A feature segment about float cabins and houseboats is being prepared by the Travel Channel that will include Powell Lake.
Producer Nina Giannelli and her film crew of Powderhouse Productions conducted extensive filming at Hole in the Wall, just above First Narrows, earlier this month. The production crew were guests of Powell River Books’ Wayne and Margy Lutz who live in a float cabin all four seasons. The channel expressed interest in filming the television segment about Powell Lake after discovering it on Margy Lutz’s Internet blog which highlights off-the-grid lifestyles in coastal British Columbia.
“Their initial interest was houseboats, and it was limited to those located in the [United] States where the Travel Channel is based,” said Margy. “I explained that we live in a float cabin, which is quite different from a houseboat, but the Travel Channel continued to explore a television segment that would fit. Nearly a year later, they developed a new program that would explore both houseboats and float cabins, and now it would include Canadian locations. Arrangements developed quickly after that.”
As preparations continued, the channel became interested in Wayne’s writing background, since it includes nine books about coastal BC. When the crew arrived for filming, they devoted part of their footage to that topic. “Our float cabin serves as a writer’s retreat for me,” said Wayne. “So we had some fun with that. The film crew, under Giannelli’s supervision, worked hard and played hard. We explored by boat and introduced the crew to the beauties of Powell Lake. They were enthralled with everything we showed them, and I’m sure they departed very impressed with our region.”
Giannelli explained in advance that the project would require 10 hours of interviews and filming, but Margy thought it would probably wrap up by early afternoon. “As proud as I am of where I live, I couldn’t imagine it taking that long to get the necessary footage,” she said. “After all, our float cabin isn’t very large. But from the moment they arrived, the filming was nearly continuous. In fact, the cameras were rolling all day long, and the crew needed the full 10 hours. It was very enjoyable having them as our guests.”
The tentative title for the upcoming program is “Extreme Houseboats,” now expanded to include several Canadian float cabins from Powell Lake, Yellowknife, Shuswap and Tofino. The release date for the program is still to be determined. The channel is not available locally via cable TV, but satellite television subscription services include it.
