Went to the set of the auto action series Transporter and a hockey fight broke out. The international co-production, based on the high octane road thrillers featuring Jason Sratham, was on location last month at Mississauga’s Hershey Centre when I was invited to the set. Star Chris Vance was not behind the wheel of one of the series’ tricked out Audi 8’s but was rinkside, warming up for a hockey rumble. The scene called for Vance to leap out of the penalty box and slide across the ice, all the while pummeling a nasty hockey team owner (played by guest star James McGowan from The Border). Vance cheerfully sets up the shot in the above video.
Transporter has popped a few clutches during a challenging first year of production. Shooting in Toronto was halted last October after Vance was injured in an earlier fight sequence. He figures you’ll see 10 punch ups per episode! Toronto’s famous versatility as a location that doubles well has also been tested to the limit in this supposedly set in Europe series.
The $43 million, 12 episode first season–one of the most expensive ever shot in Canada–is also on its third set of showrunners before it even premieres (likely early ’13 on HBO Canada and on Cinemax in the U.S.). Veteran Canadian director Brad Turner (24, Hawaii FIVE-0) and Brit Tim Lea (Flash Forward, Lie to Me) are now calling the shots. The cast and crew are currently in France finishing up some car chase scenes. Four countries are involved in this sucker, with Germany, Britain and France partnered with Canada. Good thing Greece and Italy weren’t involved.
Being from the U.K., Vance is more into footy than hockey but he patiently took instructions on shinny fights from every single Canadian on the crew. Turner–directing on skates!–reminded him to keep his head up.
The good news is that Vance shows no lingering side effects from his earlier injury. And judging by the day I visited, the cast and crew seem to be having a gas–a good sign for a car show that’s been parked this long.
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