#Hearties Family Reunion Planning Team


"Hello, Hearties! The Hearties Family Reunion (HFR) Planning Team cordially invites you to meet the Cast, Crew, and Hearties family at HFR3 to be held October 20-22, 2017, in British Columbia, Canada! Please note that you have to register for this Event, and there are 325 spaces available that will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. For more information, please go to heartiesfamilyreunion.com ASAP as registration begins on Saturday, July 8, 2017. We hope to see you there!"

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Hearties Facebook Admin Update

Please welcome the new Hearties/Fans of Hallmark's When Calls The Heart Facebook admins that have joined the team! Bobbi Schutte joined in December 2016, while Lisa Colangelo & Lori Meeker were added in January 2017. Together, they bring a variety of experience and leadership, from Hallmark fan groups to Hearties Family Reunion event planning to promoting WCTH and Hallmark original programming on various forms of social media. We also wish to express gratitude to founding admins Camille Eide, Susan Cooper & Marisa Corser who have now stepped into a fans of Hallmark's When Calls The Heart advisory role. And a huge thank you to Debi Bailey and Allyson Lapp, founding admins who continue to serve Hearties as Facebook admins!  

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Brian Bird's Video Production Blog

Brian Bird's Video Production Blog

Brian Bird discusses the transformative moments of the season 4 finale of WHEN CALLS THE HEART. See http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/when-calls-the-heart/season-4-video-blog/brian-birds-video-production-blog-season-4-episode-10-heart-of-a-fighter

Read more.

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Which Pathfinder Award winner from Wellington is now a big TV star?

Which Pathfinder Award winner from Wellington is now a big TV star?

Excerpt and link provided for this article by Larry Aydlette, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Thursday, May 11, 2017  Things To Do Erin Krakow will never forget the night she won a Pathfinder Award. Naturally, it was a big honor to appear at the Kravis Center and be recognized in the annual ceremony for high school excellence. But, 15 years later, she still …

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When Calls the Heart in the News

Articles about Season Renewal

Hallmark Renews WHEN CALLS THE HEART For Season 5

Hallmark Renews WHEN CALLS THE HEART For Season 5

By Seat42F Published on April 24, 2017 Hallmark Channel has ordered a fifth season of the network’s original, primetime drama series “When Calls the Heart,” it was announced today by Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming and Network Publicity, Crown Media Family Networks. Having just concluded its fourth season, “When Calls the Heart” has thrived on a highly competitive Sunday night, with the …

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‘When Calls the Heart’ Renewed for Fifth Season Following Record Ratings

‘When Calls the Heart’ Renewed for Fifth Season Following Record Ratings

Article by Cody Schultz, at HiddenRemote.com ‘When Calls the Heart’ will go on for at least one more season with Hallmark Channel handing out a fifth season less than 24 hours after the show’s Season 4 finale! Fear not Hearties, When Calls the Heart will return next spring with another thrilling season! Hallmark Channel today announced Read more . . .

Read more.

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‘When Calls The Heart’ Season 4 Finale Features Cody’s Health Crisis; Hallmark Channel Renews Series For Fifth Season

‘When Calls The Heart’ Season 4 Finale Features Cody’s Health Crisis; Hallmark Channel Renews Series For Fifth Season

Excerpt from article in Travelers Today  by Sweet Diana Dawn Paller Updated: Apr 26, 2017 05:44 AM EDT When Calls the Heart" just wrapped up its final episode of the fourth season. Definitely, fans have loved and embraced the theme that the series portrays about family, faith, and community. The season 4 finale just revealed how Cody's fate turned out. Episode 9 …

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'When Calls the Heart' renewed for season 5

'When Calls the Heart' renewed for season 5

Hallmark Channel renews fan favorite one day after the final episode of season 4 This is an excerpt with link provided for an article  by Jinger Jarrett FOLLOW Published on: 30 April 2017 '#When Calls The Heart' fans received good news the day after the season 4 finale when the Hallmark Channel announced that the show would be renewed for #Season 5. …

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WHEN CALLS THE HEART: Fostering a Positive Community Online and in Real Life

WHEN CALLS THE HEART: Fostering a Positive Community Online and in Real Life

Great piece by Christy Spratlin for TV Junkies about the rise of the #HeartiesArmy. Let's all share and tweet this out and help earn Christy some massive CLICKS! -Brian Bird   Christy Spratlin | December 13, 2016 | TV News Every now and then you discover a TV show that just touches you. You’re not sure why, but for some reason …

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Better Late than Never

These articles were in our draft newsletter from a bit ago....still worth the read.

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Message from FishFlix

Message from FishFlix

Hello Hearties! My name is Jake Olson.  I’m writing to you as a grateful #Heartie.  Over the past 2+ years, I’ve not only become a fan of When Calls the Heart, I’ve become a huge fan of this community! The company that I help run, FishFlix.com is a family company based business in Mora Minnesota.  Over the past years, we’ve …

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When Calls the Heart - It Begins With Heart

When Calls the Heart - It Begins With Heart

A place to rate your favorite show: https://epl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1749541005_when_calls_the_heart

Read more.

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Christmas in July ...

in case you missed these articles since our last newsletter.

Countdown to Christmas Begins

Countdown to Christmas Begins

By Riely Haven @RielyHaven ... When Calls the Heart fans never fear! Not only are the three leads in movies of their own, there will also be a standalone When Calls the Heart Christmas movie which premieres on Christmas Day at 8 p.m. ET (check local listings), leading into a new season of the show to premiere early 2017. ... Click here …

Read more.

Exclusive Video: When Calls the Heart Christmas Special

Exclusive Video: When Calls the Heart Christmas Special

By Riely Haven @RielyHaven earties, rejoice! The wait is almost over! When Calls the Heart Christmas is just weeks away. Premiering on Christmas Day at 8/7c on Hallmark Channel, the two-hour sneak peek into the new season follows the townsfolk of Hope Valley after a peddler comes to town to sell his wares. The intriguing peddler not only sells his trinkets but …

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"When Calls the Heart: Hallmark Previews Holiday Special" by TV Series

"When Calls the Heart: Hallmark Previews Holiday Special" by TV Series

by Jessica Pena, November 15, 2016 “Christmas is the season for miracles.” Hallmark Channel has released a new preview for their upcoming When Calls the Heart holiday special. The historical drama follows Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow), a young teacher from high society who moves to a small mining town in Canada. To read full article and watch the video, click here. http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/calls-heart-hallmark-previews-holiday-special/

Read more.

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