Varun Patel
‘Barkskins’ is a period television series by National Geographic with truly breathtaking scope. The show is set in New France, the French colony in North America during the 17th century. The series is based on a novel of the same name by Annie Proulx. The show follows a couple of indentured servants named René Sel and Charles Duquet and their descendants. The multi-generational tale is steeped in history, and powerfully presents a central theme of deforestation. The show stars Steven McCarthy, James Bloor, Marcia Gay Harden, and several others.
Where is Barkskins Filmed?
‘Barkskins’ is truly grandiose in its scope. The show manages to realize Proulx’s lyrical tale equally rhythmically. Viewers are made to feel as if they have traveled back in time to New France. The setting, obviously, plays an integral role in the story. “Mud, rain, biting insects, and the odor of willows made the first impression of New France. The second impression was of dark vast forest, inimical wilderness,” writes Proulx in the opening chapter of her novel. It is natural for viewers to wonder where the show manages to film such a poetic story.
Quebec, Canada
‘Barkskins’ is filmed in the region of Quebec, Canada. Its production value is extremely high. That is the reason the show feels extremely immersive. Have a look at the following video which goes behind-the-scenes of ‘Barkskins:’
“It’s mysterious. It’s dangerous, and that’s what I’d like my design to reflect,” says the art director, Isabelle Guay. The above video reveals what lengths the filmmakers went to, in order to nail the authenticity of the setting. The costumes were handwoven using materials from that period, for instance. Have a look at the following post shared by McCarthy. It reveals how filming was carried out in Old Quebec:
However, a majority of the filming was undertaken in the town of Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier. Have a look at the following post by McCarthy which confirms that:
The production went on with an impressive scale in the small town. This left the town’s residents quite surprised, who saw as many as 75 workers working at the same time. They were most impressed by the speed at which everything had been constructed. Moreover, the town welcomed the large-scale production due to the economic benefits that it would bring along. Apart from Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, filming was also carried out in Quebec City according to local sources. Having been filmed in “real” New France gives ‘Barkskins’ an added layer of authenticity. Have a look at some behind-the-scenes photos shared by Marcia Gay Harden below:
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