Getting Ready for Season 11

GETTING READY FOR SEASON 11

 Posted on Apr 20, 2017

The spring waiting period has passed and the production office opened two days ago for Heartland season 11. There will be a three week prep, followed by the first day of filming on Tuesday, May 9th.

I have been conducting a countdown to May 9th (that's in 19 short days) on Twitter where starting on that day there will be a series of production tweets, bearing the hashtag #HLinProd. For you avid fans this will be your best insight into what the new season is going to bring. That is, besides reading the faithful Thursday BW Blog (which you are doing right now).

Now, everyone is being somewhat secretive, but I was able to get some information to get us (us being those fans who want as much info as possible about season 11) started.

Episode 1101 has a working title of "Baby on Board."

The premiere episode was written by Heather Conkie and will contain a few surprises.

Speaking of surprises, the director for the first two episodes (Heartland is filmed in 15-day blocks which cover two episodes) is none other than Grant Harvey, who last directed episodes 715 and 716 ("Smoke 'n' Mirrors" and "The comeback Kid"). Grant has directed seventeen (17, count 'em) episodes between 2009 and 2014 and he is excited to be back helming the first two episodes of the new season. An Albertan for many years, Grant has moved to Toronto but fortunately the timing works well for him to return to Heartland.

I don't have a title for the second episode yet. I hope to have that for you next week. However, I can tell you it was written by Mark Haroun. Heather and Mark have written the first and second episodes of the past two seasons, so we can expect season 11 to get off to a great start.

Now if I don't have a title of episode 1102 you know I am not likely to have the titles of episodes 1103 and 1104. But I do know that these two episodes, which comprise the second block of season 11, will be directed by Eleanore Lindo, who last directed block 8 of season 10.

So that's what I have for you this week, as far as the new season goes, other than to tell you filming will run on weekdays through the first week of December.

A couple of other items I have for you, because we get asked these... a lot.

Q: When is season 9 getting added to Netflix in the United States?
A: Netflix received permission to add seasons 8 and 9 on April 1. They have added season 8, but are delaying season 9 until what they feel is a better time. I have no idea when that is; your best bet is to ask Netfix.

Q: When is season 10 getting added to Netflix in Canada?
A: It will be in a few months time. As soon as I have a firm date I will let you know. In the meanwhile you can always watch all of season 10 on the CBC Player, which you will find by clicking on 'episodes' at the top of this page.

Q: When is season 10 coming out on DVD in Canada.
A: Heartland's DVD releases coincide with the new season's premiere broadcast, so epect both to occur near the end of September or the beginning of October. As soon as I have a firm date I will let everyone know.

Q: When is season 10 being broadcast in the United States.
A: It starts THIS SUNDAY (April 23) on UP. The network has moved their broadcast to Sunday and will broadcast with the following pattern -

• Sunday, April 23: Episode 918, followed by episodes 1001 and 1002
• Sunday, April 30: Episode 1002, followed by episode 1003
• Sunday, May 7: Episode 1003, followed by episode 1004

So every week will see a new episode of season 10, following a repeat of the previous week's new episode. This I know will make a lot of Heartland's American fans pleased.

I'll leave you with five pairs of photos. The first of each pair is a unit still from an early season 10 episode. The second in each pair is a production shot taken during the set up or filming of the same scene. At the top of this page you'll see Lou and Mitch (Michelle Morgan and Kevin McGarry) riding in the woods. The next photo below shows where the camera and crew was when that top photo was being filmed.

With the other four pairs of photos it is pretty clear what is going on, for at least one of the actors is in both the unit still and the production still.

If you like these I will put up more of them in future blogs.

So that's it for me as I sign off now. I'll be back, like clockwork next week with more season 11 news and more photographs. Until then I remain, as always, obediently yours.