Made in Alaska – Dana Stabenow and Evergreen Films
27 10 2009
Alaskans have heard it a million times from those Outside. “I used to love Northern Exposure! Alaska looks so cool!” “Insomnia was great!” “My kids thought Snow Dogs was the best! What beautiful country!” “My only experience of Alaska is Men in Trees.” Then they go on to say how beautiful, rugged, and unspoiled Alaska looks and that they can’t wait to visit.
And we all cringe and think – Washington state, Vancouver, Calgary… Nope, none of those shows was filmed in Alaska. When I first moved to Alaska, I assumed everyone here would be in love with Northern Exposure, but all I heard was, “grumble grumble….no crickets in Alaska….grumble grumble…would never be THAT dark in the summertime…..grumble grumble….there are NO raccoons….” Alaskans, it seemed were kind of touchy about these things. And I can understand that now.
The Vampire flick 30 Days of Night which supposedly took place in Alaska was actually filmed in New Zealand. Please. And this year, The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock was filmed in Massachusetts masquerading as Sitka, Alaska. We were starting to get a complex up here.
Meanwhile, as all this is going on, one woman was living her life here in Alaska, writing great books with great characters, and speaking from a completely Alaskan point of view. And she’d look up from her story telling now and again and say, “No!” to the inquiries that came in, asking her about turning her series of mystery novels into a movie or a TV show. She wanted someone who would promise to film in Alaska, and nobody wanted to play. Until now.
I got ready to head out to the press conference this morning where the big news would be announced. As the day began to break, I looked out the window. White. Winter was here, just in time for this uniquely Alaskan celebration. In the car I got, and headed out to Evergreen Studios. I’d never been there, but I knew where the directions would lead me. Up. And up. I wound around a maze of streets, always climbing, the normally sweeping views of Cook Inlet obscured by the snow and clouds. Left, right, up, right, up, left, right, bear right, up up up, left. Finally I came upon a pile of abandoned cars. An impromptu shuttle truck was taking people up the last part of the hill so they wouldn’t get stuck. I have never been to the Hollywood Hills, but I know they are not like this.
“Go on in. The theatre’s to the left,” I was told as the line of media people went through the familiar Alaskan foot-stamping ritual to get snow off boots. The studio was huge, and painted black, and filled with people. Dana Stabenow was surrounded and was positively aglow. She glided across the room and introduced me to the man she’d been waiting for all those years – Mike Devlin. A big bear of a man with a startling intensity, he shook my hand and welcomed me to this media fortress of solitude, on top of a mountain, where magic happens.
A press release from the packet I was given says that in 2008, Senator Johnny Ellis (D-Anchorage) sponsored the Alaska Film Incentive Bill, and it was signed into law. It follows a process begun by other states to fight the lucrative Canadian film industry incentives. It sets into law a process by which film companies can receive transferable tax credits for a percentage of production work performed in Aalska.
Senator Johnny Ellis talks to Megan Baldino of KTUU – Channel 2
We’re in the game now. And from the sound of things, there are several other exciting projects on deck that will actually really truly be filmed in the state they are about.
~The Dynamic Duo of Mike Devlin and Dana Stabenow
Alaskans stood on line over night to be among the first to flood in to the first Alaskan K-Mart. That’s how excited we are when stuff comes to Alaska. These people aren’t going to know what hit them. It’s going to be amazing.
And so Dana Stabenow, Mike Devlin and Johnny Ellis took the mic and told us the great news. Kate Shugak was about to spring to life on-screen in her home state of Alaska. This smart, sexy, resiliant Alaska Native alpha-female scales mountains, captains fishing boats, and outsmarts the most fiendish criminals. And the woman from whose creative mind she sprang has done her state a tremendous service by waiting until the time was right, and until Kate could step off the page and stay right here in Alaska.
We were then treated to a short film with music, that showed some of the footage from around Alaska as filmed by Evergreen. I was gobsmacked. GOB. SMACKED. The screen, which took up the entire wall, showed flyovers of mountains and calving glaciers, puffins leaping off cliffs, dozens of seals floating on ice, a bird’s eye view of Mt. Redoubt erupting, bear cubs shaking themselves off in the rain, luminous orange lion’s mane jellyfish with tentacles dancing, salmos sharks leaping out of the water snapping at their prey, and shot after shot from boats and airplanes soaring over mountains, under water… I was left speechless. Which is probably a good thing or I would have squealed “Play it again!” and humiliated myself in front of the entire Anchorage media and one of my favorite Senators.
I looked down at the DVD entitled “Icy Killers,” which I was given with my press packet and realized that it contained the shark footage, and the jellyfish, and I can’t wait to sit down tonight and watch it with rewind capabilities. I am thoroughly and completely impressed. Everyone there applauded at the end of the press conference realizing what an amazing thing this is, and feeling so proud of all the Alaskans that will make this project a reality.
This could be the beginning of a whole new industry for the state, and it is certainly a wonderful new chapter in the lives of Kate Shugak and Dana Stabenow, and they couldn’t be in better hands. Congratulations, Dana. And thanks for being an awesome, strong, beautiful Alaskan woman who knows when its better to say “No!” and who always puts Alaska first. Your wisdom and integrity won out in the end.
Almost forgot, Dana said she was considering giving Brian a part in the series. As long as he doesn’t have a cameo appearance in the “Who Field Dressed the Mascot?” episode, I think he’d go for it.
October 27th, 2009 at 6:15 PM
With all the hoopla over this author, I bought the book…A Cold Day For Murder. I tried to get through the story, but maybe b/c of the heavy dose of AK terminology, native language, and locations mentioned that were unfamiliar, it seemed long and drawn out. I haven’t given up and will give it a second chance…I hope the movie is more exciting. Good Luck to Dana!
October 27th, 2009 at 6:20 PM
Dana Stabenow rocks! I can’t wait for the series! Maybe Brian can be Mutt…
Congratulations on what must be a very exciting day!
October 27th, 2009 at 6:34 PM
Wow! I am a Dana Stabenow fan and Kate is my favorite.
The first one I read was “Break Up” ( sent to me by my mother is Denver by the way) I roared with laughter and could not put the book down, I was hooked. I then started from the beginning and eagerly await the next chapter of Kate’s life. Though I love all Dana’s books and her great characters.
This is so great and I am very happy for Dana and as an Alaskan and a loyal fan proud. Now I have to wait until it is on the silver screen.
Congratulations to Dana and Alaska!
October 27th, 2009 at 6:37 PM
A show about Alaska filmed in Alaska. What a novel idea. Yea for Dana.
October 27th, 2009 at 6:38 PM
This is great news and exciting for you Alaskans! Kudos to Dana Stabenow for holding out for having the series actually being filmed in Alaska. Hopefully, the storyline will show the absolute beauty or Alaska and possibly show the actual issues that are facing Alaska.
October 27th, 2009 at 6:44 PM
Great news… !
Love Kate and look forward to each book.
Ms Stabenow – congratulations and thank you for holding out for a true Alaska background for your story to be played out in.
October 27th, 2009 at 6:56 PM
Thanks for covering this!!! As a novelist and screenwriter from Alaska, I can’t thank Dana enough for sticking to her guns and bringing her stories back to Alaska. In light of the news of Palin’s book contract numbers released today, this is welcome news!!
October 27th, 2009 at 6:58 PM
Not much on Stabanow’s style of writing, but she sticks to her guns on being authentic. Congrats to her for holding out and waiting for the State and Industry to fall in line – I know Alaskan author and screenwriter Don Reardon held out the same hope for his native Bethel based Picoult novel, The Tenth Circle.
It was a huge disappointment for him in his involvement with her Alaskan topic for her to allow that horrible Lifetime channel movie to be fleshed out elsewhere.
It’s time for Alaska to invest in itself, not export all that’s fascinating and unique about it.
Let’s see Kate Shugak in action.
October 27th, 2009 at 6:58 PM
Good on you Ms. Stabenow. I hope this all works out as envisioned. The only question I have is will this film production company that does such a terrific job of nature filming be able to translate as well into a TV series?
October 27th, 2009 at 7:00 PM
Some love for Dana, Kate and Mutt.
Would love to be there for the Mutt auditions.
October 27th, 2009 at 7:01 PM
Congratulations! Hard work and tenacity pays off- looking forward to the films…
October 27th, 2009 at 7:03 PM
Oh, and I see Dana’s real-life inspiration for Kate’s character, Katherine Gottlieb and her husband in the audience, very cool. AKM gets invited to the Best events in town I see. Awesome!
October 27th, 2009 at 7:13 PM
Wonderful picture of Dana and Brian. Do you think Tank will be Brian’s bodyguard once he becomes a big mooseystar? I already can see Brian in the Pistachio commercial. =)
October 27th, 2009 at 7:16 PM
sigh….or=of in my above post.
Also, Brian should definitely be a player (alive and not field dressed!).
October 27th, 2009 at 7:52 PM
Yep, that’s an interesting addition. Southcentral Foundation CEO Gottlieb and her dentist husband. Huh.
October 27th, 2009 at 7:54 PM
Thrilling! I copied your post and am sending to my Sisters in Phoenix, Arizona! They’re both such big fans of Kate Shugak books and have sent me many to read as well (I’m a big fan too by now). We’ll all be chomping at the bit to see this movie!
October 27th, 2009 at 8:15 PM
We were watching TV the other week and a trailer came on for a film about Alien Abductions called “Fourth Kind” and supposedly was set in Nome, AK….hmmm, there were many trees in the trailer; large trees and we laughed about another movie being filmed elsewhere that was supposed to be in AK. (I’ve never visited Nome myself but I do know that they don’t have 100 foot sitka spruce up there!)
Way to go Dana, heard this on NPR this afternoon and couldn’t be more proud of you for standing up and letting studios know the only way to get Alaska on film or TV is to actually film here!
She is a great example of a true and proud Alaskan person and I always love her books and when she wrote for AK Magazine I loved reading of her adventures.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:19 PM
And, while I’m at it, I’d like to say that Alaska should be judged by successful authors like Dana Stabenow, who has talent and imagination and actually writes her books all by herself!
We do have smart and accomplished people up here and she is a fine example of what Alaska has to offer. The list of accomplished Alaskans is long and the members of that list have many talents on their resumes.
It makes my heart happy that stories like this make the news and remind people that Alaska is more than just corrupt, money grubbing politicians, and stupid far right individualists. I hope soon that the good folks of Alaska make more news than the unsavory element.
Night all….
October 27th, 2009 at 9:06 PM
AKPetMom–The Fourth Kind was actually filmed in…Bulgaria!
October 27th, 2009 at 9:06 PM
AKM–please tell Dana and Mike that if they need a videographer or photographer in Juneau, I know someone! He’s really good.
October 27th, 2009 at 9:29 PM
I’ve never read any of her books, but it sounds like maybe I should. I completely understand how Alaskans are grumpy about movies and TV shows claiming they are in Alaska when they are everywhere else.
Those of us in the Seattle area feel the same every time we see a movie about Seattle, with one shot of the Space Needle and the rest of the scenery is unrecognizable – because they are in British Columbia. Argh.
And it doesn’t stop there. I remember when I was in high school they filmed Truman Capote’s book, In Cold Blood, on location. In my home town of Garden City, Kansas, and even at the Clutter house in Holcomb, KS. It gave the movie a feeling of authenticity that couldn’t be found elsewhere. I watched the remake, filmed in Texas, and just kept thinking how wrong it all looked.
I look forward to seeing Alaska, the real Alaska. (Have to say though, I did enjoy Northern Exposure, knowing that it was filmed in Roslyn, WA, which isn’t very far away – and I’ve been there.)
October 27th, 2009 at 9:41 PM
Seems like alot of good things have been happening in Alaska, since your Gov Qitty, Quit. Wonder how much she had to do with the non-progression of Alaska. The black clouds seems to be lifting.
Congrats to having a movie being made in, Alaska. Some people still believe that the Alaskans live in Igloos; because that is what alot of the movies show.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:13 PM
Oh gosh, don’t get me started! The 1979 Love Boat episode w/ Lorne Green was only filmed partly in Juneau and the crew had to wait here forever for decent weather. They finally gave up waiting and had a love scene at the Mendenhall Glacier not in sun…but dum de dum dum…with a rainbow over the gray and cloudy glacier! The Skagway scenes were completely fictitious if I recall.
Then there was the 1980 movie “Kavik the Wolf Dog” – a German Shepard sled dog extraordinaire who after being rescued by a kid in the Interior (where in the dead of winter the villages walked around without gloves in the sunshine) had to escape from his owner who found him healed and took away from the kid and back to Seattle where he belonged. He lived in a metal kennel and he found his way out, ran to the old Pier 48 in Seattle where all the Alaska ferries left from, jumped onto the MV Taku and sailed to Juneau. In Juneau, Kavik jumped off the ferry and crossed the ice fields, misc mountains, etc to get back to his favorite kid somewhere in the Interior. OK, I laughed my butt off!
Thanks Ms. Dana – for filming something Alaskan in Alaska. Whew. Maybe I can actually concentrate on the plot and not spend the whole movie groaning and laughing. Well, I guess that’s kinda fun, too.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:31 PM
Hope Brian won’t forget us mudpuppies who knew him “when”
October 28th, 2009 at 12:37 AM
“Alaskans, it seemed were kind of touchy about these things. And I can understand that now.”
As a Texas, and decendant of Southnerners, from La. all the way back to hills of Tenn., I do understand.
Hollywood can only do sterotypes. Just be glad that Alaskans as a group don’t have an accent that can be belittled.
October 28th, 2009 at 1:06 AM
14 seattlefan Says:
October 27th, 2009 at 7:16 PM
sigh….or=of in my above post.
Also, Brian should definitely be a player (alive and not field dressed!).
Oh. I dun know.
I think Brian would be drop dead sexy in an open front kaki shirt and shorts and one of those hats the Aussies wear that fold up on one side.
Cast him as a nature photographer.
October 28th, 2009 at 1:31 AM
So, you get invited to the Press Conference, Get the Goodie Bag with the PRESS RELEASE DVD and rave about the awesomeness of the videos therein and somehow overlook posting ever so minute a sample for you salavatory readin…view…surfing audience!?! Can I see your Reporter Credentials?
October 28th, 2009 at 1:32 AM
Otherwise a very nice article.
October 28th, 2009 at 5:11 AM
“who field dressed”.. well then..I will make a verrra small gauze bag for the situation..in jest of course..but as a prop..should Brian ever wish to pull a snl-type comedy skit…
October 28th, 2009 at 7:01 AM
#25 Hollywood can only do sterotypes. Just be glad that Alaskans as a group don’t have an accent that can be belittled.
———————–
you betcha
October 28th, 2009 at 7:29 AM
Excellent news! I’ve loved the Kate Shugak stories for many years and look forward to each new installment. Hooray for Dana for holding out for authenticity! I’ll be waiting impatiently for the final product. Thanks for sharing your amazing experience with us AKM.
October 28th, 2009 at 7:47 AM
The novels are not that well written, I give her a C. I think I got through a couple when the series first began but found better writers after that. The big hoopla about filming in alaska is actually pretty condescending to alaskans if you think about it.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Congratulations to Dana both for her well deserved success and for having the strength to hold out for what she knows is right….filming in Alaska.
I got to meet Dana at an event at the Homer Library. Such a nice and talented lady.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:40 AM
“The big hoopla about filming in alaska is actually pretty condescending to alaskans”
I find it condescending when tourists ask me where Mystery or Cicely Alaska is located. (don’t get me started on “The Fourth Kind”.)
It would be nice for a change to have a popular Alaskan plot TV series and/or movie shot on location here in Alaska.
On a related note, I think they should cast Irene Bedard for the staring role.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0065942/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0065942/
October 28th, 2009 at 11:16 AM
There’s something about a story being filmed in the place it is set.
I was a big fan of Northern Exposure (I liked quirky characters and story lines, not the “allure of mysterious, rustic and remote Alaska”). But I never though it was likely to represent Alaska, and have often wondered how locals felt about it. I assumed “not favorably.” Sounds like I assumed correctly.
I was, however, familiar with Roslyn (where Northern Exposure was filmed) and given that small towns in the foothills of the Cascades are quirky enough on their own, couldn’t figure out why the story had to be set in Alaska. I suppose because of the “allure” and the “remote” aspects. Hopefully, however, Alaska stories will be filmed more and more [i]in[/i] Alaska, just like stories feel better and work better whenever they are set correctly.
The downside, I suppose, is that it puts a load on the filmmakers, and makes it harder to do with period pieces. The 1983 movie “Heart Like a Wheel” was set in my hometown, Olympia WA, which apparently had the right feel for 1950s Schenectady, NY. Bet the trees were all wrong, bet the roads didn’t look right to Schenectady locals, and those of us who’ve never been to that part of the county missed out on a view into the place. (Still, a joy for me, tho, to see footage of my hometown when I see the film.)
But hey, where it works, use at least get the feel of the locale right.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:11 PM
Don’t forget the wonderful John Sayles film, “Limbo.” It was filmed right here in Juneau. They cast lots of locals as extras. I moved here the year after that. My first 4th of July parade in Juneau featured a float with John Sayles and his crew. They had fallen in love with Juneau (who wouldn’t? OK not Sarah) and wanted to come back for the parade.
Great, gut-wrenching movie with David Strathairn and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:38 PM
I’m SOOOO excited to hear this news!!!
I discovered Dana Stabenow a few years ago and LOVE the stories. Kate Shugak is such a fascinating, unusual character and I really enjoy the humor that’s in every book. Now that I’ve actually been to Alaska several times, it’s particularly interesting to read the books and understand some of the quirky only-in-Alaska details. “Breakup” is one of my all time favorite books and I read it whenever I’m feeling down and need a good diversion with a lot of laughs!
Yayy for Dana insisting that the production actually be done in Alaska instead of one of the usual stand-in locations.
October 28th, 2009 at 11:58 PM
Dana, a big thanks. Use real Alaska Native actress or Native American for title role. Show duct tape, blue tarps, occassional honey bucket, butchering game, calloused hands of Alaskan living the rural life, beat up village trucks, northern glitz of town visits, hectic box store shopping for the winter, bush mail plane lifeline, smiling, inquiring faces of native kids…show it all.
Native and Non-Native, Bush and urban and even suburban mall strip of Wasilla. Then have Kate solve the continuing Babygate mystery. I have faith in this investigative sleuth to get the facts right about former Gov.
Thanks for fish camp reading, ’seeing’ parts of AK I haven’t been to yet and seeing folks I know in the characters of your books. Break a leg to all involved. Drag Mike, Evergreen crew everywhere. Rely on Rene Hayes Casting for Native acting authenticity.