‘Shifting Gears’ is a 2024 hallmark channel romantic movie directed by Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe. This film takes us to the busy streets of Motor City. Here, mechanic Jess Barro and her father Ray try hard to save their family’s car garage. They face tough competition from a big auto repair chain. Jess loves restoring old cars. When a car restoration competition is held in their town, she joins, hoping to win the prize money and save their business.
Jess is taken aback by her ex-boyfriend Luke’s appearance at the competition. Luke’s father was Ray’s business partner before being kicked out. This caused Jess to break up with Luke. The public becomes more aware of Jess and Luke’s rivalry as the competition progresses. While working on the remaining tasks, their mutual passion of classic vehicles reignites their feelings for one another. The film depicts Motor City’s dynamic culture, which is filled with classic vehicles, mechanical work, and romance. Jess and Luke must choose whether their love is strong enough to overcome their past and present challenges. The film’s distinctive setting may pique your interest in learning where it was shot.
Where was “Shifting Gears” Filmed?
‘Shifting Gears’ was filmed entirely in Ottawa, Ontario. The shooting took place in late 2023. This project is the first of the Make Her Mark women’s directing program at Hallmark. Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe, the director, shared her excitement, saying, “I have never felt more like myself than when I was on that set directing. Finding my voice and telling a story. It was pure magic for me.”
She and the cast and crew had a great time behind the scenes. For the disco skating scene in the film, some actors had to learn skating before the shoot. Actress Kristin Booth had a funny fall while skating on set, which amused everyone. Let’s look closer at the filming location used for this Hallmark movie.
Ottawa, Ontario
The production team chose Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, for the movie. Ottawa has a beautiful waterfront, grand Victorian buildings, a modern cityscape, and nearby places with a small-town feel. Ottawa is known to be a versatile filming location. For ‘Shifting Gears,’ the crew filmed outdoor scenes in quieter urban areas. These scenes include Luke riding his motorcycle and the lively car show. Most of the indoor scenes, like the skating scene, were filmed in a studio.
Ottawa is attractive to filmmakers because of its film-friendly policies, good infrastructure, and supportive local authorities. The Ottawa Film Office asked director Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe about her experience filming in their city. She replied on their LinkedIn post, “Loved shooting in Ottawa! The team in Ottawa were a beautiful group of incredibly talented people. I’m proud to have shot my first film with Hallmark there.”
Official Trailer
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Shifting Gears
Q: Where was ‘Shifting Gears’ filmed?
A: ‘Shifting Gears’ was filmed entirely in Ottawa, Ontario. This beautiful city in Canada provided the perfect backdrop for the movie with its picturesque waterfront, grand Victorian architecture, and versatile urban and small-town settings.
Q: When was ‘Shifting Gears’ filmed?
A: The filming of ‘Shifting Gears’ took place in late 2023. The production team and cast spent several weeks capturing the vibrant and lively scenes of Motor City in Ottawa.
Q: When is the release date of ‘Shifting Gears’?
A: ‘Shifting Gears’ was released on Hallmark Channel on March 23, 2024.
Q: Who directed ‘Shifting Gears’?
A: ‘Shifting Gears’ was directed by Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe. This movie marks her film directorial debut and is part of Hallmark’s Make Her Mark women’s directing program.
Q: Who are the main cast members of ‘Shifting Gears’?
A: The main cast of ‘Shifting Gears’ includes Katherine Barrell as Jess Barro, Tyler Hynes as Luke, and Kristin Booth as Teri. Other notable cast members are Ray Galletti, Joseph Claude Dubois, and Colton Royce.
