Friendly bystander saves Hollywood from typo!
Once Upon a Time I stepped up to become the hero my hometown needed, saving a major Hollywood production from a minor spelling mistake
Once upon a time there was a TV show called Once Upon a Time.
From 2011 to 2018, the sleepy fishing village I call home transformed into a bustling backlot for principal photography on ABC's hit drama. Steveston, BC was historically the busiest fishing port in the world, and though some of that maritime industry remains, it’s now known more for being a tourist destination and filming location; from big movies like Godzilla, Twilight, and Power Rangers to TV shows like The X-Files, Percy Jackson, and Tracker, and even viral videos like Twice’s Likey and the infamous sea lion girl.
While we’re used to productions coming and going, Once Upon a Time made the biggest investment in turning all of Steveston into the fictional town of Storybrooke, Maine. And it was back after the pilot got picked up that they were doing the biggest installation yet, with crews replacing every shop’s signs with ones referencing the fairy tale world the characters are from.
It’s a pretty fascinating process to watch, so our family made a habit of strolling through town to watch the magic unfold. But in the middle of taking these photos, something stood out to me…
Now my background is in graphic design, and when you cut your teeth in print, you have to develop an eagle eye for typos because there’s no undo when you’ve printed a thousand copies. I also happened to enter the industry when business cards, letterheads, and envelopes were still standard deliverables for any branding project.
Because of all these stationery sets I’ve designed over the years, I know all too well that unless this shop sells supplies that remain still and unmoving, this is the wrong stationary.
I know I wouldn’t love having to do my job with an audience, and I didn’t want to disturb these obviously hardworking folks, but I also thought someone would probably like a heads up. So I watched for a bit, picked the person who looked like they were directing things, and let them know.
The next day we came through town before filming began, and while that stray A was still visible behind the replacement letter, it was fixed enough for TV. Someone had to hustle a new letter together but they got it done in time.
Not all heroes wear capes: some wear black t-shirts and thick-rimmed glasses.
And Disney, what can I say except you’re welcome 👋
Thanks for visiting my roadside attraction on the information superhighway.
My name is Nick and I'm a product designer by day and a sticker designer by night. Over the course of my career I've cofounded three hilarious children and cried at every Pixar movie.