You may not know it, but Brampton is a popular place to shoot movies and TV shows.
Members of a church in downtown Brampton discovered this year when they were approached by two different film productions trying to use the building to shoot scenes.
“Suddenly we were the taste of the month,” said the Rev. Joff Ross of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
The church became the scene of a Catholic church for the filming of “The Hot Zone: Anthrax”, where a sign was placed outside the name change.
Ross said neighbors were worried the church had sold out.
“It was a bit of fun,” Ross said, explaining that the church was later used to shoot a Netflix movie, “13: The Musical,” which will be released in February.
“We use Brampton a lot,” said Beverly Colb, the film’s location manager, explaining that some homes in downtown Brampton were designated as homes in the film and needed a church nearby.
“The characters are supposed to live in a small town,” he said, explaining that they were able to replicate that aesthetic in Brampton.
The church, with its vaulted ceilings and ample space, was also a perfect place for the film crew to gather and hold equipment during filming in Brampton.
Ross said that St. Andrew’s was also in the background of another CBC television series, “Coroner,” which was shot in Rosalea Park.
“We are very excited,” said John Collins, a parishioner at the church. “We haven’t shot there in a long time.”
The church was built in 1881, with a Gothic sanctuary that has two levels of seats and an elaborate piano of instruments.
The rows of oak stalls have elaborate wrought iron sides, which Ross said came from another church in Weston, Toronto.
He says the fees charged for filming are useful to keep up with the repairs.
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