The Nova Scotia component of the multi-million dollar television miniseries "Moby Dick" may be done, but the project is far from complete as crews now move onto Malta for several months.

 Crews will return to Nova Scotia for some brief filming early in the new year, but for the most part, local production has wrapped.

 Late in September and early October, the towns of Lunenburg and Shelburne doubled for Nantucket, Massachusetts in the miniseries, which is being directed by Mike Barker, whose most recent work includes another Nova Scotia-filmed miniseries, "Sea Wolf."

 The famous man-versus-whale story of Captain Ahab and his hunt for "the" whale was first told in the classic 1851 novel by Herman Melville.

 David MacLeod, one of the producers, previously explained that Chester-based Big Motion Pictures is connected to the Canadian elements of "Moby Dick" and they were only shooting the Nantucket exteriors in Lunenburg and Shelburne. The below-deck interiors were filmed at Seacoast Studios in Shelburne. This is the only filming that will be done in Canada, he said.

 "The tall ship playing the [whaleship] Pequod is European and didn't want to cross the Atlantic for the ocean sequences," Mr. MacLeod explained. "They also needed the Malta film tank for water-whaleboat sequences. As a result, all the rest of the film is anticipated to be shot in and around Malta."

 In its first week of production, filming took place at the Lunenburg Foundry, which was turned into the Nantucket waterfront in the late 1800s, with about 250 background performers dressed in period costumes. Filming in Lunenburg got underway on September 22.

 The impressive cast includes Academy Award-winning actor William Hurt, Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke and Emmy Award-winning actress Gillian Anderson.

 As well, Donald Sutherland, who spent much of his youth in Bridgewater, was brought on-board to play Father Mapple, the role made famous by Orson Welles in the 1956 film version.

 In addition, a long list of actors have been lined up for support roles. Among them is Nova Scotian-based actor Gary Levert who has worked extensively through the province in recent years on several movie and television projects filmed here.

 In an interview last week just after he wrapped production in Shelburne and just days before departing for Malta for the eight-week shoot, Mr. Levert expressed gratitude for being given this opportunity to work on this production.

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 "I'm so very lucky to be working on this project," he said. "Besides the outstanding cast, I get to go to Malta. It's quite an experience."

 In landing this opportunity, he explained that he had actually auditioned for another smaller role in "Moby Dick" but the director had something else in mind. In the end he was cast to play the ship's blacksmith, Perth. To prepare for the role, he spent several days training with Indian Harbour blacksmith, Gerry Levy.

 "They offered me this larger part and I said yes right away," he said. "That was very exciting. I spent several days learning how to forge a harpoon, so it was a great experience."

 Working on "Moby Dick" has been a wonderful experience he said, adding that having the chance to work with such an impressive cast is a fantastic opportunity for an actor based in Nova Scotia.

 "All the actors are so giving," he said. "It is an experience of a lifetime for an actor."

 Not that he hasn't had other opportunities. Over the years he has worked on many Nova Scotian-filmed projects, including the Tom Selleck "Jesse Stone" series, the Trudeau miniseries, "Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion," "The Pilot's Wife" and "Virginia's Run."

 "It's great to be able to live in Nova Scotia and continue to work here," said Mr. Levert adding that it is possible to pursue an acting career in this province as long as a person remains flexible and is not too picky.

 "Moby Dick" is being produced by Herbert Kloiber's Tele Munchen group and is being called the most expensive project in the German company's 40-year history. The budget is estimated at $25 million.

posted on 10/13/09