Lights, camera...blizzard? Film company plans on covering Durham street with freshly fallen snow

A Sudbury-based film company is giving its hometown an early taste of winter.

Hideaway Pictures is shooting a Hallmark holiday film in downtown Sudbury, and in addition to setting up American-style props like U.S. Post boxes, they'll be covering the sidewalk and street with fake, fallen snow.

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The snow they're using is the first of its kind in Canada, said Hideaway's president David Anselmo.

"It's taken from the system that they use to fight fires...and they've adapted it to be able to make it look more like snow," Anselmo said.

And with the company's busy schedule of filming between Sudbury and North Bay Anselmo estimates they've filmed over 30 Christmasfilms in the past four or five years the producer has seen his share of snowy scenes.

"I've been experiencing winter all year round," he said. "It's been Christmas and winter wonderland for me since March. I'm looking forward to Christmas so I can get away to somewhere warm."

This snow is made in northern Ontario

The fake snow has its roots in northern Ontario.

Special effects coordinator Luke Benning said the snow is a fire suppressant used in the bush during fire season.

"Essentially we've converted it so that it's not putting out fires...but it looks on camera like snow on the ground, freshly fallen."

And in the past, where snowy scenes have meant a long, messy cleanup for crews and cities, Benning said the new material just washes away.

"It's approved by the MNR and what that means is it's okay to be in river systems and lakes," Benning said. "It's completely environmentally-friendly."