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When asked what the best part of Hell on Wheels was, I often give one of two answers: “Getting paid to ride on a horse” or “I learned.” One of the many things I learned about television production is the importance of having a supportive community. In fact, you can see it on the screen. It is there, in every shot, reflected in the time we were allowed to achieve the ambitious values of today’s television expectations. You can see it in the optimism and excitement of the background artists who came day-in and day-out, their faces smiling, their hands ready to shake, unflappable in the face of often harsh conditions. You can see it in the fact that I — and the rest of the cast — graduated with all our limbs intact, supported by an incredible team of wranglers and stunt personnel, not to mention the attention paid by all those surrounding a kind of work that requires diligent safety. And you can see it in the very land.

The beauty of Alberta is undeniable. From the rich grit of the mud in spring to the dreamlike yellow of the rapeseed to the utter still of the fall, Hell on Wheels would simply be a different show, and lesser for it, had we not chosen to base ourselves in Calgary. Even the weather, which at first seemed daunting, became another player with whom we learned to dance and enjoy.

Alberta, simply put, is a film and television-maker’s dream. With local talent already in place, and with a new versatility provided by the recently completed $28-million Calgary Film Centre — not to mention the unforeseen opportunities presented by the new National Music Centre — the possibilities for Calgary’s production future could be considerable. They are certainly tantalizing given the recent downturn in oil in a city that has seen unprecedented growth. I, myself, am constantly raising eyebrows in Los Angeles and New York when, instead of complaining about some presumed boredom, I actually have nothing but praise for both the spirit of your province as well as for the viability of more production.