Action thriller ‘Blind Dates’ showcasing local talent to premiere in Dawson Creek

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — A homegrown action thriller with deep roots in the Peace region is premiering this month. 

Blind Dates, an original feature film written and directed by Rob Brown, which premieres on August 22nd and August 29th at the George Dawson Inn, showcases local talent from Dawson Creek and the Peace region both in front of and behind the camera.

Shot entirely in Dawson Creek, the 77-minute film delivers what Brown calls “a mix of action and comedy” with a heavy dose of 1980s-inspired style.

“I don’t want to oversell the action, it’s not Michael Bay or anything like that,” Brown joked. “But it’s grounded in reality, it’s got lots of humour and it leans into the whole 1980s [vibe].”

Brown’s 25-year career as a journalist shaped much of Blind Dates’ storytelling. 

Many of the characters, including reporters, editors and TV personalities, are inspired by real-world newsroom conversations and anecdotes.

“It’s kind of a rewrite of Yojimbo or Fistful of Dollars,” Brown explained. 

“Except this time, the Clint Eastwood-type ‘man in black’ character is the bad guy, and everyone else, a lot of them journalists, are just trying to figure out what’s going on.”

Alongside the drama, Brown promises rooftop gunfights, farmhouse shootouts and a ”mind-blowing” finale filmed inside the Dawson Creek Art Gallery.

Unlike Brown’s previous film Sukunka, where filming stretched over several years, Blind Dates came together in just six weeks. 

Shooting began in September 2024 and wrapped by early December, with most of the work happening on weekends and evenings.

“We’d shoot when people were available,” Brown said. 

“Sometimes it was just me and one cast member. Some scenes were nailed in a single take. Other times, we had to get creative: one actor plays twins, so I shot him with a beard first, then brought him back clean-shaven for a gunfight with… himself.”

The production brought together more than 20 local actors, including Paul Brent, Gary Vincent, Ryan Leawood, Grady MacTavish and Charles Kux-Kardos, plus another ten crew members behind the camera. 

Brown says the mix of experienced performers and first-timers made the project especially rewarding.

“Some roles were written specifically for people I knew would be perfect for them,” he said. 

“But we also held open casting calls and we always pick up a couple of people that have never performed before, but they just want to be involved. They get it, usually, after one or two minutes of the mechanics and stuff.”

“It’s not like theatre, either, where you have to learn long monologues. You just have to learn what you’re going to say when you’re on camera.”

Brown has spent over 25 years working across multiple creative fields, including journalism, film, theatre, music and photography. 

He has written for several publications during this time, spanning Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C.

He is also the owner and publisher of This Week in Dawson Creek and a “spiritual advisor” to the newly-owned Alaska Highway News. 

Beyond journalism, Brown has written, directed and produced seven original plays, with two more currently in final edits.

Blind Dates premieres on August 22nd and August 29th at the George Dawson Inn, with additional screenings in the works for Fort St. John and other Peace region communities. 

Fans can watch the official trailer and music video online.