Supernatural Con First Timer – Vancouver Part 5
Filming locations & shenanigans
That was it for our first con. Next few days we were meant to check out the old filming sites that were in the area. A few we checked out in earlier days already. Supernatural was filming but it was too far away so we could not attend it. Other fans were on it! You can find all the BTS videos and photos here: S13 Discussion – Various Info, Rumors & Spoilers Main Page. Episode three and four were filming during the Con but fans stayed on the sets even longer. Also, unluckily, the bunker entrance was too far away from us. We did not rent a car and also I got hotel flu after the Con which made me cough pretty badly all the time so our walk range was limited. I want to recommend you this fan site too that also does location scouting for Supernatural, Fangirl Quest and their SPN tag. Their photos are amazing.
Here are the filming locations we got to see. First three are actually pretty close to our inn. The first one was our breakfast place in the inn! This is a google map that a fan has made from the SPN filming locations. It was a huge help to us. Although when we didn’t have continuous WIFI like Sam has, usually we could not check it out most of the time. So, welcome to the set tour with me, LK. Buckle up!
4.12 CAIADB – Doolin’s Irish Pub
4.12 CAIADB – Opening Street Scene
10.21 DarkDynasty – Dean picks up pizza/fight
Well, first, the show sets could not be closer than this to us. Like I wrote before, in the episode 4.12 Criss Angel Is a Douchebag they were filming a lot of interior scenes in Doolin’s Irish Pub where we had our breakfast most of the time next to our inn. They also were filming the show ICE there when we arrived or making the set ready for it as you can see from one of the pictures. I think it was so cool that we were actually dining in a place they had shot the show. Also at the corner of the bar we have another set location from the same episode. It was the Opening Street Scene from the same episode 4.12 which you can see from a few angles. There was also a third scene they had shot in an alley behind the other corner of Comfort Inn Downtown where we were staying. In 10.21 Dark Dynasty, Dean picked up pizza and the Stynes ambushed him and a fight broke out. I think the alley picture was our first picture of a set we took because we talked to the receptionist of our inn about Supernatural. She did not know about the show but when we said it filmed in an alley beside the inn she said now she remembered it. That there was a gun shot when they were filming there. The spot she remembered was when Dean raised his gun to the air and fired it to keep the two guys away. Sadly we lost the real picture from the alley but we had the others!
4.12 & 12.02 – Vogue Theater
Our inn and the Pub were located on the corner of Nelson and Granville Street. And on Granville St we found also two more set locations. It took a little bit walking but we found 1.06 Skin Alley scene (no picture) and Vogue Theater that they have used in two episodes 4.12 Criss Angel Is a Douchebag and 12.07 Rock Never Dies. Both episodes had scenes mostly in the interior of the theater but I can’t be sure of it because we didn’t go inside Vogue. The theater was on the street where we found many shops that were interesting. If you ever visit that part of Vancouver it has a lot of great bookstores and a huge comic book store. That is if your wallet can handle it. Mine wouldn’t!
1.21, 2.13, 10.16, 11.09 – St. Andrew’s-Wesley Church
Boy, this location has been used a lot on the show, both the exterior and the interior. I can’t really blame the set scouts because it is a beautiful church inside and out. St. Andrew’s-Wesley Church has been used in episodes 1.21 Salvation, 2.13 Houses of the Holy, 10.16 Paint It Black and 11.09 O Brother Where Art Thou?. First two episodes are situated at the start of Supernatural while the next two came many years later in the future.
In 1.21 Meg enters the church and kills Pastor Jim Murphy inside it. We only get to see the interior of the church in this episode. In episode 2.13 (that is one of my favorite canon episodes. It foreshadowed so much unknowingly.) we see the outside of the church and also again the inside. The boys visit the church and speak to Father Reynolds. He mentions about archangel Michael and they talk about him. In this scene, Sam points at the painting but at the same time he also points at Dean. I love this scene. In 10.16 the boys are investigating murders that have happened in the area surrounding the church. We again have scenes inside and outside the church. “Paint It Back” was not a very popular episode but the scenery was great. In 11.09 Amara wreaks havoc inside the church and we see it also from the outside when Dean talks to Sam.
As a bonus when we visited the filming site we found a beautiful red Chevrolet Impala parked outside. I was sad that we could not see the real Baby but seeing her made me feel slightly better. “Not Baby” aka Hummingbird, the name I gave her, was gorgeous. Well kept like the real Baby and shiny – like it had been washed and waxed just before we arrived. What are the odds that we could find a Chevrolet here, at this place just when we came here location hunting? Anyways, I felt blessed and I also found a new favorite color for the Impala after black.
1.21 Salvation – Sam leaves hospital
Close by the church we have another set from episode 1.21 Salvation close by. Actually, we only needed to turn around for this one. In that scene, Sam has left to a hospital to research all infants turning six months old in the coming week. As Sam leaves the medical center where he has been reviewing birth records, he has a vision of the next target.
5.07 TCCODW – Bosman’s Motor Hotel
This filming location is actually a happy coincidence. We saw the map location but we were not sure if it was one. So we walked to the alley and the back lot and we took a few pictures. We were lucky because it was just the right spot from episode 5.07 The Curious Case of Dean Winchester. I got so exited when I thought that I stood on the same spot where Sam, Dean, Bobby and Baby had been. At the time, I felt that it must be a dream. I was just an ordinary girl from a country far far away and now I was standing on the spot Bobby Singer had been!
1.22 & 4.04 – Apt Complex
This is little bit of a stretch because we visited the park close by. The shot is directed to the Apt Complex where the scenes were taken but we did not walk that far. The first scenes were from the legendary 1.21 Salvation and 4.04 Metamorphosis (Fire escape, Dean killing demon in alley & boys breaking into apt.). Nelson Park looked like we were there in the late autumn. The air had been so dry that the grass was colored brown and leaves had started to fall on the ground.
7.15 Repo Man – Jeffrey & Dog – Alley
My husband took a wide shot that actually covered many locations again but from afar. First one was from the episode 7.15 Repo Man. You can see the corner and the alley in the left most part on the picture. In the scene, Jeffrey collects his dog from the shelter. You see the Dae Ji place behind him. He hears a noise coming from the alley and goes with his dog to investigate. There Sam and Dean jump him with a flask of holy water and press Ruby’s knife to his neck scaring the living daylights out of him.
8.08 HH – Roof of building, 8.08 HH – Roof of building view & 8.08 HH – Cas & Sam find Fred in a van
I continue from the same shot that was just before to three location scenes. Episode 8.08 Hunteri Heroici scenes could have marked that whole area. It is one of my favorite episodes too. First scene where we have a view of the whole area is a man jumping from a building to suicide. He survives and is left hanging because of cartoons but then he falls down. You can see the Holy Rosary Cathedral Vancouver in the background. I loved the scenery in the episode where Sam, Cas and Dean were on the roof of the building. If I remember correctly there is not a similar scene on the show. The boys looked good in it. Close by was also an alley scene with a hole in the wall. The last scene is where Cas and Sam are searching for Fred and they find him in a van.
1.19 Provenance – Bookstore
Simple location scene this time. The outside view to the bookstore in the episode 1.19 Provenance. Sam and Dean go there to find information about their case. I would have liked to visit the interior too by the looks of it but oh well. Maybe next time.
3.07 Fresh Blood – Marble Arch Hotel
This location was also used twice in Supernatural. The first one was in 3.07 Fresh Blood when it was used as an entrance to the Spider Club. In that scene Sam and Dean see a man who fits Lucy’s description leaving with a woman. They intervene as the man is about to feed her vampire blood.
8.08 HH – Leaving Orderly’s apartment
The second time the location was used in 8.08 Hunteri Heroici when Team Free Will was leaving the Orderly’s apartment to find Fred. Castiel had healed the orderly just before from a gun shot wound to the stomach. Totally different look than the Spider Club.
11.09 O Brother – Amara confronts preacher in park
Stanley Park was beautiful in this time of year and huge. This next one is not a direct spot but it is close by where Amara torched the religious people and the preacher in 11.09 O Brother Where Art Thou? Supernatural has used Stanley Park a lot in filming.
11.09 O Brother – Dean meets Amara at park
This next location was very beautiful. We sat there a while enjoying the warm sunny day and watching the people enjoy it too. The park had a children play ground and a fountain with a small running water canal. In 11.09 O Brother Where Art Thou? Amara appeared to Dean in this park. After he had talked to the hot dog guy who we speculated could be God in season 11. Well, Hubster thought of it and everyone had a field day with it. You can also see a little cameo from Kuma Blu! Just recently I also recognized this shooting location from the TV show Lucifer that brought the realization back that I had been there. Amazing place all in all.
8.21 TGE – Cas in roadway
In Stanley Park we had also this filming location. Crowley had just dug the angel tablet from the insides of our beloved angel and he had escaped and dropped on the road in the episode 8.21 The Great Escapist. Sam and Dean almost ran over him.
10.23 BK – Dean & Rudy at crime scene
Last but not least we have a set location from a distance. This one was from the episode 10.23 Brother’s Keeper. From Stanley Park you need to walk over Lion’s Gate Bridge. The area is on the right side if you look at the photo of the bridge. And as we are Supernatural and rock fans we giggled to the sign that read “Slippery when wet“. That is the third studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi. Like Dean said: Bon Jovi rocks! On occasion. I needed to add the train tracks close by. The set location was behind the lower right corner of the picture where Dean & Rudy checked the crime scene of the dead girl. People might remember the “train whistles” that everyone speculated in season 11? Well, there was one real reason for it.
BONUS ROUND!
As a show photo bonus I found a garage that had familiar name on it. I wonder if Sam has some side business and he is the owner to The Moose Garage!
Last words
On Friday I was happy but tired. Same was my husband but we headed to eat breakfast before checking out. We had packed already day before so now we just got to take a taxi and head to the airport. We had a long flight to get back home after an amazing and successful trip. The last flight was the worst because it felt like we were packed in like sardines. I could not sleep at all even though it was needed because jetlag.
Our dogs were happy to see us when we got to our friend’s place. There we handed out the souvenirs that we got from a nerd heaven comic book store and a bookstore. They immediately wanted to hear about our trip and see the pictures. I also showed them the merchandise I had bought at the Con. A few hours later we were finally home sweet home. Well planned is well served even though we probably planned everything way too early and too thoroughly. Everything worked out well in the end with minor hiccups.
A few days and weeks later the cards we send from Canada came to our friends and family and I was waiting for reports when the packages would arrive to those we sent them. Nightsky just got it few days ago. I was really worried it was lost in the mail. I told her that she and Alice can use them as they see fit. I also sent two others to youtube fan reaction sites I watch and both got them.
One of them is Blind Wave
“Blind Wave delivers a whole host of content, from Reactions to your favorite movies, tv shows, and viral videos to original content”
Blind Wave reacts to different kind of TV shows and they also have other online content. They react to shows like Supernatural, Flash, Arrow, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones etc. The reactions are about 10 minutes long and then they discuss and analyze the episode they watched. It is a huge channel and many people that watch their reactions have also started to watch shows they haven’t before. At the moment they have 209k subscribers. Those mail episodes are also popular. “Fans” send them stuff from the shows they watch but also suggest good movies and shows to them.
You can see their video where you can see what I sent down below.
The second is King Books
She talks a lot about Supernatural. I sent her also a special Sam poster as she is a Sam fan.
“My YouTube channel’s main goal is to spread fandom positivity & love! I talk about nerdy things, which means that I make plenty of videos about books, TV shows (Supernatural being my favorite), movies, Funko Pops, fandom jewelry, comic cons, cosplaying, and more! I’m also a huge supporter of the Always Keep Fighting campaign.”
Here is her video.
Thanks to:
fangasmthebook.wordpress.com
Nexus-V Photography (Most of the photos)
creationent.com
Fans and cast at the con
Editor’s Note: LK’s story is being presented to you with only minimal editing. As her country of origin, home culture and distance to Vancouver is part of her convention experience, I thought it important that she be able to tell her story in her own words, without extensive English language translation revisions.
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