Filming Locations Guide: Where is Tin Star Filmed? The Little Big Bear Town
Produced by Sky Atlantic and Amazon Prime, Tin Star 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), Genevieve O'Reilly (Rogue One, Matrix Reloaded), Abigail Lawrie (The Casual Vacancy) 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 the Waterton area in Alberta. We will be updating this report including new filming locations for season 2. No spoilers ahead:
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), Genevieve O'Reilly (Rogue One, Matrix Reloaded), Abigail Lawrie (The Casual Vacancy) 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 the Waterton area in Alberta. We will be updating this report including new filming locations for season 2. No spoilers ahead:
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
Some scenes take place at Fourth Avenue SW. Here is 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
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
No doubt that the most remarkable shooting location of Tin Star is the stunning backdrop of the town, filmed in Waterton Lakes National Park. Little Big Bear is a mix of High River and the surroundings of Waterton, often digitally blended in the same shot. Somehow it reminds us to Kehoe, Colorado, the fictional town of the Cold Pursuit movie. Image by Jenny W
The filming location of the hotel is also in Waterton. The scenic Prince Of Wales Hotel seems out of a Wes Anderson movie. Image by Gord McKenna - Map
Some more filming took place at Bragg Creek and Kananaskis Country. The Worth house was filmed at the North of 60 'Lynx River' set (the 1990s Canadian series), near Bragg Creek. The driving scenes were filmed in the Foothills Area and the roads in between High River and Waterton. The area is not far from some of the landscapes where The Revenant was filmed. Image courtesy of Sky Atlantic
The crew was also shooting scenes for the First Nation reserve at the tiny Dorothy hamlet near Drumheller.
Image by Timothy Neesam
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 digital effects. Image courtesy of Sky Atlantic and Google Maps
The dam scene was filmed at the over-a-century old Horseshoe Dam on the Bow River, west of Calgary.
Image courtesy of Sky Atlantic - Map
The building of the North Stream Oil company in S01E10 is the East Tower of Eighth Avenue Place in Calgary (pictured). In S02E01, the exteriors of this company's headquarters were filmed at Suncor Energy Centre in Ave SW. The oil refinery was all done with CGI effects. Image courtesy of Sky Atlantic - Map
The company mansion where Elizabeth and Angela are hiding is the Bow Vista Ranch near Indus, the same estate that was restored to film the third season of Fargo series. Image courtesy of Sky Atlantic
The photogenic old grain elevators next to the railway (in built in 1930), are located in the small town Mossleigh, at 57 miles southeast of Calgary. Image courtesy of Bernard Spragg - Map
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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25 comments
I think the bridge is in Morley just off the Bow Valley trail between Cochrane and Banff.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Pete! It's not the one in Morley but it was very close, in Cochrane.
DeleteHi 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.
ReplyDeleteWaterton 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.
DeleteWaterton 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.
DeleteMay I suggest Kananaskis country or the area above Canmore if you truly want to be away from the tourists
DeleteHave 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!
ReplyDeleteWondering what oil company is used in the film?
ReplyDeleteThe oil refinery is all digital. That's the North of 60 set near Bragg Creek. Same place used for the Worth house and the cabin that the kids hide out in.
DeleteThanks, we were almost sure that the oil refinery was done using CGI.
DeleteI 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.
ReplyDeleteThe 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.
ReplyDeleteWe loved this show, as we live in Montana and have often visited Waterton.
ReplyDeleteIs the Sheriffs home in Tar Star a real home and if so what is the location and how much would it list for.
ReplyDeleteNo, the Worth house is on the North of 60 site. It has been repainted for the new Jann Arden series.
DeleteThe dam scene is filmed at Seebe Dam, on the Bow River west of Calgary. There are several dams on the Bow west of Calgary - Bearspaw then further upstream, Ghost, then Seebe.
ReplyDeleteThanks Charlie! Actually we discovered that it's the Horseshoe Dam, going a bit further north from Seebe Dam.
DeleteThanks, RA Moon. I not know there was a dam upstream from Seebe. Thanks for the correction!
ReplyDeleteWhere’s the gas station where the shooting happened?
ReplyDeleteI believe this is the old Eamons garage originally located in Calgary, now home of River City Classic Cars located at High River Ag grounds.
Deletehttps://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/fundraising-continues-to-restore-eamons-garage-in-high-river
In S1 Ep 10 - Elizabeth Bradshaw & Jaclyn characters are in the Lobby of North Stream Oil ( and then subsequent Board meeting ) this is the East Tower of Eighth Avenue Place, Calgary. Also the Worth house is west of Bragg Creek on HW66, which is where a lot of the long shots of the winding roads were also filmed.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot, updated!
DeleteTin star reprend plusieurs sites de tournages de la série Heartland comme le café Evelyn's Memory Lane .
ReplyDeleteWhich reserve was used? A lot of it looks like Marley but some of it looks like Musqwa res. I have friends in both places. Fantastic cinematography and fantastic story.
ReplyDeleteraised in High River. went to school in both locations used in series. Spent lots of time in Waterton National Park.
ReplyDeleteAll comments are reviewed prior to publication