Live on the Set of the Upcoming Television Movie Less Than Kind in Winnipeg

Winnipeg is fast becoming a filming center for television and movies. It isn't an uncommon thing to run across a live set for a movie or television show. The upcoming made for television movie "Less Than Kind", was one of the movies being filmed on a street in the west end of Winnipeg in late 2007.

"Less Than Kind" is reportedly scheduled to be released in September of 2008. According to the Internet Movie Data Base, the movie is about a overweight 15 year old who has a self-destructive father and pyromaniac mother. The mother, Anne Blecher, is played by actress Wendel Meldrum. She has had parts in The New "Outer Limits". "N.Y.P.D. Blue", "Seinfeld", "The Pretender", "Picket Fences", and "Northern Exposure", to name a few. The father, Sam Blecher, is played by veteran character actor, Maury Chaykin, who has appeared in many movies and television shows. He is perhaps best known for "A Nero Wolfe Mystery" series in 2001 and 2002, in which he played the lead part of Nero Wolfe. We know he is in " Less Than Kind". We watched him at the set. "HEY, I know him!"

" Less Than Kind" was being filmed a few buildings down from our apartment in Winnipeg. Filming doesn't just go on during the day, but with the magic of powerful lights, night can be turned into day. The street was well lit at night. It is sort of difficult to ignore when bright lights are shining in your bedroom window during the night. "Turn off the light honey." "It's not me. It's on the street. It's those movie people... grumble, grumble."

This may be the north, but Winnipeg isn't the land of the midnight sun, although on occasion you may glimpse some of the northern lights at night. The camera lights are so strong, that they can be seen quite a ways down the street. With Hollywood type magic, or in this case Winnipeg magic, the interesting and colourful streets of the city of Winnipeg can become any city they need it to be. If there isn't enough snow during the winter, they can add more. They can take it away. They can turn it into any place they want it to be. In this movie though, the son actually does live in Winnipeg.

Trucks, crews, actors , technicians and extras filled the corner by a local restaurant. According to local talk, the restaurant is owned by a man who has dabbled in movies himself. The Pizza /Greek food/Jamaican food restaurant, was apparently a good setting for "Less Than Kind".

The nice bonus for anyone loaning out their property, is the loan comes with a contract and a pay check. They negotiate the details ahead of time before filming begins. Extras get paid too. It is good publicity for the city of Winnipeg, not to mention that the west end can use the boost.

Streets get cordoned off at required filming times. The local police make sure no one interferes. In fact we had an appointment to get to, right at a crucial time for a street filming scene. One of the crew members blocked us from leaving our street parking spot. He held a little sign and stood right next to the car smiling at us until they were done. Luckily it didn't take too long, but the thought did cross my mind that it was kind of annoying that they can interfere with real life to film a movie. If we had had to wait any longer, he might not have been smiling.

It was fun though, to be there and see the bustle and activity involved in a live filming of a movie. It isn't all glamour. There is a lot of dull standing and waiting, manoeuvring and set up involved. It takes time and a lot of coordination of everything and everybody, in order to make it all happen the way it is supposed to. It isn't magic at all. It is a lot of hard work. Standing out in the snow for extended periods of time, can be a little chilly.

There are gawkers and watchers, but the crew keeps people clear of the working set, if it might interfere with the live filming. There are trucks and wires, lights, cameras, and crew surrounding the area. What you see on the screen is only a small portion of what is actually there on a live set.

It is interesting to watch the technical workings behind a movie being made. We sometimes forget how much work goes on behind the scenes we see in a television show or movie. Not only do they have to hire a crew and actors, they have to find the perfect setting for any given movie. Winnipeg was apparently the perfect setting for the filming of "Less Than Kind", and we were there to experience it.