Years of planning and fundraising went into the making of “Tell the World,” the biggest production ever made about the history of Adventism. It was written by H.G. Sloan and Aaron Harzler and directed by Kyle Portbury, with the aid of church historians Allan Lindsay, George Knight and James Nix as consultants.
The fully-dramatized, wide-screen feature was filmed over 42 days in both summer and winter months using 95 actors, 157 crew members and 100 extras. More than 200 scenes were filmed and the script was 170 pages long.
Amazingly, zero filming days were lost due to sickness or bad weather. When a small tornado swept through the set, the actors managed to dodge it and keep filming.
“Tell The World” was filmed in three primary locations, including a sound stage in Ottawa, the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, and Upper Canada Village just outside of Morrisburg, Ontario.
There is a high level of authenticity that you only get when people plough a field every year with 170-year-old equipment or still bake bread in an original 1840’s bakery
The series features fully operational farms and more than 40 historical buildings, including factories and mills, trade shops, businesses, churches and furnished homes.
Director Kyle Portbury said the Upper Canada Village was the perfect venue to shoot “Tell The World.” The look of the village gave an authentic mid-1800’s New England feel to the set.
Upper Canada Village is a “living village” where, to preserve historic authenticity, fields are plowed with 170-year-old equipment and an original 1840s bakery is used to bake bread.
One of over 200 scenes recorded over 42 days of filming
Actors being coached on their lines between scenes
This dramatic production seeks to show that the same message that brought disappointment to thousands, now brings hope to millions – Jesus is coming soon!
We hope you enjoy watching “Tell the World” and find it a relatable experience. If you would like to know more about the discoveries these pioneers made, please get in touch and we will be happy to guide you.
