For about six weeks this winter, Temiskaming Shores was transformed into a small community on the shores of Lake Ontario.
Its frozen lake, an arena, homes and other locations provided the perfect backdrop to shoot the independent film, Skating to New York.
But the deciding factor to choose the city may have been a local businessman, Martin Maille, and his family. Maille, who runs a marina in New Liskeard, was called by producer Wendy Japhet last winter and asked if he could make an outdoor rink on the lake.
“I wasn’t sure about it, and what to make of the call, but I figured I could do it and help them out,” he said.
The rink was to be used to shoot a teaser. When a small crew arrived to film, he was asked to expand the ice rink he created. Family and friends pitched in to complete the task and local youth were used in the teaser.
The coming of age movie is about five boys who want to skate across Lake Ontario to New York on the coldest day of the year. Eventually the crew made contact with Maille several months later and he and his family soon became the local point of contact.
“When things came together, we showed them around the whole area,” Maille said. His wife Doris, and 16-year-old daughter Monica, also got involved. Through social media, Monica rallied the youth in the community who were needed to fill the stands in the arena during filming and act as extras.
“We really were their link in the community,” Doris said. “We were asked for ideas and gave suggestions. Even other members of the family got involved and we called in favours from family and friends to try and get them what they needed.
“Everyone we contacted was on board and I think it really helped speed up the whole process for them.”
For the lake scenes, the rink that was required was 2,000 feet long and 1,000 feet wide. It had to be flooded and made skateable in order to shoot the outdoor scenes. It was managed by cleaning off sections at a time.
“When we were struggling with the rink, locals really pitched in,” Maille said.
Local youth strapped on skates to act as doubles and everyone put in long days. Maille’s shop was used when certain equipment was needed, like an ice auger, and it housed an electric car overnight so it wouldn’t freeze.
“I knew what they needed and they didn’t,” said Maille.
During the shoot on the lake, he was on site every day. There were some extremely cold days, but he never heard any complaints from the crew. An ice hut was available so people, and equipment, could warm up.
“It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun. You never realize what goes into making a movie.”
To make the lake look like the wide expanse of Lake Ontario, shots were focused down Lake Temiskaming. Some ice hut owners were asked if they could move their structures to accommodate the crew and Maille said everyone complied.
James Franks, economic director and funding co-ordinator with the City of Temiskaming Shores, said the movie shoot was well received by the locals.
“They provided temporary employment and, of course, our hotels and restaurants welcomed the business,” he said. “It certainly had an impact on the economy.”
Katherine Wilson, location manager with the production team, said the community was fully behind the shoot.
“The lake was perfect for us and the whole vibe of the area was fantastic,” she said. About 20 people were hired locally and the crew totaled 90 people, mostly from Toronto.
“We were really well received and everyone was 125 per cent behind us. We really fell in love with the area,” she said.”
The Mailles assisted the crew in finding homes in the area that were used, which meant the families had to vacate their residences for about a week or two.
“We opened doors for them as they drove up and down streets looking for places,” Maille said. “We knew who lived there or knew someone who could help.”
The young actors include Connor Jessup, Wesley Morgan, Gage Munroe, Dylan Everett and Matthew Knight.
It also includes Jason Georick and Michelle Nolden, The Mailles have become friends with the producer-director Charles Minsky, and other crew members. And for the family, their chance to become involved in something totally unexpected also had a deep, personal significance.
In 2011, they lost their teenaged son Andrew in a car accident. “I do believe this was a sign, from him,” said Doris. “It really brought something positive into our lives. That phone call asking for (Martin) to make the ice rink was really out of the blue. He could have said no, but he didn’t.”
