We have great news for When Calls the Heart fans: Season 11 will move forward with filming while a majority of Hallmark productions are stopped. Why is When Calls the Heart allowed to film amid the SAG-AFTRA strike? We have the answer below.
When Calls the Heart is Hallmark Channel’s drama series following Elizabeth Thatcher, a young teacher accustomed to her high-society life who receives her first classroom assignment in Coal Valley (now named Hope Valley), a small coal-mining town in western Canada where life is simple but not without its challenges. The show, which premiered in July 2014, is based on Janette Oke’s novel of the same title from her Canadian West book series.
Starring Erin Krakow as Elizabeth Thatcher, When Calls the Heart was Hallmark Channel’s first original scripted series. Season 9 was watched by more than 8.6 million viewers and ranked number one as the most-watched original scripted series on ad-supported cable networks. The anticipated 10th season will premiere on Sunday, July 30, 2023, at 9 p.m. on the Hallmark Channel. Ahead of Season 10, Krakow opened up about the brand-new episodes to Entertainment Tonight in July 2023.
“Season 10 is packed. We are truly leveling up the When Calls the Heart experience,” the actress, who is also an executive producer, said. “We are bringing in lots of exciting guest stars. We don’t know if they are good guys or bad guys. We have family visits, we have musical episodes – not a true musical episode, but there is music. There’s some singing. There’s a tourist destination – this hot springs in town. There’s a lot of romance. There’s a new baby. It’s a momentous season, as it should be in season 10.”
Hallmark projects ceased production when the national board of the Hollywood actors’ union SAG-AFTRA approved to strike on July 13, 2023. The union represents 160,000 television and movie actors. During the strike, actors are not allowed to work union jobs, promote their respective films and shows, attend press junkets, premieres and more. The actors’ strike comes two months after the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) began striking on May 2, 2023. The demands requested by the actors and writers are similar: They want better compensation for TV shows and movies, increased residual payments for their work on streaming services and regulations on artificial intelligence.
So, why is When Calls the Heart Season 11 allowed to film during the Hollywood strikes while other projects can’t? Keep scrolling to find out.
Why is When Calls the Heart allowed to film amid the SAG-AFTRA strike?
Why is When Calls the Heart allowed to film amid the SAG-AFTRA strike? Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart is allowed to move forward with production after being awarded “an interim agreement by SAG-AFTRA,” our sister site Deadline reported on July 24, 2023.
When Calls the Heart is one of several 68 TV and film projects to have the interim agreement from the actors’ guild. Others include The Chosen, Tehran, The Summer Book, Mother Mary and more. According to Deadline, SAG-AFTRA’s interim agreements program allows independent productions with no direct ties to members of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the governing body SAG-AFTRA is negotiating with, to continue filming.
The actors’ union further expanded on the qualifications for the program on its website. “With respect to non-AMPTP, independently produced content that comes within the scope of a strike order, SAG-AFTRA anticipates offering an ‘Interim Agreement’ that would allow such productions to continue working during a strike provided that the producer agrees to abide by the terms that SAG-AFTRA is seeking from the AMPTP,” SAG-AFTRA wrote. “In that case, the ‘Interim Agreement’ would largely be conformed to the AMPTP agreement on a going-forward basis once the membership ratifies successor agreements with the AMPTP.” Projects can apply for an interim agreement on their website. Read the full list of SAG-AFTRA-approved projects here.
As for other Hallmark film and TV projects, When Calls the Heart is currently the only one awarded with the interim agreement – although more could be added in the future. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more.
When Calls the Heart is available to stream on Hallmark Movies Now.
Check out our photo gallery below of the best gifts for When Calls the Heart fans.
Read More: Why Is When Calls the Heart Allowed to Film Amid SAG, Writers Strike? Interim