Caitlin on her way


YTV series starts shooting second season in Calgary
By TYLER McLEOD

Calgary Sun
 
It was with no small amount of pleasure Helene White
evicted a family from their home. 

A second season of Caitlin's Way was given the
greenlight last month and a primary location for the
YTV adventure series is Tom and Rosemary Bews'
beautiful ranch west of Longview. 

"I think there was some mixed feelings, but they've
been very gracious about it," Way producer White said. 

Caitlin's Way stars Lindsay Felton as a troubled city
teen who is sent to live with distant relatives in
rural Alberta. (Or rural Montana, if you're watching
the series on the U.S. network Nickelodeon.) 

Just as viewers can see Caitlin adjusting to her new
situation Thursdays at 7:30 and 11:30 p.m. and Sundays
at 8 p.m. on U, it is apparent Felton has adjusted to
working away from her home in L.A.
 

"It was hard in the beginning, but I now have friends
here I look forward to seeing and I miss when
I'm in L.A.," the show's 15 year-old lead said. "I'm
still missing my friends there, but this has become a
second home." 

A crew of more than 85 Canadians has been making
itself at home in High River, where the majority of
Way's 26 episodes will film through November. 

"We've taken over an old RCMP building and are
creating some studio sets there," said White. 

"We have a sheriff's office in there, we set up two
school rooms and a corridor. A lot of action takes
place in the school's hallway, of course." 

Caitlin's Way has a way with action. The show has had
its stars riding horses, rapids, bikes and, in the
case of a scene shot in Calgary yesterday,
skateboards. There's more to come this winter. 

"Big and better, the kids love it," producer Jana
Veverka said. "We have a lot of action but we also
have great dramatic stories. People come back not to
see a BMX race but to see our characters involved in a
situation." 

Situations facing Caitlin Seeger and her cousin,
Griffen Lowe (Jeremy Foley), will include getting jobs
and love interests for both. 

"We touched on it last year. Dating is a part of a
teenager's life and we always try to reflect reality,"
White said. 

Veverka said the angst will be spread around the new
storylines, as well. "Griffen has always been happy
and secure, now we're going to give him an identity
crisis," she said. 

Vevenka also wants to showcase some of Caitlin Way's
peripheral performers. 

The first episode filmed this year has Caitlin
visiting the city with some of her schoolmates. 

"Which I like because the city is cool," said
Felton. "Caitlin wants to go to a photography
exhibit.... Eric (Brendan Fletcher) and Brett (Stephen
Warner) have to buy a new amp for their band." 

Calgarian Warner auditioned for a small role last
season as a favour to a friend of the family. 

"She said I'd be in it for probably about two
episodes. I ended up staying for the whole
season,"said Warner, who graduated last week from Dr.
E.P. Scarlett high school. "It's unreal. I'd love to
go places with it, but if I don't, this has been an
amazing opportunity for me." 

Caitlin's Way attracted 6.5 million viewers in the
U.S. alone when it debuted in March. Caitlin's Way
also airs in such foreign markets as Germany, Brazil
and Australia. 

"People know who I am in the States. There are little
kids who will whisper to their parents," Felton said.

She noted with a laugh: "None of them come up and talk
to me because Caitlin's not very warm and friendly." 

Still, fame does have certain benefits. Through
Nickelodeon's programs and events, Felton has met such
stars as Will Smith, 'N Sync and Shaquille O'Neal. 

Warner, 17, says he has no problems being labelled a
teen star if it means he can continue acting. "I'd
love it. One of my dreams is to walk through a mall
and have a girl ask me to sign my picture in her
magazine."