Canmore was chosen to build Jackson, Wyoming for the first season. How did it go this time?
It was constructed from scratch in the parking lot of Britannia Beach which is located just north. Vancouver. Canmore was like the game. But we had to control a lot more this time. We did a lot of research on the game but also Jackson himself. It was a combination of the game’s content and Jackson himself.
Was the set destroyed when the hoard invaded Episode Two?
We broke and burned things. Mark Mylod was the director for that episode and he landed on location. There was a lot retrofitting. We had to build a huge network of rooftops in order for people to fall off the buildings. When we planned and built the city, we were aware of this scenario. It was an enormous build.
Was the house in which Abby killed Joel a real home?
This was someone’s home, located in Mission to the east of Vancouver. It was so perfect for the game. On a show such as this, we would usually just build that. But we didn’t like the idea of having to blue screen all the windows on a studio. The set was surrounded by trees, so we were able to use the scenery outside.
Ellie and Joel’s house was also someone else’s home.
The house was real in Langley. We constructed the porch to be used in the scene, and also the interior. We brought in snow for the entire street.
What inspired you to create this version of Seattle?
It’s a mix of locations and set. Nicole, our location manager deserves all the credit. She managed to get us in places that are usually very difficult or prohibited for shooting. Gastown is a very touristy area and was not a good place to shoot. We ended up in a small town called NanaimoThe floatplane ride to Vancouver takes 20 minutes. It’s a lovely strip of old, suitable buildings that we were able ot take over. They let us remove the storefronts, change the awnings and break all of their windows. We brought all of the [plants].
