I am sure I would have recognized Brockville's town square, but suddenly all the news outlets started talking about a popular Christmas movie "Hot Frosty", which was shot in the Thousand Islands! It’s on Netflix, and we are subscribers. One night last week I got my snack, turned on the telly, and suddenly there I was in Brockville, Ontario. In fact, we had lunch last summer right there in the Keystorm Pub on the Courthouse Square.
Once I’d watched the movie – which did make me smile and giggle – I had several questions. A simple request to Brockville's Tourism Office and Lindsay Bigley, Digital Marketing Officer for Brockville Tourism, City of Brockville, kindly gave me all the answers.
Q: When was it filmed
A: Over the course of 3 weeks in spring 2024.
Q: I am taking it for granted that scouts came first and once they determined that the location would work, I am presuming that they requested permits.
A: Yes, they worked in collaboration with the city for road closures and connections with local businesses.
Q: Did they bring tents, trucks, filming equipment etc.? I’m guessing that if they did, locals got quite excited.
A: Yes! There were trucks, tents, trailers, filming equipment, and more! There was also faux snow given the time of year, which was an interesting process to see from the initial stages to when there were full snow sculptures in the middle of the square.
Q: Did the film crew want spectators, and if so or not . . . What happened?
A: The film crew was very welcoming to spectators. There were people who visited on a daily basis and even school groups who came to check out the set.
Q: In doing my research, I know that many small towns love to have the economic boost with local spending plus hiring extras. Did that happen in Brockville? If so, approximately how many extras were involved?
A: Local people were given the opportunity to be extras in the film. They applied through an online process and were selected based on criteria the movie had in place.
Q: Of course, I am hoping locals were able to take advantage and watch as much as they could. This was supposed to be winter! The "out-takes" at the end of the film showed the snow making machines and the fun the crew was having. Is there a story or two that goes with these?
A: As I mentioned above, it was fascinating to see the snow being created for movie magic. It took days to actually bring it to life and how you see it in the final film.
Q: How long did the crew stay in Brockville? How long did the actual shooting take?
A: Approximately 3 weeks in the spring of 2024.
Q: Where did the crew (actors etc.) stay while in the region?
A: The actors and crew stayed at modern hotels and boutique inns in Brockville!
Q: Can you give me a couple of quotes that describe how the Town officials appreciated this exposure?
A. It was an incredible experience for Brockville to be the filming location for “Hot Frosty”, and it really brought our community together in shared excitement. During filming, there was a buzz in the air throughout Brockville, and when the movie premiered on Netflix, it put our beautiful historic downtown in the spotlight! Hot Frosty has helped showcase Brockville to millions of Christmas movie fans around the world!
Lyndsay Bigley, Digital Marketing Officer, Brockville Tourism
This editor hopes you will have a chance to relax this holiday season and if you are in the sunny south or enjoying our northern weather, you will take the time to visit Brockville and meet Hot Frosty! I think you will have as much fun as I have had!
By Susan W. Smith, Editor, info@thousandislandslife.com
Be sure to see the various News Articles published about the film Hot Frosty.
"You will be able to see Brockville and Ottawa in this Netflix Christmas movie," by Josh Pringle, CTV News, Ottawa, Oct. 23, 2024
"This holiday hit was filmed in a quaint town near Ottawa. Now, it is Hot Frosty fever" by Robyn Miller, CBC News, Nov. 29, 2024.
Posted in: Volume 19, Issue 12, December 2024, News article, Artists, People, Places, Current
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