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Keeping Track of Total Recall and Other Toronto Film Shoots
The set of Total Recall on Lake Shore Boulevard yesterday. Photo by {a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsaneb/5979960879/"}jsaneb{/a} from the {a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/torontoist/pool/"}Torontoist Flickr Pool{/a}.
We came across a closed-off residential street in our neighbourhood this past weekend, and as we approached the police officer who was blocking traffic, a black SUV squealed into view and out jumped a black-uniformed SWAT team. “Don’t worry, it’s just a shoot,” the officer informed us, calmly. “I’m here to tell people that.”
It’s not exactly a rare occurrence for Toronto residents to come across productions using their streets for filming. Lake Shore Boulevard was closed between Parliament and Jarvis yesterday and the day before while the cast and crew of Total Recall took it over with their cameras and a car on a lift.
But not every shoot makes the news. Luckily, the City keeps a pretty up-to-date record of productions currently filming in Toronto [PDF]. It lists each production’s title and shooting dates, the company backing it, its producers, directors, and key cast members, as well as the set’s managers and contact info. And it might just come in handy if you spot a film set in your ‘hood and you want to know how long it’ll be around—or if you just like keeping track of which stars are in town.