This project is a labour of love between filming location photography and some of the amazing editing artists of tumblr
Each location post will feature a frame, or series of frames, from Dead Boy Detectives that have been selected and edited by an artist in the tumblr community. As this project is meant to showcase some of our very talented editors and gif makers please follow the username tags to view more of their work ❤️
Location scouting and photography by Lou @tipsyscone
📍Sheringham Point Lighthouse - 1 Sheringham Point Rd., Shirley, Victoria
Frame Edit Courtesy of: @wordsinhaled
Location bts:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse was built in 1912 as one of twelve new lighthouses in the area. It has had 7 lighthouse keepers and it was de-staffed in 1989. In 2003 the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society(SPLPS) was formed by locals to conserve the site.
In 2015 Sheringham Point Lighthouse was the first lighthouse to be dedicated a Canadian National Heritage Lighthouse and have ownership transferred to a local group. It is fully maintained by donations and the volunteers.
For anyone wanting to get a bird's-eye view, you can book a private tour of the lighthouse (DM me for details). Elani is very knowledgeable about the area, as her father was one of the last full-time lighthouse keepers at Sheringham Point, and she lived there for several years.
Elani has some fascinating stories about the grounds- like her sister climbing the lighthouse in a full wedding dress to get married at the top, or the fact that the lighthouse didn't have a built path and early keepers had to scale the rocks each time to tend to the lighthouse.
As a SPLPS volunteer Elani is involved with the preservation of the lighthouse and its use in media. She mentioned that for the filming of Dead Boy Detectives the cameras on the drones were so heavy that they had to be recharged every 8 minutes.
The lighthouse is beautiful year-round, but if you happen to visit in the Summer you might catch the outbuilding open and you can go inside the lighthouse lens. The nearby Sooke Region Museum also has the original third-order Fresnel lens that was removed in 1976 for viewing.
Getting to the lighthouse can be tricky. The lighthouse is located near Victoria on Vancouver Island. From Vancouver most people take a ferry to Victoria with BC Ferries. For a faster crossing you can also fly YVR-YYJ, fly with a smaller seaplane or by helicopter.
The ferries on this route are large and you can take a car or walk onto the vessel. Ferries have full seating, a cafeteria, quiet areas, and a viewing deck so be sure to explore during your sailing. You may also see marine animals or whales while in transit.
To reach Shirley from Victoria Swartz Bay ferry terminal you will need a car. It is roughly a 90 minute drive from the ferry and unfortunately transit does not reach this area. While in Shirley check out the nearby beaches, hikes and restaurants- I recommend 'Shirley Delicious.'
This is not an area I was super familiar with, but while I was here I discovered that Shirley has its very own Point No Point. Located to the west of the lighthouse, it is a private beach only accessible when dining or staying at the Point No Point Resort cabins.
If you are adventuring to the Island consider a stay in Victoria. As the oldest city in Western Canada it has a lot of history and very calm vibes. Check out the harbour, the peacocks in Beacon Hill Park, Canada's oldest Chinatown, Butchart Gardens, or its many many restaurants.
Victoria and the surrounding areas have a very mild climate compared to the rest of Canada and a slower pace than Vancouver. During the holidays you can find the whole downtown covered in lights and during the Spring the cherry blossom trees are in full bloom.
Though small, Victoria has a robust film industry and often stands in for many other locations. Hallmark Christmas movies particularly love to film in Victoria, and it's not unusual to see a street full of fake snow in June.
If you would like to donate to the preservation of Sheringham Point Lighthouse, please visit their website:
I found this area by chance while researching Cloverdale filming spots. Although the tree has grown quite a bit since filming, it is still distinct enough that I recognized it in passing. This spot is a few blocks from where Niko follows Maxine and the pergola.
Steveston is well-known for its cozy vibes and oceanfront boardwalk, but it is also home to many pieces of public art. In 2018 the Richmond Community Mural Program launched- an annual project that has led to the creation of over 30 murals so far.
This alley was found using the mural in the background of the scene. I unearthed a blog post with photos/the vague information that it was in Steveston, and went from there. The mural 'J-Pod' was painted by Mark Glavina and the Phoenix Art Workshop Summer youth program in 2001.
You might recognize parts of downtown Steveston from other media as it is a very popular filming location due to its unique look and accessibility to film crews. 'Once Upon a Time' used Steveston as the town of Storybrooke and featured many of the local landmarks in the show.
This area also has 'Steveston's Best of British' shop from this iconic behind-the-scenes photo of Kassius.
This has been the most difficult photo location so far. In the time since filming the forest has continued to have trees fall, grow, and change. There are still some unique trees with bark missing or white patches so I hope I have done the framing justice here.
This is another area that has been made to look larger with camera angles. Walking through this part of the forest is a leisurely 20 seconds, and the long shot of the characters walking (frame 9) is a 10 second walk to the left around a small trench.
📍North Vancouver Cemetery - 1505 Lillooet Rd., North Vancouver
Frame Edit Courtesy of: @wordsinhaled
Location bts:
This location is to the right of the entrance near 1505 Lillooet Road. It's a small area on the side of the road, and can be recognized by the public art on display and the bench nearby.
This is a location that I found with the direct help of George and Jayden via cameo. By the time cameos happened I had spent hours looking at parks, so I was just hoping for any info. George was able to tell me the crew put the swings up in the same cemetery as the Shelby scenes.
The art displayed here is 'Ascending Faith' and is carved out of yellow cedar by Stz’uminus artist John Marston (Qap’u’luq). Marston learned the craft from his parents, and Cowichan master carver Simon Charlie. He has pieces on display in many public buildings around Vancouver.
I often visit a location more than once to see it during different seasons/lighting. For this area I visited 2 months apart and it was wild to see the differences. If you are going to visit any of the locations, you can rest assured it will be beautiful at any time.
While taking photos here I spotted a coyote nearby. The Lower Mainland is home to an estimated 2,000-3,000 urban coyotes, which moved into the area in the 1980s. Seeing wild animals in the Vancouver area isn't uncommon, so please be aware while in the forested areas you visit.
This location is near both Blood Alley and the Agency entrance gate. The building started out as The Dominion Hotel in 1899 with the Rubinowitz's department store on the ground floor, before being turned into The Lamplighter Pub in 1925.
Currently an active pub, this establishment also offers a lot of local history. It was the first parlour to receive a beer licence in British Columbia after prohibition was lifted, and the first pub to serve alcohol to women in the area.
The Lamplighter is named after John Clough, who was Vancouver’s one and only lamplighter. John used to light the coal oil street lamps of Gastown in 1887, but in the same year the city introduced electric lights. The Clough Club next-door is also named after him.
This picturesque block of shops can be found in the popular downtown area of Fort Langley. The area is best known for the Fort Langley National Historic Site, a location dating back to 1827 and with ties to early Canadian fur-trading.
While the area is know for its Canadian history and museums it also has a collection of quaint shops, art galleries, and walking trails. The decorative facades of the downtown core, small town vibes, and iconic yellow community hall make Fort Langley a popular filming location.
Most of the filming around this park has been kept to the larger main paths, but while climbing into the bushes to get the right angle here I discovered a cleared spot from filming. Several areas here have plots cleared which have been useful markers in the forest.
📍North Vancouver Cemetery - 1505 Lillooet Rd., North Vancouver
Frame Edit Courtesy of: @nix-nihili
Location bts:
Serving the area since 1907, North Vancouver Cemetery is approximately 9 hectares(22 acres) and is bisected by Lillooet Road. If visiting this location use the entrance near 1505 Lillooet Road, then turn left to follow the road back to the Old Cemetery section.
As you can see from the photos of this location, Shelby's headstone was constructed on one of the roads in the cemetery so as not to disturb the area.
This segment of road with the reddish tree is where they built the 'Shallow Sound Memorial' cemetery gate.
Garry Point Park is a short walk from Fisherman's Wharf and borders the Fraser River. The current in this area is very fast-moving so please stay out of the water if you visit. The filming location is on the left side of the beach near the Fisherman’s Memorial Needle.
As well as the beach there are trails to Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Area, a commemorative Japanese garden, and the Scotch Pond heritage site. The Wildlife refuge is an important conservation area for Great Blue Herons and other waterfowl, and they can often be seen in the distance.
This park makes for a great visit in Spring as it is the home of 255 Akebono cherry trees, which usually bloom in March/April. The annual Richmond Cherry Blossom Festival showcases the trees and celebrates Japanese culture and the Japanese-Canadian heritage of Steveston.
I also need to give an extra shout out to Tony Wohlgemuth for the photo he posted of the driftwood structure they built for Esther in this scene. Because of this photo I was able to find this beach using the configuration of the 12 pilings in the ocean in the background.
📍Upper Coquitlam River Park, 1791 Pipeline Rd., Coquitlam
First Photo - Group, Tall Tree Sign Frame Edit Courtesy of: @fear0phobia
Crystal & Charles Frame Edit Courtesy of: @crystalpalacesasaki
Group Frame Edit Courtesy of: @every-moment-a-different-sound
Location bts:
These locations are both part of a trail closer to the road and field. During filming the grass hosted the 'circus'- meaning the trucks, equipment, trailers etc. The field is a RC model airplane flying space with a built-in runway.
I had a bit of trouble finding the Tall Tree Forest sign location but I believe this is the right area due to the rocks/background trees. The shot with the sign and the forest ghosts is by these rocks and the shot with Monty, Crystal, Edwin and Charles is a nearby river area.
The rest of these frames take place further down this same trail, and if you continue to follow it you will find a racetrack area used by the Coquitlam Model Racing Club. They seem to race most weekends during fair weather and welcome spectators.
A bit of a random fact, but I thought it was quite neat: Charlotte Romses, who in this scene plays the 'Young School Marm,' is a circus master trainer in aerials and specializes in aerial silks, aerial hoops and trapeze.
📍Upper Coquitlam River Park, 1791 Pipeline Rd., Coquitlam
First Photo - Group Frame Edit Courtesy of: @crystalpalacesasaki
Monty, Group, Crystal & Charles Frame Edit Courtesy of: @every-moment-a-different-sound
Location bts:
A special thank you to Jay Julier for helping me with locations! All forest locations going forward are directly from her, and I would never have found this area without her assistance. She was even kind enough to find a map from filming, which was my lifeline here.
Bordering Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, this forest location can be found in northern Coquitlam. The park contains a field, parking area, multiple trails and access to Coquitlam River. The filming locations in this area were all done on the larger main trails.
Once all of the frames in this forest area are released, I will also be making a post with photos, DD GPS coordinates, and information on how to find the specific filming spots.
Steveston is a charming fishing village located in the southwest corner of Richmond. The Harbour includes Fisherman’s Wharf where you can buy fresh seafood directly from vendors off of their boats, as well as a boardwalk hosting many shops and eateries.
This location is on the waterfront boardwalk near the corner of Third Avenue and Bayview Street, and beside the dockside bistro 'The Crab King.' Sadly the lobster statue in the show is absent in real life.
I had a very nice conversation with a Librarian while I was there who was able to tell me some fun information from their side of the filming process. Thank you to the staff for being super nice and allowing me to take photos. Support your local library!
The crew built a coordinating table to match the existing bookshelves in the space. The library was open during the day, and the scenes were all filmed at night. She said that during the day they had a crew member stay on premises to make sure no one touched the table.
The old catalogue cabinet in the back of the scene was another piece of furniture they brought in for filming. The 'Holds' section behind Niko did already exist, but has since been moved elsewhere in the library.
Apparently when the crew left they accidentally took some of the potted plants with them and they felt so bad that production sent the library some new ones. The plants are still alive and well today.
📍Whytecliff Park - 7102 Marine Dr., West Vancouver
Frame Edit Courtesy of: @nix-nihili
Location bts:
Only a portion of the park was used for filming and the camera angles make it look much bigger than it is. There are trails that go to the lookout, the top of the Washer Woman stairs, and the beach. The beach is also accessible from the lower parking lot.
The hill at the back of the park is where they set up the stone wall for filming the scenes with Angie luring Crystal over the wall and The Night Nurse confrontation. All of the ocean views you see in these scenes have been done in post-production.
This photo shows my very favourite bit of bts knowledge: the building that is used as the gift shop exterior is a public toilet.
