Another interview with Brian Bird (Creator, Writer, and Producer of When Calls the Heart)

            It's been two years since Hallmark Channel's original series When Calls the Heart first aired on January 11, 2014. It only seems like it was yesterday. In season one we see that Elizabeth is this new teacher who comes to work in this coal mining town where most of the kids that she has to teach lost their fathers. She has to learn different things that she is not used to since she is from a rich family. Elizabeth learns to adjust and really gets to know the people in town while falling in love. In season 2 we get to see her really come into her own and see where she came from and how her Mountie lover Jack Thornton adjust to her home life as he is not familiar with it all. Plus Coal Valley gets a new name called Hope Valley since there is no mining anymore.
             If you are passionate fan of the show you are called a heartie. We are the reason When Calls the Heart has been going on for two years already.  Season three premiere aired on December 26, 2015 as a movie called New Year's Wish which is all about celebrating new years and what will bring for the people of Hope Valley. I interviewed Brian Bird about season 1 and season 2 but now I got another chance to interview him about season 3.

1. The Hearties are so glad to have a season three. How did you go about finding a train for Hope Valley?

It’s actually a period (vintage) train from the late 1800s that is based about five miles away from the Jamestown Movie Ranch where our Hope Valley set is located. We knew it was there in the first season, but the story-telling never required it.  We are hoping to film there again in future seasons if, Lord willing, the Heartie-Nation helps us achieve them!

2. Which character this season will surprise us the most?

           

I think it’s safe to say that all of the main characters, including Jack, 

Elizabeth, Abigail and Bill Avery – which we clearly realize most When Calls the Heart fans love – will be very “active” in all episodes in season three.  I think the most surprising character, however, will be Pastor Frank Hogan. 

3. Through out season three will we see more of Hope Valley than any other seasons before?

Well, it would be hard to see more of Hope Valley then we saw in Season 1 considering that we filmed all 12 episodes there.   However, I think the Hearties will be very pleased with just how much time and story-telling take place in Hope Valley in Season 3.  In fact, all 10 episodes are based there.

4. In season 2 Lee said he would build Rosemary a theater. Will we ever get to see the theater?  

Yes, we will see Rosemary’s theater, but it won’t exactly be the theater Rosemary had in mind.  If I were to tell you anything more about it, though, the Spoiler Police would roll up on me.

5. Will we ever see Elizabeth owning her own home?

I would have to plead the 5^th Amendment on this particular question on the grounds that I might incriminate myself. Let me put it this way, Elizabeth, technically, will not own her own home.

6. I hear that Lori Loughlin is one of the producers on the show. Has she always been one for the show? 

Lori joined our team of producers in season two. She has so much experience in television and film that it was a no-brainer for us to have her involved in the show on a higher level. She’s tremendously gifted in her production skills, but she is also a wonderful story-teller in her own right. I suppose working on a thousand episodes of TV or so will do that for you.

7. We see the story line for the orphan boy and his sister. How did that storyline come about?

Actually it’s good timing for you to ask. Lori Loughlin pitched us that storyline at the end of Season 1, and while it didn’t fit Season 2’s story-arcs, we were thrilled to be able to build it in Season 3.

8. Will we see any Hearties as the extras?

In Season 3, there were only a small handful of Hearties as extras.  The reason for that are the requests for on-set visits quadrupled after Season 2, and there was just no way to accommodate them all, so we had to begin saying no to most of the requests.  However, it was that demand which got us thinking about hosting the Hearties Family Reunion in January, and that event satisfied a lot of the Hearties who wanted to visit Hope Valley and spend some time with our actors and visiting our sets.    

9. Will we see more of the styles from season 1 this season?

I think in Season 3 the audience will see a good hybrid between both the first two seasons.  Because we listened to the audience and decided to set most of the story-telling back in Hope Valley in Season 3, I think the fans will also be happy with the evolution of the hairstyles and makeup.  While we are not going back to the dirt and coal dust of Season 1, I think there is a bit more modesty in Hope Valley these days.

10. I have read many comments in the past about some of the hearties not being Christian and them thinking this show is for Christians because of some bible references. Can you comment on that?

It’s a fair question.  I think the best way I can answer that is that, as a Christian myself, I’m not interested in pounding people over the head with my beliefs.  But I do believe there are many great lessons and virtues out of the Bible that people of all faiths can, and do benefit from.  In fact, most of the great virtues of Western Civilization are right out of the Bible, such as honesty, integrity, compassion, courage, commitment, standing up for what’s right and against what’s wrong.  And most faiths adhere to some version of “the golden rule,” so my hope for WCTH is that it appeals to all people who are seeking God.  And I just think it’s good for our culture to have an alternative to zombies, vampires, werewolves, crystal meth dealers and dead body shows on TV 24 hours a day.  Hope and faith and family are good thing.

11. Has any fan come up to you and said I am learning from the show or the advice from the show helped me?

Yes, in fact, I get notes and messages every week from Hearties and fans who don’t know they are Hearties yet, testifying about how much the show means to them.  How it has given them hope, or helped them overcome depression, or comforted them after the loss of a loved one, or even given them a family activity they can now do together (watching TV as a family) that doesn’t exist anywhere on the dial.  It’s very moving and humbling for us to know this is happening.

12. In a video with Dan and Erin they said you are the sweetest person on set.  Who do you think is the sweetest on set?

That puts me in a very difficult position because I love all of these cast-and crew-members for many and various reasons.  I think the best way to answer this question is that all of them live out one or more of the attributes we find in “the love chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13, which you may know we quoted in the “New Years’ Wish” two-hour special:  “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.”

I want to once again thank Brian Bird for allowing me to interview him and for giving us a look into season 3.

To read my other interviews with Brian click here: Interview 1    Interview 2
To find out more about When Calls the Heart Click Here
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