Where is Tin Star filmed?

Tin Star filmed
The new Sky Atlantic and Amazon Prime drama is a contemporary western, set in a remote small town in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The arrival of a big corporate oil company will have a profound impact on the life of a former London detective and his family.

This revenge story created by Rowan Joffe (28 Weeks Later, Before I Go to Sleep) is a British production starring Tim Roth (The Hateful Eight, Pulp Fiction) and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men, Drive).

Tin Star was primarily filmed in High River (33 miles south of Calgary), doubling as the fictional town of Little Big Bear. The series used the studios of the newly opened Calgary Film Centre as general headquarters. The spectacular shots of the Canadian landscape were filmed in Waterton and in some other filming locations around Alberta. No spoilers ahead:

Little Big Bear Canada
Little Big Bear police station is the former High River railroad depot, now housing the Museum of the Highwood. The mountains in the background were added in post production by the visual effects team.
Image courtesy of Sky Atlantic and Google Maps




Where was Tin Star filmed
Some scenes take place at Fourth Avenue SW. Here is located the Evelyn's Memory Lane Cafe. Tin Star was also filmed in a set built in the old Vespucci building at 111 Third Ave SW (pictured). Image courtesy of Sky Atlantic and Google Maps


Tin Star city
Some other locations in High River include St Benedict Anglican Church, Spitzee Elementary School and Highwood High School. Image courtesy of Sky Atlantic and Google Maps


Tin Star Location
No doubt that the most remarkable shooting location of Tin Star is the stunning backdrop of the town, filmed at Waterton Lakes National Park. Image courtesy of Sky Atlantic




Hotel in Tin Star
Little Big Bear is a mix of High River and the surroundings of Waterton, often digitally blended in the same shot.
Image by Jenny W


Tin Star Hotel
The hotel is also in Waterton. The scenic Prince Of Wales Hotel seems out of a Wes Anderson movie.
Image by Gord McKenna - Map


Little Big Bear Tin Star
The series was also filmed in the Foothills Area and the roads in between High River and Waterton.
Image by Gord McKenna


Tin Star mountains
Some more filming took place at Bragg Creek and Kananaskis Country.
Image courtesy of Sky Atlantic


Tin Star filming
The crew was also shooting scenes for the First Nation reserve at the tiny Dorothy hamlet near Drumheller.
Image by Timothy Neesam




Tin Star setting
This is the River Avenue Bridge over the Bow river in Cochrane, 25 miles northwest of Calgary. It seems that the cemetery was added using CGI. Image courtesy of Sky Atlantic and Google Maps


Tin Star drehorte
Can you help to improve this article about the filming locations of Tin Star? To complete and correct this report, any feedback, info or images that you may have are more than welcome, thank you!


   


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13 comments

  1. I think the bridge is in Morley just off the Bow Valley trail between Cochrane and Banff.

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    1. Thanks a lot Pete! It's not the one in Morley but it was very close, in Cochrane.

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  2. Hi there, great work. I watched this show in awe and had to find out the locations. I dont suppose you know if Waterton Lakes is a touristy place do you? I only ask because id love to add that to my travel bucket list but I tend to avoid super touristy places. Thanks.

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    1. Waterton Lakes NP is touristy, but well worth a visit. A gorgeous location with loads hiking and cycling trails, as well as the lake. You won't be disappointed if you add it to your bucket list.

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    2. Waterton was recently hit with the BC wildfires if you plan on visiting might want to wait a year to let them rebuild. I personally love Waterton it has some great hiking trails and some really unique shops in the town it is a lot less touristy than Banff thats for sure. I used to live in High River where this was filmed it is a lovely town and well worth a visit also.

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    3. May I suggest Kananaskis country or the area above Canmore if you truly want to be away from the tourists

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  3. Have fond memories of traveling, camping, hiking in the Watertown Lakes area for a few years as a teen. I have old stereo slides of the hotel and many of the Bow valley and Banff and Jasper. Also went to the Calgary Stampede one year. Such breathtaking country!

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  4. Wondering what oil company is used in the film?

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  6. I grew up in that part of Alberta, I was happy to find this spot on the web to help me reminisce (?) Waterton holds many fond memories of my childhood an teens. My brother still lives about 20 minutes from there.

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  7. The scene right after the opening credits in episode two shows exteriors of tiny Stavely, Alberta. We’ll see if the town shows up later in the series.

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  8. We loved this show, as we live in Montana and have often visited Waterton.

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  9. Is the Sheriffs home in Tar Star a real home and if so what is the location and how much would it list for.

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