Numerous movies and TV shows have been filmed in our province, and many Albertans contribute to making each production shot here special.
Behind these big shows are local talents like Paul Healy, an Alberta-based set decorator whose work transforms scripts into fully realized worlds.
Healy has been a part of many popular TV shows and blockbuster movies filmed here in Alberta, such as The Last of Us, Fargo, Interstellar, and a new movie being filmed, Reminders of Him.
Over his 37-year career, Healy has worked on more than 100 projects and has been nominated for multiple Emmy Awards.
“I’ve been fortunate to be nominated five times, and in all honesty, the first time was really exciting, the second time was unbelievable, and then after that… you just almost can’t believe it,” Healy said when talking with Daily Hive.
He was the set decorator for most of Season 1 of the widely popular HBO series The Last of Us, bringing character and life to episodes 3, 5, and 6, to name a few.
With such a storied body of work, Healy says one of his favourite sets comes from the series Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock.
“We built a Gorg castle, and it was just really fun, really challenging… and we won an Emmy for it as well.”
Alberta is full of stunning scenery, but when asked about his favourite location, Healy singled out Fortress Mountain in Kananaskis as his top pick.
“It’s one of the only places in the world where you can literally drive to the top of a mountain and make a movie. We were there for Inception, The Claim, and The Last of Us season two… The views are amazing, and it’s hard to believe that you’re working.”
While Alberta’s film industry is getting more attention, Healy says the landscape has seriously shifted through this decade alone.
“It’s a global market now. So I just think in the last couple of years, things have changed so dramatically that we’re not competing with another province anymore, we’re competing with the entire world.”
Healy’s career shows that success in film isn’t limited to Hollywood; it can happen anywhere, even in Alberta.
“I was able to get five Emmy nominations, and I live in a small town in Alberta, so that’s pretty amazing, if you ask me.”
If you want to learn more about Healy’s work, you can view his IMDb page here.
