INDIAN HEAD, Sask. — A planned Saskatchewan television series is putting Indian Head in the spotlight, with its creator hoping the project will showcase the community while creating a long-term tourism draw.
The action drama, Copper Hill Road, is centred around a restored vintage service station in the southeast Saskatchewan town and is expected to begin filming its pilot episode in spring after weather delayed production plans this year.
"It's basically if The Dukes of Hazzard were filmed in 2026 and not 1978," creator, writer and director Ryan Douglas said in an interview.
Douglas said the series follows two Saskatchewan "farm boys" and car enthusiasts navigating modern-day challenges in a small-town setting. The story centres on a single father who returns home to Saskatchewan to raise his teenage daughter after spending years away.
While the pilot has yet to be filmed, Douglas said much of the groundwork is already complete, including casting and set development.
"We have most of the cast already cast," he said. "Ninety-five per cent of the cast and crew are Saskatchewan-based."
The production's main set is a former service station building dating back to 1937. Douglas said he spent the summer restoring the structure's appearance to resemble a functioning gas station once again.
"We took a building from 1937 that was a gas station and we made it look like a gas station again," he said. "That's our main set, so that's where a lot of the exterior and interior dialogue will happen in the show."
Several other Indian Head locations are also expected to appear on screen, including a local bar, coffee shop and a building being used as a police station set.
Douglas said roughly 90 per cent of the series will be filmed in and around the community.
For town officials, the project represents another opportunity to showcase Indian Head as a filming destination.
Meagan McEwen, community development officer for the Town of Indian Head, said the community has previously hosted film and television productions, including scenes from Little Mosque on the Prairie and other productions shot in the Qu'Appelle Valley area.
"The town is really excited about the potential for being a filming location, not necessarily for this show but for any show or movie," McEwen said.
She said Indian Head offers several advantages for filmmakers, including heritage buildings, scenic surroundings and proximity to the Qu'Appelle Valley.
"We have lots of nice scenery, but we also have a lot of historic buildings and heritage buildings here that are popular," she said.
McEwen added that Indian Head's restaurants, accommodations and other services make it attractive for production crews working in the region.
She said any filming activity can generate benefits for local businesses.
"Whether it's the crew that's here working or it's people coming to check it out and see what's going on, there's some economic spin-off for the businesses in town," McEwen said.
Douglas hopes the project's impact extends well beyond filming.
Drawing inspiration from the tourism appeal created by Saskatchewan-set productions such as Corner Gas, he envisions visitors being able to travel to Indian Head and experience locations featured in the series.
"We're building not just the TV show, we're building a brand here and a tourist attraction," he said.
The production has not yet secured a network partner, though Douglas said discussions are ongoing. He added that media attention from outlets across Canada has helped generate interest in the project.
If all goes according to plan, filming of the pilot will begin next spring, with Indian Head serving as the backdrop for what Douglas hopes will become Saskatchewan's next homegrown television series.
