The University of British Columbia proved a rich hunting ground for finding General Alder.
On my previous visit, I went to the University to see some of the filming sites. You can read about the previous visit here: https://returntofortsalem.com/2023/10/14/vancouver-pilgrimage-meeting-alder/
I got very close. I got into the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, but was not able to get through the locked door to the performance spaces. This year was different. Not only was I able to get into the performance spaces, but I was also able to visit additional filming locations at the university.
The first time we get to meet General Alder is when she addresses the new recruits in the opening episode of Motherland. This was filmed in the Chan Shun Concert Hall at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1
This time I was allowed into the auditorium and given permission to take photos. This is what the auditorium looks like, from the recruits’ point of view.
But Alder stood on that stage, surrounded by the Biddies. Naturally, I got permission to go on the stage and take a photo from Alder’s point of view.
There is another performance space at the Chan Centre that was used to film Motherland. This was at the Telos Studio Theatre.
There are two major scenes from the pilot episode filmed here. The first one is the units doing vocal training, where they are all deployed around the towers, until Raelle slips out and meets Scylla for the first time.
The second one is when Raelle decides to join in fully and the Unit creates their remarkable harmonics.
The theatre has a series of movable towers that can be moved to create different performance spaces. The way it was set up when we visited was almost the way it was set up when Motherland filmed there.
The fact that the towers are movable gave a lot of flexibility in the use of the space. We saw this in the harmonics exercise, where all the main action took place in the middle of the floor, but had space for Anacostia and her other trainers to stand out of the way and monitor what was going on. The chairs can be removed too, so the performers (soldiers) can stand at the various tiers.
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