Christopher Giroux: Behind the Magic of Rom-Coms & Holiday Movies

Executive Producer, Director, and Writer Christopher Giroux joins Garry and Amy for a behind-the-scenes look at the movie magic behind romances and holiday favorites.

From the films that sparked his love of storytelling to the preproduction nerves that never quite go away, Christopher shares what it's really like to bring feel good movies to life. He talks about launching Precious Metal Productions with his wife, the creative journey behind Bee My Love, the company's first feature release, and the unforgettable experience of filming with 50,000 live bees.

Then, it's Christmas in July! Christopher takes us inside his latest Hallmark Channel movies, Oh Little Christmas Market (Executive Producer) and Snowbound for the Holidays (Director). We chat about creating cozy holiday worlds, why community matters, balancing fan expectations with fresh storytelling, and how real snow, real ski resorts, and practical filmmaking make the magic feel authentic.

Whether you're obsessed with Hallmark movies, love romantic comedies, or are curious about what happens behind the camera, this episode is packed with filmmaking stories, on set surprises, and a fresh appreciation for the craft that turns comfort viewing into movie magic.

Pour your favorite beverage, get cozy, and press play!

Follow Christopher: https://www.instagram.com/christopher_giroux/

Follow Precious Metal Productions: https://www.instagram.com/preciousmetalproductions/

Send us an email to pourthewineitsromcomtime@gmail.com! We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/mood-of-summer

Transcript

Welcome And Meet Christopher Giroux

SPEAKER_03 0:07

Welcome to Pour the Wine It's Rom Com Time, where we'll sip some wine and review all things rom com on the Hallmark channel. I'm Amy.

SPEAKER_01 0:15

And I'm Gary.

SPEAKER_03 0:17

And today we are thrilled to welcome Christopher Giroux. Christopher is a director, writer, executive producer, and the co-founder of Precious Metal Productions, which just released their first film, Be My Love, in April. Over the course of his career, he's produced more than 50 films, including Hallmark favorites like Christmas Island, The Christmas Charade, Operation Nutcracker, and Take Me Back for Christmas. He is also involved in two upcoming Christmas in July movies, premiering on the Hallmark Channel as executive producer for Oh Little Christmas Market and as director of Snowbound for the Holidays. So, Christopher, thanks so much for joining us.

SPEAKER_01 0:57

Thanks so much for having me. Oh man, you're welcome. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 1:01

Let's start

First Sparks For Filmmaking

SPEAKER_03 1:02

at the beginning. Where did your passion for the entertainment industry come from? And what are some of the pivotal moments early in your career that helped um shape the path that you've taken?

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Yeah, no, I've I've always always been into film as as as far back as I remember. I there wasn't, you know, as you know, some kids joke about, you know, wanting to be an astronaut or a firefighter. It was it was always filmmaker. I don't think I knew exactly what it meant at the time, I'm sure, but um, but I I always just wanted to make movies. It was always definitely something that I was very passionate about and re-watching old VHS tapes to the point that they, you know, they don't work anymore and worn out those tapes and things. And and uh, but I yeah, it was always there. It was it was something that I was always very passionate. I I loved, you know, watching movies and you know, collecting, and I still have many DVDs and things behind me. Uh I love the you know, the the action figures and the toys and the tie-ins and the lunch boxes and all that stuff, and still actively collect all those things to this day. Um and uh but really, really got into it at a at a very early age, you know.

SPEAKER_03 2:12

What was one of the first films that really triggered it for you that you remember seeing in the theater?

SPEAKER_00 2:18

I think probably Star Wars would probably be up there. Yeah, so iconic, you know. I'm sure there's other films that have that have maybe shaped me more, but that was just such a you know, your kind of eyes kind of open up and it was so it was so new and so exciting. And so that was probably a big, a big for sure.

SPEAKER_03 2:39

Such an experience in the theater too, with that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:41

Yeah, I I remember where I was when I saw Star Wars in 78.

SPEAKER_03 2:46

Yeah, a long time ago.

SPEAKER_01 2:48

It was a long line around the building.

SPEAKER_00 2:50

Yeah, but that just that that whole like I saw them all. Um, I've seen all the Star Wars movies in theaters and and still go and see them on you know different formats, whether they play out 35mm. And and the the the fun part is that there's still a line. Yeah, there's yeah, still I saw Star Wars on 35mm like three years ago at like at a local cinema here uh where I live, and uh and there's a line, you know what I mean? And and it's it's still exciting after all these years, you know. So it's it's really fun.

SPEAKER_01 3:22

It is so crazy how still to this day people are watching it. Yeah.

Creative Process And Pre Shoot Nerves

SPEAKER_01 3:28

So looking back, uh how has your creative process evolved over the years?

SPEAKER_00 3:34

Yeah, wow, it's a that's a huge amazing question. Um, I you know, it's it's always my wife and I talk about this so much that I think uh the entertainment industry is is it's tricky, you know, to have the consistency, you know, to have that that normalization of you know getting a paycheck every two weeks or you know, going to the same office, you know, Monday to Friday. Um but I think kind of normalizing how sporadic the industry can be. And you know, some years you're doing eight films, and some films you're doing one film, and it's all part of this journey. I think the biggest thing that has changed for me over that, over that is being more comfortable in that space and more relaxed and and have it more normalized, as sometimes it's busy and sometimes it's not. And and I think that freedom in in the art has is is kind of part of the growth of the artist, is to almost be to get more and more comfortable. And uh, and I I hope that that's what I have that I've done more and more throughout the the projects is be more comfortable, more present, right, you know, uh while the films are being shot or offer up more ideas that were maybe earlier in my career, maybe I was too shy or or too ner nervous or didn't have the confidence to speak up and and to say some of these things. And and as you get more comfortable with you know making more films, you get to kind of find your voice throughout, you know.

SPEAKER_01 5:03

So you still get those butterflies when you're doing this?

SPEAKER_00 5:07

Oh my goodness. And the way you're going before, it is it's it's it's crazy how much because it's it's br it's a brand new something. It's it's there's there's elements, there's um, you know, ideas that you've pulled from you know other films or other production, or maybe there's some consistency with hey, the cinematographer is the same, or the art director is the same, but generally it's it's it's a brand new, it's a brand new thing. There's new brand new people working together, and you're just starting from it's day one of kindergarten all over people and they're coming together, and you're gonna spend this time with this amount of people as you all grow and create together and stuff like that, and kind of find find your way through it. So I absolutely still still get nervous, and it's not the day before, it's about two weeks before when you start.

SPEAKER_03 5:56

Absolutely planning

Starting Precious Metal Productions

SPEAKER_03 5:59

and thinking. All right, so let's talk a little bit about precious metal productions. What inspired you to launch your own company, production company, and what made you feel it was the right time to finally do so?

SPEAKER_00 6:11

Yeah, my uh my wife and I launched uh a company earlier this year uh in January. Uh, we previously shot a film just before that called Be My Love. We shot that in October and kind of used that as kind of our debut. We met doing a TV movie um called Learning to Love Again. Um she was the the number one. I was one of the producers on the project. And um, you know, we we met during this film and got to collaborate on this film together. And, you know, just it was sort of like a fairy tale in a sense, you know. It was just, you know, after we wrapped a couple weeks later, we were, you know, we were dating and uh we've been together ever since. And um, and so that passion for storytelling and and the love for the for the genre were we're very passionate about rom-coms and TV movies, and we really see them in a in a such a unique way. And so that kind of idea of us collaborating, though we have collaborated in other ways, you know, I've produced projects that she's you know acted in. And um, you know, when your partner's an actress, I'm a I'm also a reader and I'm also a you know cameraman and all those other things. So we get to collaborate in lots of different ways, you know. Um, but it was something that we've always kind of talked about is as wanting to kind of do something together. And uh, you know, we just felt it was it was uh the right time, you know, to jump in. And and we're so glad we did because you know, we we were able to write Be My Love together and uh and produce it with some dear friends and and work with a bunch of casts that that we have all had you know collaborations with throughout the years and uh and kind of put this together and and learn so much about bees in the process. And uh and really dive in because they're so fascinating and interesting and uh and you know, really kind of rally behind that for our first film. So it felt very organic though. It was you know uh crazy at times, but it was it was a tremendous amount of uh of love and from the whole cast and crew that kind of made that dream possible.

SPEAKER_03 8:14

Oh my gosh. And you know, we just watched that relatively recently, a few days ago. It is so good, Christopher. Oh and and she's adorable. Oh my gosh. I just I have to tell you, we really loved it. It it's it was just you know, fun and engaging and modern. And we kept saying the music is modern, and we love that, you know, we're big on like the music in films, and it's just I hope I encourage everybody to to find it and watch it. Um it's just it's so good. We stream only, so we were able to find it on um Pure Flix, I think.

SPEAKER_00 8:51

Pure Flix, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:52

Pure Flix streaming service. So that's what that's where we were able to find it. Um, you know, I I'm not sure where I'm sure it's available elsewhere, but um, but it's just it's so good. We really thoroughly enjoyed it.

SPEAKER_01 9:04

Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, the the sh the shots, the the lighting, especially was really, really good.

SPEAKER_00 9:11

You directed it, correct? I did, yeah, I directed it. Yeah. So I wrote it, co-wrote it with Ann. I directed it. I was one of the producers and stuff as well. And uh we had an amazing cinematographer and other partners that that really brought that that world to life. And um, the honey house in the film is usually a wedding venue. Like we had that on the world um because we really loved that like wood aesthetic, you know. Yes, um, that texture, you know, when the the light kind of hits the wood and it has this kind of you know, kind of rustic yellowstone type of feel, you know, to it and things like that. So we got to kind of build that that space, which was so much fun, you know.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

It's so funny because I remember as a kid we had peach trees in our backyard, and I would always have be the one that had to go out there and rake them up. And as you know, when they fall on the ground, bees love that. Oh my god. And I never used to be afraid. I'd just go out there and rake and they wouldn't bother you. Now I'm afraid of bees.

Shooting Be My Love With Bees

SPEAKER_00 10:09

No, and it's funny because we we didn't, I know this is gonna sound crazy, and uh, but we got we got through it. We used no protective gear while we were shooting with the bees. That is so amazing, and we shot with 50,000 real bees for the film. We had a bee wrangler, of course, but we could we couldn't very well we wanted to show how how safe bees can be, right? And so we didn't want to show it with too much, too much safety gear, other than when Anne is kind of you know in her kind of astronaut suit. That was funny. And so, because we wanted to really show how how docile bees can be, you know, what when properly smoked and handled, um, but uh we found that bees remember human faces. Wow. And um, and so we sat with the bees um in prep before going and filming with them, and nobody got stung while we were that is so amazing. That is amazing. We were all we weren't allowed to like, you know, do like big gestures, and we weren't allowed to like you know raise our voice. So it was this like very relaxed um couple days of filming with them because everyone was just you had to be kind of like chill and nice and stuff like that. So it was it was a really funny fun experience, you know. So did they land on you or anything? They did all the time.

SPEAKER_01 11:25

All the time.

SPEAKER_03 11:26

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 11:29

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_03 11:30

I mean, that's so great. And we, you know, we were sitting there and we were watching, and there were a couple times where I was like, Did you know that about bees? And he was like, No. And he was saying, Did you know that about and I mean serious? And what's great about it is you learn about them, but it's not preachy, it's not like obvious that they're you know, like you're trying to teach someone, it's just it just flowed so beautifully throughout the film.

SPEAKER_01 11:49

So both of you the same. Yeah, it was so funny.

SPEAKER_03 11:54

Yeah, yeah. We were the smoke thing too. I didn't know that either, that that calmed them down.

SPEAKER_00 12:00

Yeah, I think there's a great um documentary um on Disney Plus. It's like The Secret of Bees. It's produced by James Cameron. They built these tiny little cameras and they put them right in the hive so you can go life cycle. Uh, it's such an emotional film. You get really attached to these like four main character bees that you follow through the documentary. I don't know how they're tracking them, but it's it's incredible. Oh, it's so cool. It's really, really moving. And uh so I highly recommend it because it's just so fantastic.

SPEAKER_03 12:30

Yeah, we'll definitely have to check that out. It piqued our interest now.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

I know because we have a couple. I mean, we live in a farm area and you know they they have beehives or yeah, and we were sitting out on the porch one day, and all of a sudden it got like this big huge shadow, and uh the swarm of bees came down and then just went right back up. It's it freaked me out.

SPEAKER_02 12:55

Yeah, a little bit. I was like, in the house, but we were calm, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:59

But yeah, but then they just disappeared. But yeah, we got a bunch of them around here. So every once in a while we'll see little little creatures.

SPEAKER_03 13:07

Little creatures and very important. Yeah, very important. Yeah.

Oh Little Christmas Market Story Setup

SPEAKER_03 13:11

All right, so let's get into Oh Little Christmas Market. Yeah, yeah. It will premiere on the Hallmark channel on Saturday, July 11th, and stars Catherine Burrell and Stephen Huzar. Give us a brief overview of what it's about and what made you want to come on board as executive producer.

SPEAKER_00 13:28

Yeah, I was I I was previously at a company um called Vortex, where I was I was a kind of an in-house producer. I was the head of production. And so I I got the opportunity to do so many projects, you know, while I was there. Um a lot, which you you you beautifully uh said in my intro, like Christmas Island and and and take me back for Christmas, they were all done under the same same production company while I was there. And and Oh Little Christmas, uh Oh Little Christmas Market was one of those ones that we shot there. Um and so it was it was a fantastic movie. It's it's it's uh it's really heartwarming. It has a beautiful, you know, designed Christmas market. Um it's kind of these two kind of strangers who kind of meet at a train station and kind of their their paths are destined to kind of cross again. Um and they're both kind of uh representing two sides of what this Christmas market means to the community, and so they have to kind of you know work together or agree to disagree on uh on what the outcome should be. And Kat Burrell and Stephen Hussar are both just incredible performers, and so great. They bring such you know amazing depth to the character, and and it's a huge ensemble cast of of uh of fun characters, so it's it really brings the whole town together when when you get to kind of see how the story unfolds.

SPEAKER_03 14:48

And I mean, an iconic Christmas market, you can't go wrong with that. It's the trot that I mean, but it works, you know. Everybody loves a Christmas market. Come on.

SPEAKER_00 14:57

Her name is Sarah Lang, and she's she's incredible, and she she really built this this very elaborate market, you know, and it it just photographs so well on on camera.

SPEAKER_01 15:07

So so how did you make sure a little Christmas market delivered all the you know the familiar holiday movie magic that audience uh know and love?

Serving Fans Without Playing It Safe

SPEAKER_00 15:20

Yeah. I think I as I was saying earlier, I'm I'm so tremendously passionate about this genre. And being a Star Wars fan and being like a Marvel fan and just you know, really being a fan, um, you know, what I think is is incredible is that the fandom really is an active community, just like in Star Wars, right? And I think that what's amazing about the TV movie genre is that the fans are so passionate about what they like and what they want to see, right? And I think that when you become a fan, there's such authenticity into kind of leaning into that. You know, I think there's things that are supposed to happen in these movies, and they're supposed to happen in a in a way that feels familiar, yet elevated and new. I you know, I think that these films to me and and how my wife and I approach them are pseudo fantasies where we wish we lived in this world. You know, we wish that we had a mayor that knew our name and said hello, and we wish we went to a Christmas market, that the whole town came and you said, Hey, look, it's the the guy that runs the shoe store. You know, I think it creates a world where you know it's a it's a marketing intern, but she lives in like a $1.2 million brownstone in New York. And why? Because it's just like Friends, the TV show. It's it's this world that has this amazing texture and feeling where everything is is pretty great. And when we're making these movies, when I'm directing these movies, when I'm producing these movies, that is such at the forefront to deliver, you know. I think I want to to create a space, you know, on both on the set so actors and the crew can can perform as well, but for for the audience to kind of feel that they're being honored as fans in in the film. I think that there's so a few movies that I've seen that kind of stray too far in in too many directions or try to do too many things. You know what I mean? I I think that films can be elevated and have a you know a very different plot, but still kind of honor the the twinkle lights, the emotional feel, you know, the the that weight of that all is lost moment and really kind of feeling that the stakes are are real, you know.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

Right.

SPEAKER_00 17:54

I think of movies in in in sort of two different ways, you know. I think of them as destination movies and journey movies, you know. I think that for uh like a traditional, you know, we'll say Star Wars, that's a that's a destination movie. We want to get to the end and we want to see that the world has been saved, you know. I think with with with TV Christmas movies and with TV romance movies, that they're kind of journey movies, as much as we sort of know the destination, right? So they're probably gonna get together and share a beautiful kiss, probably in front of a very lovely Christmas tree. So we want to know how they get there, right? Right journey and that fun and that excitement and that will they, won't they? That has to all feel real, building towards that that end. And so I I approach these movies with with such care. I feel like a like an honorary guardian of the genre where I just want to deliver exactly what the fans want because I think that I'm a I'm a big fan too. And my wife and I watch these movies and we dive in and we say, Wow, that one, I wish that I came up with that. Or I or that industry is, you know what I mean? And and I'm always taking something away from from another film that you know premieres on Hallmark or Lifetime or things like that. So I really approach it with with just wanting to create a world very much like me in Star Wars. I want the lineup down the block, but instead it's the lineup to get snacks before the movie starts in your in your kitchen or living room. So I really approach it that way.

SPEAKER_03 19:30

That's um uh it's so interesting to hear you say that because so many of your movies, you can the authenticity totally comes through. Thanks that that you're a fan, and I mean, it just as a side note, take me back for Christmas. I mean, I can't watch that without tearing up, you know. As someone, you know, we've both lost our moms, and just it's such a beautiful film, you know, and and you just feel like her talking to her mom for the last time before she goes back.

SPEAKER_01 19:58

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 19:59

Yes. I will say that the the even while we were filming, it was it was you know, uh it was a quiet, it was a quiet set, you know, and me as a person who has read the script and has was there when the scene was shot, I watched it when it aired and it still got me, you know? And I'm like, I know it's coming. I know it's yeah, you know, you know how it and it's but it's I think that it's it it it was it was handled, you know, with with such which you know we wanted to present it with such grace. Yes, yes, an authentic conversation, but obviously still have have some have some warm feeling, you know, that that it's building towards at the end of that film. So yeah, I'm so glad you both enjoyed it.

SPEAKER_01 20:40

Well that's yeah, that's probably one of my favorite scenes so far in a Hallmark movie. Yeah, it would it that when their tears started coming down? I mean, oh give that girl an award because she reminiscent she delivered.

SPEAKER_03 20:58

Okay. Sorry to sidetrack a little bit. We had to throw that in there, but yeah, but your movies are definitely genuine. I mean, we can feel we as viewers can feel that in the movies that you're involved with for sure. Um, what particular scene, location, or moment in Oh Little Christmas Market during production really captured the spirit of the movie for you?

SPEAKER_00 21:19

Yeah, like it's hard to not say the Christmas market because Right, right. Well, that's you know, at the beginning of the movie, there's kind of this train station scene. Um, and we got to shoot, it's now a ballroom, uh, you know, it's like an event space now, but it used to be this like 1900s train station. Oh we kind of flipped it back to periods. That's cool. Very high ceilings and like a little old school ticket booth and things like that. And so we some of the old aesthetic was there. We kind of built around it. There's like a 30 foot Christmas tree, and that's kind of how the movie kicks off. So, you know, not to say the Christmas market, Christmas market obviously, is a clear front runner a standalone, a standalone. Train station's pretty amazing, you know.

SPEAKER_03 22:02

Yeah, and is that is that where the meat cute happens?

SPEAKER_00 22:04

That's where they they kind of meet.

SPEAKER_03 22:06

They kind of okay, or maybe they've known each other. Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:10

Oh my goodness. All

Snowbound For The Holidays Premise

SPEAKER_01 22:12

right. Well, let's move on to Snowbound for the holidays, which you directed. So let's talk about um it premieres on the Hallmark channel on Saturday, July 18th and stars Vanessa Lynjis and Marcus Rosner. Tell us the premise behind Snowboum for the holidays and what made you want to direct it.

SPEAKER_00 22:32

Yeah. Um, well, the the film follows um Marcus' character who runs a family resort, a ski resort that's um, you know, really going through some kind of troubled times. Um, Vanessa plays a person who kind of runs uh different hotels and things, and her mom and the original kind of owner of the ski lodge have some history together. And Vanessa kind of comes to assess the property to kind of see what value, because ultimately the ski lodge will most likely have to be sold. So Vanessa kind of comes in to kind of help get an understanding as they kind of start off on on kind of different thoughts about how the ski lodge should be handled. I think um, you know, they start to uh see eye to eye and and kind of understand that there's something really special here that uh that they want to unpack together. So really cute, kind of more a very fun kind of uh pacing movie for sure.

SPEAKER_03 23:25

Oh, cool.

SPEAKER_00 23:26

Yeah, I'm looking I'm looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_03 23:28

I am too. I am too. Um, what was your vision for the overall look and feel of the film? Yeah, I and how did you bring it to life?

SPEAKER_00 23:37

Yeah, for sure. I got the the the amazing, you know, um fortunate time to shoot um the movie during winter.

Real Winter Locations And Practical Magic

SPEAKER_00 23:45

Oh and so a lot of these movies are filmed in the summer. Um, and um, but shooting winter for winter uh opens up the world because um sometimes you can only dress um like a section of the street, uh and not everything has Christmas lights when you're filming in August, you know. Right. And so when we shot it in northern Ontario in northern Canada, where very snowy already, but we also shot it in in February. And so we had real snow, real snowflakes. We got to do the tubing and the skiing ultra real and all practically done on actual ski lifts, and there's no green screen, and everything was done very practically. And and I love um texture in a movie, very much like we were talking about Be My Love. Um, so we shot it on a real ski hill. We went to a real winter resort. Um, we shot all those things very practically. There's a scene where they light off these kind of wish lanterns. Um, we did all that practically. We lit the lanterns for real, and we all have to go into the sky, and we we kind of all did that. I find that you know, these movies have such great texture when you lean into them, you know, and so we really wanted to do everything for real um and and do kind of in-camera tricks and things like that, but really kind of accomplish all those things practically versus using um, you know, green screen or yeah, right, volume walls or things like that. All the snow in our movie is real. Oh, that's so cool. Kind of see them um, you know, where they walk on the snow and it really kind of crunches instead of like a blanket, right? Right. They they go on the ski lift, we're filming on the actual ski lift while it's in motion. And so really wanted to bring a lot of fun to it, you know. I really wanted it to be um, you know, kind of a kind of a fun winter, wintery movie, you know, and so trying to achieve those elements. We shot in February, so we shot in a small town called Mattawa, Ontario, and we very politely asked the town to leave their Christmas decorations up and for us. Um and so the town left the decorations up.

SPEAKER_03 25:50

Oh my gosh, that's so great.

SPEAKER_00 25:52

We're shooting the cafes and and the walk and talks and things like that. That is how the town is actually dressed for Christmas, leaning into that kind of you know, authenticity of the space and things like that, and and being respectful from where we're seeing that that's a community right there.

SPEAKER_03 26:08

Yeah, that's so cool.

SPEAKER_00 26:09

Up there when we shot the movie, we all did some of us at the lodge, um, and others in you know, small cabins or things. And so I think there was probably around 60 of us who kind of lived in and around that and and stayed there for you know a month or five weeks and stuff like that. And we all it was like summer camp, but in winter, and we all kind of got to shoot the movie together and stuff. So it was lots of fun.

SPEAKER_03 26:32

That is so cool. I mean, as a director, is that that's sort of a dream to be able to shoot in the elements, even though it adds different challenges, you know.

SPEAKER_00 26:42

I've ever been on ever.

SPEAKER_03 26:44

Oh, how cool. That is so cool.

SPEAKER_00 26:46

But um, but everyone was really, you know, positive and really into it. And uh we we felt it was a very immersive experience because on weekends you'd go to town, there's two restaurants. So probably gonna, depending on which restaurant you go to, you're gonna bump into 50% of the crew.

SPEAKER_03 27:03

Of the crew, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:05

Um, because there's only two. Yeah, you know, and uh so a lot of the crew and things, you know, when they went skiing on the weekends and things like that. So it was a really like tight-knit, tight-knit group while we were filming, you know. Oh fun.

SPEAKER_01 27:18

Yeah, so it's cool. So what did uh Vanessa and Marcus each bring to their roles and how did they help shape the story?

SPEAKER_00 27:26

Yeah,

Cast Chemistry And Emotional Payoffs

SPEAKER_00 27:27

I'm I'm such a big fan of both of their bodies of work to begin with. I got in to work with Marcus on on flipping for Christmas. I've worked with Vanessa a handful of times. Uh, I think this would be my fourth. So I I knew I knew the the uh you know what they could bring and and that they're just so talented, both of them. And and so what what it's really great is Vanessa plays great fish out of water uh energy. Um and so it's like grounded chaos sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 28:00

That's a good that's a good way to put it.

SPEAKER_00 28:02

Yes, and uh where you know I feel like her her inner child really comes out and plays and and she can she really has some fun facial expressions and you know Marcus, you know, kind of and the character calls for it, but uh, you know, is is is you know a little bit more serious of a character. And so when you kind of have those two types of uh of people together, you know, based on the role and stuff like that, it really sparks fly because they they start off as a bit of an odd couple where they're kind of prioritizing different things. And so they really kind of build this uh very organic, kind of fun chemistry. And I think because a lot of the things that they're doing throughout the film are very, very physical, they get to have like a lot of fun when they're debogging together and you know, building this Christmas tree and things together, and uh, and so they they bring they bring a lot of warmth and and you know, a a good touch of uh comedic timing, but in their own way, you know, a little bit more um upbeat and one's a little bit more dry humor, but but the humor's there for both, for sure.

SPEAKER_03 29:03

Oh, we're here for both, yeah. We love some dry humor too.

SPEAKER_00 29:07

Yeah, that uh they really play off each other. Um so it's it was really fun to fun to kind of uh witness that, you know.

SPEAKER_03 29:15

Yeah, yeah. And you know, you saying that about Vanessa. I I can't remember if we talked about this in our preview um podcast about uh this movie because we had just watched Take Me Back for Christmas again recently, just her exuberance and her facial expressions, and and we we mentioned that, like like what you were just saying. She's so great, like she gets so excited and so you know.

SPEAKER_00 29:37

It's fun because she almost like catches herself. She's like, but I'm cool. It's yeah, brings it back down, so it's a lot of fun, you know.

SPEAKER_03 29:48

Oh gosh. All right. So looking back at Oh Little Christmas Barket, what are you most proud of and what do you think will resonate most with audiences? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:57

It's it's really uh the movie's really about like a sense of community. I think that that that movie is really about you know coming together and and and kind of working together as a team. You know, I I hope people take away that, you know, I think again, as I mentioned, that these movies are are a bit of a fantasy. And I think that with this film, it really shows the texture of the community and how everyone kind of plays like a very important part. And I think that, you know, much like filmmaking, if you just take out one one little section, it doesn't really operate the same way, you know. Right. I think that uh I think it's it's it's really beautifully done how this how the story kind of unfolds, you know. So cool.

unknown 30:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 30:37

Looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_01 30:39

I know it's it's uh those are the actual two that I'm gonna go forward to.

SPEAKER_03 30:43

So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:46

You know, I've always since the 80s, and and she can and Amy catches me now, is m back in the 80s. I used to walk to the kitchen, and my mom would be watching a Hallmark movie, and I would just stop, and then like 15-20 minutes would go by. Yeah, and and I still do that to this day.

SPEAKER_03 31:05

He does that now, and I'm like, come on, we gotta go, we gotta go. And we love the rom coms, but we gotta go.

SPEAKER_01 31:10

You know, you talked about the community, and it's interesting because it is an escape sometimes, just to sit and watch an hour and some change of a movie.

SPEAKER_00 31:21

Yeah, I think these movies are so I so beautiful because I think that they can be amazing escapism. I'll say that I'm not a big skier or snowboarder myself. Me either. Um I I I fell off a ski lift when I was when I was a teenager. Um, obviously, okay, but uh wasn't a great field trip for me. Um, and so to to take on a to take on a um a skiing snowboarding movie was you know a a big stretch, you know. So that that those types of movies where people are going off and skiing, they're a big fantasy to me, because you definitely won't see me doing it. Yeah, I think what you mentioned about kind of take me back is I I think that you can you can have uh real conversations with the genre too. I think it's not just you know kind of fantasy, but it can kind of be a little bit of an escapism and also um be very personal. And and uh, you know, it can be it can be both, you know what I mean? And and that's why I think these movies mean so much and why the audience is very similar to Marvel, you know. We know Spider-Man's gonna win at the end, right? Spider-Man be Spider-Man, it's exciting and it's fun, and we get to go on this journey with him. And and uh I think that this this this genre is is no different than those, you know, where you get you get both realities, you get a touching story, you can also have a bit of escapism as well.

SPEAKER_01 32:46

Yeah, it is true. And I am we did our review not too long ago, and I said, I'm not a skier, so you'll see me in the lodge drinking some wine and talking to people. That's me.

SPEAKER_00 32:56

That'll be me too. I'll be there.

SPEAKER_03 32:58

And me too, me three, me three. We'll have to catch up with you in the lodge.

SPEAKER_01 33:03

All right. So when audience uh when audiences finish snowbound uh for the holidays, what do you hope stays with them along after the credits roll? And what are you most excited for them to experience?

SPEAKER_00 33:16

Yeah, I um I'll start off with what I'm excited for them to experience is that the the scene with with the lanterns is uh is a huge, a huge fan favorite of mine. Um it it took so much to put it in together in the movie, and uh there were so many tests uh to have it done, and it just turned out so beautiful. And it is such a powerful scene in the film, and the supporting characters really help bring that scene to life. And so I I really hope that that audiences enjoy that scene as much as we loved putting it together, and it it required so many moving pieces, and we're just so proud that we were able to pull that off. And you know, I think with this film particularly, you know, more so than some of the, you know, like you know, maybe like um Oh Little Christmas Market. This film, I I I hope everyone has a lot of fun with it because we have a lot of fun activities and and with the the energy of the movie it is very forward-facing, you know. I would say it's you know, kind of similar in the sense of like Christmas charade, where they're kind of going on this this kind of journey together and uh and really kind of getting to interact with kind of winter activities and uh and and kind of move it forward. So would love audiences just to have to have fun with that one, you know. I think it's uh I think it's a really fun movie. And I think Marcus and Vanessa and the entire supporting cast, they really, really bring it home, you know. And uh there's uh a little girl character, and her her real name is um Skywalker Hughes. Oh is amazing. She is uh a scene stealer, she is now one of the leads of the the reboot of Little Uh Little House on the Prairie.

SPEAKER_03 34:57

Oh, is she? I've seen her name recently. Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 35:00

She shot after after this, and uh, me being a big Star Wars fan, Skywalker definitely that's her real name. And uh definitely definitely an amazing uh amazing addition to the cast, and and she's so phenomenal.

SPEAKER_01 35:14

She's so I'm assuming her parents are Star Wars fans too.

SPEAKER_00 35:17

They are, but supposedly it didn't have a lot to do with the actual naming of it. But oh wow, I I don't know. I'm Star Wars fans, though. You know what I mean? That is so the casting director was joking when we were doing callbacks, and they were just like, Chris, it's a her real name. You gotta, you gotta.

SPEAKER_03 35:35

I was like, Oh right, they're they're not razzing you, right?

SPEAKER_00 35:39

You know, but she she obviously got the part completely on merit and had nothing to do with her amazing name, but uh, she she's such a talent and has this this real fun kind of like pre-teenage sass that uh that really adds a fun dynamic to the movie, you know. Wow, yeah. I'm looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_03 35:57

Now you've talked about um how you really enjoy the genre, the rom-com, the romance. Uh,

Favorite Rom Coms And Dream Locations

SPEAKER_03 36:04

what is your favorite rom com outside of like the Hallmark lifetime? Do you have a favorite?

SPEAKER_00 36:09

It's it's it's love actually.

SPEAKER_03 36:11

Oh gosh, yes.

SPEAKER_00 36:13

It's by like it's by like three panels. I watch it every year. We go and see it in theaters. Um, we've seen it for my birthday a few times, like in theaters. Um, it's oh my goodness. I could watch it every year. I know all the words, and yeah, I still feel like I I find new little things when I watch it, but uh oh, without a doubt. Like you it's not even a question.

SPEAKER_03 36:38

Not even not even close. I know it's so great. That's on our must-watch list every year. Every year as our like holiday movies, yeah, for sure, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 36:46

The list keeps getting bigger and bigger.

SPEAKER_03 36:48

Pardon?

SPEAKER_01 36:49

I said that our list gets bigger and bigger every year.

SPEAKER_00 36:51

Oh, yeah. You gotta kind of swap out. You say, okay, well, we'll watch it next year. Next year, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:58

Now you kind of alluded to this a little earlier, but if you could step into one of the characters from one of your films and live their life, who would you choose? Wow. And why? Other than I guess maybe Aaron from Be My Love, because he ends up with Anne. But you know. That one aside, that one aside.

SPEAKER_00 37:18

Um, Andrew Walker's character in in Christmas Island, I I think. Oh, yes. We shot that uh I'm Canadian, and and a lot of these movies that we shoot here are in Canada. And right a lot of them don't take place in Canada, obviously, they they take place in the US. And so can't uh Christmas Island was the first Hallmark movie to take place like in Canada proper. Um the lighthouse. And so that that was really meaningful for me as a producer to kind of make that. And uh Andrew Walker's Canadian as well, and uh, and so it was really great. And uh we got to go to a lot of these very touristy areas um for um when we were shooting Christmas Island. Christmas Island is a real place in Canada, though it's we we didn't shoot it on Christmas Island, that is a real place in Canada.

SPEAKER_03 38:04

Oh, that's so cool!

SPEAKER_00 38:05

We kind of recreated um Christmas Island by using other popular places in Nova Scotia. And so that lobster trap Christmas tree in the film is the real lobster trap Christmas tree puts out every year. Um we borrowed it from the heritage site. Um it does honor um people who have passed at sea by hanging a boy with their name on it. All that lore comes from that region of Canada, and so all that is authentic. And um, and so for him to be this kind of air traffic controller and kind of this small fishing town that we all really we spent the whole summer there filming in this fishing town, and and so I think that I would step into his and and live in that little fishing.

SPEAKER_03 38:47

Live in that's so cool.

SPEAKER_01 38:50

Yeah, that would that was that was a different take on it. I I really enjoyed that one too.

SPEAKER_03 38:56

Yes, yes, I think it's very nice.

SPEAKER_01 38:58

So so if if you could shoot anywhere in the world, what would you like to do a movie?

SPEAKER_00 39:05

Wow, you know, my wife's Romanian, and I got to I got to uh visit Romania. Uh I actually proposed uh in in Romania, and uh I I went back to the she immigrated over here when she was 11. And so uh I got to take her back to that area where she spent her childhood and uh it had these amazing see there's a movie right there. There's a movie right there. I know there is it's so like you know, now it's it's starting to get a little bit more modernized with Starbucks' here and there, but it's so untouched, it's like like a painting where the the stone, the the cobble street stone and the the everything's you know from the 1800s, it hasn't really changed much. You know what I mean? And so there's these stone castles in the background and and that's cool. So I think to do something, you know, there's a lot of you know, royal movies, you know, and there's yes, yes. Um so I think something something in Romania I think would be would be so meaningful. And uh that the castle and architecture just really speaks to the genre about having kind of a kind of a princess type prince movie, so that could be fun for sure.

SPEAKER_03 40:14

That would be so great.

SPEAKER_00 40:15

Yeah, and you would star in it along.

SPEAKER_01 40:19

All right. So do you have any traditions, rituals, or even superstitions before filming begins?

Music Rituals And Creative References

SPEAKER_00 40:28

Oh, it's a good question. Um, not that I would say, you know, per se, but I'm I'm uh I'm a very like person I love to unwind, you know what I mean, especially after a day, even though days are are very long. You know, I'm a big, I'm a big music fan. I'm I I still buy vinyl and I I have headphones and various, you know, not oddly not having headphones on tonight is very bizarre for me. But I I I use music as as kind of a way to you know to get excited or to get kind of focused in or to to kind of find maybe that that emotional moment on set. So I'm consistently kind of listening to kind of different tracks and things like that when I'm when I'm when I'm directing or when I'm producing, or even when I send a script to someone, I'll say, listen to these couple songs before reading it to kind of set the things like that. So I try to incorporate a lot of uh a lot of music and and and really kind of do a big deep dive, even when um when we're producing, and I I I joke that I I may add sometimes too much music, but I like it. And I like it being um, you know, having that kind of emotional weight, you know, and so big, big music fan. And uh, and so I would say that would be part of the part of the process for sure, is is and I always try to find um you know three comps of of of movies that feel like this movie, you know, whether they're TV movies or not, just something that you know feels authentic and and feels kind of has maybe some some different tones or vibes and stuff like that, and kind of encourage the the courage the team to watch those films as well. So yeah, stuff like that for sure.

SPEAKER_01 42:06

Oh wow, that is so cool. So what's what's your favorite uh band?

SPEAKER_00 42:13

Wow, we'd have to do a whole other episode on mood and day and it just depends. My favorite artist is uh is uh is uh kind of a Canadian poet named Leonard Cohen. I would say that he was my he's my favorite. I'm a huge Neil Diamond fan. Oh um, you know, I really like Pino bands like Led Zeppelin and things like that. But I can just I can just my wife and I are seeing Jack Johnson tomorrow.

SPEAKER_03 42:38

Uh oh, cool.

SPEAKER_00 42:40

And um and so we like just all all sorts of all sorts of music, you know. So wow.

SPEAKER_01 42:45

That's so cool.

Advice For A Long Film Career

SPEAKER_01 42:46

All right, so finally, if you could go back in time and give your younger self one piece of advice at the very beginning of your career, what would it be?

unknown 42:56

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 42:58

These are some heavy-heading questions.

SPEAKER_03 43:02

Well, I would tell you, he kept saying, Oh, I want to ask this one. He kept giving me to add to the list. And I was like, Okay, these are his, these are telling it.

SPEAKER_00 43:10

I think I I think you know, it to to remind myself that it's it's it's such a journey, you know. It it's it's it's it's it's not a destination in the sense. I think as a filmmaker, as an artist, you know, especially with the the media and social media, is like everybody is expected to be like Dula Lipe and have like 10 million followers, and that's that's success. You know what I mean? I think being more and more comfortable with with the artist that you are and the artist that you want to be. Um, you know, I really want to create uh an environment where everyone gets the bee themselves and and and and you know, we do everybody has ideas, whether you're the production assistant or the director, and create this safe space for um people to create art, you know, whether it's you know, Christmas movies or or any other type of art really, you know. And uh so I would just tell myself that it's a it's a journey. And I think that, you know, as much journeys, there's tremendous highs and lows of of uh being an artist, you know, but I think that that's part of the journey and that's the the journey you're on. So I think that, you know, I started doing live events, you know, before getting into movies and then, you know, was a camera operator and I did lighting and I moved up to a production manager and then a producer. And and so I've been in the the you know the the technical world for such a long time. And so I would just you know tell myself to be easy on myself, you know, and just uh just enjoy the journey, you know?

SPEAKER_01 44:39

Well that's so cool because you've learned it from the ground up.

SPEAKER_00 44:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 44:43

And and you understand each position. That's but that's that's really cool.

SPEAKER_00 44:47

Thank you. Thanks. It's been it's been a fun, fun ride. Yeah because I know nowadays kids are like I want the top now and you're like Yeah you know I had it and it's it's it's just it's it just goes back to a a a saying that I always you know you don't know what you don't know. And I think you know right people get so excited about what they do know you know and which but they also aren't aware that they don't know this other thing yet. And that's why they say you know to be a to be a craftsman you've got to do it for 10 000 hours you know and so that doesn't happen over like a long weekend of of making movies it happens over you know a long period of time of of of contributing in different roles. You know what I mean I will often even though I'm producing and even though I'm worried about budgets and overtime and you know deliverables I'm still like on set like tweaking a Christmas tree like in the back because I like this I'm painting some sort of sign you know I always find myself being like oh this could use a wreath on this door so it it's just it's just a fun fun way to work you know that's

Holiday Rapid Fire And Final Picks

SPEAKER_00 45:54

cool.

SPEAKER_03 45:54

Yeah they say love what you do and you'll never work a day in your life right yeah all right so we like to end with some rapid fire questions if you're game and they are holiday themed.

SPEAKER_00 46:07

All right here we go eggnog yes please or ooh no way yes eggnog yes yes yeah same and we like it with a little bit of rum in it but there you go there you go a little bale's a little bit there you go real tree or artificial tree I would say real tree but unfortunately I have an artificial tree so you know I have two trees though one is more traditionally dressed and the other one is all like superheroes and baseball and more of a fun tree. So that's cool. Even though they're not uh they're not real trees that is the preference um but um but yes I have two are they pre-lit they are pre-lit trees as well um so I lose points again but I will lose points unpacked for snowbound um when we're in the head offices they're fake trees and when we're at Linden Lodge we got all real Christmas trees oh we're gonna have to look for the difference between like plastic and real as transitions back to this little cottage.

SPEAKER_01 47:10

So fun little fun little that is fun little back there you go well I mean we like real trees in theory I always had a real one growing up so did so did we yeah I lived in a family where he went on the side of the highway and cut it down.

SPEAKER_00 47:26

There you go.

SPEAKER_01 47:26

And then when you woke up in the morning there were bugs all over the place.

SPEAKER_00 47:30

Oh boy well I remember when my parents moved out of our family home there's still scratches on the roof where the where the tree would fall and it would scrape.

SPEAKER_01 47:40

It's like a Christmas vacation. Yeah it's I'm sure it came with the house classic Christmas carol or modern holiday pop songs?

SPEAKER_00 47:50

Classic Christmas carols for sure. Classic yeah all right white lights or colored lights? I'm white lights. I'm white lights I we do we have again our more traditional tree is white lights and our fun tree is colored lights. So we can use both kind of ones but white lights have this kind of the this glow you know bulbs that uh that are that are like you know colored but they're like the actual old bulbs you know for 99s I think they are those are like great they had a great look for them you know all right um open presents on Christmas Eve or wait till Christmas morning.

SPEAKER_03 48:28

Christmas morning yeah we're saying even though our kids really want to open them sometimes Christmas Eve they beg us.

SPEAKER_00 48:37

Half the sun is the wait yeah yeah you gotta go to bed and you know Santa's gotta come um ugly Christmas sweater wear it or quietly judge it wear it and my one of my wife and I's first date was we went to uh like a like a themed Christmas party and I didn't have any fun Christmas party but I really wanted to like impress her and I'm meeting all of her friends and so I took like a train to this like novelty store um so far away from the party and I bought a full Christmas suit that has a everything suspenders everything race back was like late to like meet her and she was like is this you know we're just we've gone on like a couple dates and I was like look I I went like full out and I'm expecting like everyone else is gonna go like full out you know I was like 10 times overdressed like oh my gosh everyone like a red sweater you know what I mean and I was like head to toe I did win the costume competition obviously but I love I love like if it's like you know I dress up as Santa when we shoot in the winter uh and I I come as Chris Kringle uh to set and to hand out candy canes and things so I I can't say no to a good dress up you know do you still have the suit? I still have the suit you still have a suit now I have more than one suit and I have multiple sweaters and ties and and a lot of fun Christmas dress up for sure. Wow that is so cool. All right last one Star Wars or Star Trek Star Wars no no question there awesome that's so awesome throw that one in there huh just see if he could trick you up a little bit buddy well do you have any upcoming projects that you can tease or you can mention yeah nothing I would say nothing that I can talk about yet though that you know my my wife and I are are really excited to to to do another project post be my love now that it's now that it's out and we're we're super excited to be you know working on something together and and you know hopefully go into camera with that again soon.

What Is Next And Where To Follow

SPEAKER_00 50:52

But uh but really excited for um for for our little christmas tree and for for snowbound for the holidays to come out and you know it it felt like they were shot you know it felt like a while ago you know even though you know it's it's not that long ago but it's really great for them to uh to finally be coming out uh for audiences to be to be seeing them in such a short period of time yeah we're gonna see them very soon and we're very excited yeah we're very excited and thank you both for having me on and and and getting me to to kind of chat about both films it's been a long oh yes it's cool so where can our listeners find you on social media yeah or websites I'm uh Instagram at at christopher underscore jerux uh also precious metal has a has a Instagram as well and uh and we have a website and things like that about where we'll be posting kind of where we're gonna be and events and things like that coming up and stuff. So yeah those are the best ways.

SPEAKER_03 51:44

All right well this was so much fun Christopher thank you so much for joining us thank you thanks for having me until next time cheers