Beiseker has truly become the place to be for filming projects, as the small village is currently hosting Wind River: The Next Chapter – a much-anticipated sequel to the 2017 crime/drama movie Wind River.
According to the production company, the Beiseker Medical Clinic and Post Office will be featured in several of the movie's scenes.
Film crews began shooting the movie on April 17, with intermittent traffic and pedestrian control around the Beiseker Post Office during exterior shots. The production company revealed that two scenes were filmed inside the medical building, with two more dialogue scenes shot outside the post office.
The small village of Beiseker is no stranger to hosting such activities, and is becoming somewhat of a rural hotbed for film and television production. While Wind River: The Next Chapter is currently being filmed in the area, the village previously played host to two other major productions in recent years: Season five of Fargo earlier this year, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife in 2019.
According to Ken Noda, a location manager for the film, the small community of Beiseker was chosen as a location thanks to the previous great experiences he’s had there with other productions.
“In 2019, I shot Ghostbusters: Afterlife and it was a very successful experience with the community and the municipal staff,” Noda said. “So since then, Beiseker has been my favourite town to come to. Basically the community and the municipal staff are just fantastic.”
The upcoming movie, which will star Scott Eastwood (son of Hollywood legend Clint) and Jason Clarke, revolves around a series of unsolved murders that the FBI must solve. Emmy-nominated director Kari Skogland is at the helm of the production, and Castle Rock Entertainment, the production company behind the original Wind River, is producing the sequel.
This film's arrival in Beiseker is a significant boon for the village, and the Alberta government is committed to supporting local talent and productions. To that end, the government has doubled the funding to the Alberta Made Screen Industries Program, which supports local producers and attracts productions from around the world to set up shop in Alberta.
“Every location is very different, and the requirements are very different, but if the town and government are flexible to work with us, that would be great. The office staff in Beiseker are wonderful and the people are very helpful,” Noda said.
The Alberta Made Production Grant will now support productions with a budget of up to $499,999. The province has committed to investing $335 million into the Alberta film and television industry over three years, continuing its efforts to grow and promote the local film industry.
These productions are a testament to the growing film industry in Alberta and the province's commitment to supporting local talent and productions. Having already hosted TV and movie crews before, Beiseker is well on its way to becoming a recurring filming location, attracting more and more productions each year.
“The response from the people has been very good, just because many of them know me since Ghostbusters: Afterlife when I was a location manager then, so they recognize me and the people are happy to help us,” Noda said.
Beiseker’s Mayor, Warren Wise, said the key to success for small rural communities hoping to attract film or TV crews is to establish a close working relationship with production companies, to ensure a positive experience for all involved.
“The one thing that I would suggest is that they review the various companies that are approaching them,” Wise said. “Most of the films that we’ve been involved with in the village have been through companies that are very respectful of the village and what’s going on, so it works well.”
Wise added the village's residents are excited to see their home on the big screen once again, and show off all that Beiseker offers.
Wind River: The Next Chapter is set to be released in theatres in late 2023.
