The seventh season of CBC鈥檚 popular television series Still Standing has started and a segment on Chemainus is on the schedule for Wednesday, Jan. 26.
The series-opener on Jan. 5 featured Hope, B.C., with interviews for the program shot by the Still Standing crew during the same trip that preceded a visit to Chemainus last July. After the program focuses on Port Stanley, Ont. Jan. 12, Wakefield, Que. is in the spotlight Jan. 19 and then Chemainus the following week. There are six other communities on the agenda before the season wraps up on March 23.
The premise of Still Standing is to highlight small towns that have been against the ropes, but are hanging in there.
In the case of Chemainus, the process of reinventing itself began in 1982 with the evolution of the mural project and the transition to a tourist destination accentuated after the previous sawmill closed in 1983. 鈥淣ow it鈥檚 looking for the next generation of visionaries to keep it on the map,鈥� reads the promo material for the program on the show鈥檚 website.
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty punchy and tight,鈥� said Anne Francis, executive producer of Still Standing. 鈥淚t showcases the charm and beauty of Chemainus. We talk about the murals and how that influenced a lot of other places we鈥檝e been to as well.鈥�
Production of the series was put on hold during the outbreak of COVID-19 and this is the first season with filming completed since the pandemic.
鈥淭here were a lot of challenges that you don鈥檛 typically encounter,鈥� conceded Francis. 鈥淵ou throw a pandemic into the mix, our team went above and beyond.鈥�
The safety of crew members and the people they encountered was paramount. 鈥淎fter months of monitoring the situation and carefully re-imagining how we produce the show, we were proud to be able to recommence production with COVID-19 safety as our central focus,鈥� a message on the show鈥檚 website explained.
Among the necessary changes was to limit the number of audience members for the comedy show to wrap up the filming in each town. A makeshift tent was set up at the former St. Joseph鈥檚 School for the Chemainus finale and attendance was restricted to invitees who were seated in physically distanced cohorts.
Host Jonny Harris was prevented from his customary handshakes, hugs and meeting fans during filming and after the live show that have been central to Still Standing. But he still delivered a trademark performance that people will see on the broadcast.
鈥淚 always say it鈥檚 a Herculean effort,鈥� noted Francis. 鈥淗e nailed it again.鈥�
All the interviews, scenes and information compiled from filming get narrowed down to 21 minutes and 30 seconds, she added, to fit into the half-hour time slot.
The film crew also had to conduct most of the shooting for the show outside due to COVID protocols when more inside locations would normally be utilized.
鈥淭hey were outside in all the elements,鈥� said Francis.
But the team鈥檚 work on the show has been a labour of love from the outset.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think the travel and new places to see and explore is ever lost on anyone,鈥� Francis pointed out.
鈥淭here鈥檚 always something amazing about every place. Everybody has a story and there鈥檚 a lot we don鈥檛 know about our own country.鈥�
Still Standing has garnered a loyal fan base over the years.
鈥淲e have a lot of fans in the U.S. as well,鈥� said Francis. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a charm to it and you don鈥檛 necessarily need to be Canadian to appreciate it.鈥�
As difficult as it was to film the season, everyone connected with the show agreed it was better than the alternative.
鈥淲e want to thank everyone who worked with us to re-learn how to make a show in the middle of a pandemic, and to you, our audience, for waiting a little bit longer for a new season while we figured it all out,鈥� the Still Standing message concluded. 鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to finally be able to safely share Season 7 of Still Standing.鈥�
The show can be seen each Wednesday at 8 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on CBC.
