Season 3 of Arrow begins this upcoming week. After 2 roller coaster season finales, its going to be interesting to see how the people of Starling City can be traumatized even more in season 3.

I caught up with the cast of Arrow shooting some scenes in the first week of their schedule. There was a couple scenes I saw that day which included a little Olicity time, as well as the new Chief Of Police Quentin Lance talking to media while his daughter & Oliver looked on. But this isnt about those scenes.

There was a night shoot that day. I wasnt expecting to see much of it, and frankly, after seeing what my photos looked like (I kept a couple REALLY  crappy ones in there so you get an idea what 85% of my night shots tend to be), I should have went home early.

I stuck it out and manage to catch very small glimpses of some scenes shot on the roof of the Plaza Of Nations that entailed the stunt team as well as cast members Stephen Amell dressed like Arrow, Caity Lotz dressed like Black Canary and Peter Stormare as the new Count Vertigo (whether any others were up there....who knows... thats all I saw from my limited vantage point).

The only undeniable things I can say for sure is, Count Vertigo and Arrow have a pretty detailed fight on the roof that saw their stunt people partake in. As well, some VERY close up shots of Stephen. Lastly a short scene of Black Canary (Lotz/her stunt person?) coming in and swinging her staff around at seemingly nothing.

From where I was, about 250 ft away and another 30 ft below, there was not a lot I could see, and with the exception of the rare time I saw both the actors and their doubles within my line of view, I could only assume who was doing which scenes 1/2 the time with the exception of the fight scene which clearly looked like the stunt team, and the close up which was clearly Stephen.
 
So, here is the 1st night shoot shots I got this year from Arrow. I didnt label the photos specific since theres not a lot of them I am certain who it is in the photos. Some are Stephen, Caity and Peter, some are Simon Burnett, Atlin Mitchell and the stunt man for Peter.

Arrow debuts Wednesday October 8, 2014 on The CW in the U.S. and on CTV in Canada. 

Over the 1st two seasons of "Arrow" (on the CW in the U.S. and on CTV in Canada) I have managed to catch up to the cast quite a few times, in quite a few scenarios. On set, airports, hotels, even a couple cast get togethers. As a whole, the cast has been pretty great with the regulars in town.

I have also gained quite a few photos from those encounters from times that I just, for whatever reasons, never blogged about. They somehow fell thru the cracks of larger posts at the time, or simply I didn't feel there was enough to do a post on at the time.... so here they are. My unseen pics of the past 2 years.

Firstly, the star of the show. Stephen Amell.

This past season I ran into him quite a few times, seemed for awhile he was at every location I ever went to. So these off set interactions with him might have fallen by the wayside easily enough from late this past season.

Each time, he stopped for me and the others there, and happily signed for us. Hes been a class act here, glad they cast someone who was not just physically capable of the role, but also a good guy with the public off set.

Also, if you don't already... you really should follow his Facebook Page, he is easily 1 of the more engaging & entertaining celeb son FB, and his memes he re-posts from the public are usually pretty good. Hes honestly 1 of the very few things I even go on facebook to see anymore.

Below are pics from an encounter during "Family Day" (a fake holiday B.C. invented for an extra weekend off) & 1 pic from running into him at the end of the season... as well as the WORST photo with ever (my fault...didn't gtell the guard something my camera was going to do) that I got on the set the night they filmed the tunnel scene for the finale. I am definitely gonna have to get that re-done in season 3.

Stephen Amell Official twitter profile

In season 1, I found the Arrow set just a couple blocks from my house. UNFORTUNATELY, it was 1 of the hardest rains I can ever remember me enduring at a set and was all in doors. But I was determined since I really wanted to see the man who would play Count Vertigo, again, Seth Gabel.

I had met Seth many times on the set of another show he did here "Fringe" (a couple of these pics are from then btw... I just had never used them so thought, may as well now).

I caught up with Seth, and he had 2 out of country fans there to meet him too. He stopped even in the torrential downpour to talk to them, and signed for me & my buddy. I joked with him how less than a block away was 1 of the last places I saw him when he filmed Fringe.  He told me he remembered it and when he was coming into work that day he passed it & instantly remembered what he shot there.

An added bonus that day was my 1st ever time seeing Detective Quentin Lance in person, Paul Blackthorne nearly snuck by me because I was looking the other way...but I caught him just long enough to snap off 1 pic. he then signed a couple autographs for my buddy across the street. Since then, I have seen Paul many times. Always been a great guy. Nowhere near as abrasive as Quentin is.

Seth Gabel Official Twitter Profile

Paul Blackthorne Official Facebook page
Paul Blackthorne Official Twitter profile

When Arrow originally cast the pilot of the show, they probably had not even thought of who would play Felicity Smoak. Little did they know a year later she would be the most popular female character on the show & essentially the lead female on the show.

Emily Bett Rickards got cast in the role that is now a staple of every episode. I've caught up with her many times, and shes always been really friendly with us.

Here is 1 such encounter from last May 2013 that I never managed to find time to post.

Emily Bett Rickards Official Twitter Profile

In season 2, the writers of Arrow decided to bring back the Sara Lance character.

However, they wanted someone with a background that was capable of doing physically challenging scenes. So they re-cast her.

In came relative unknown Caity Lotz. The woman who would eventually become "The Canary" (writers clearly wanting to keep the BLACK Canary title for the person they said was going to be it) became a mainstay throughout the season. I managed to catch up to her a few times early on, including this encounter as she was leaving town for Christmas break.

Caity Lotz Official Twitter Profile

In the final week of filming, I managed to catch up to 2 Arrow baddies.

1st up was the man who plays the seemingly unkillable Malcolm Merlyn. John Barrowman arrived in Vancouver to shoot his finale scenes, and I managed to get him at the airport. In true John Barrowman fashion, he gave me a couple wild poses as he came out the door to go to his vehicle. Hes always looking to leave a lasting impression on the fans.

The next day, I caught up to Deathstroke. Manu Bennett did a TV interview to promote an event he was going to be at.

I managed to catch up to Slade Wilson on his way out of the interview, and he happily signed for me, as well, told me quite candidly that it might be quite awhile, if ever, before we see Slade/Deathstroke again as nothing was guaranteed for his return in season 3. I told him the writers always find a way to bring people back, he seemed less certain.

Fingers crossed the Arrow writers find a reason to have him back sooner, rather than later.

John Barrowman Official Facebook page
John Barrowman Official Twitter profile

Manu Bennett Official Facebook Page
Manu Bennett Official Twitter profile

IF I don't get too sidetracked (which happens often unfortunately) I might write my review & opinions on season 2 of Arrow in my new TV episodes, seasons & series review blog I made (so far only has 1 whole entry...kinda slacked off on that). So you can possibly see that soon.

Arrow will start filming season 3 in Vancouver in July.

Arrow Official Facebook Page
Arrow Official Twitter Profile

Here is a video of Caity Lotz & Paul Blackthorne shooting the scene from episode 205 "League Of Assassins" where Sara lets her father Quentin Lance, know she is still alive.

THIS BLOG POST CONTAINS MINOR & MAJOR SPOILERS FOR "ARROW" EPISODE 205. If you do not want to know anything prior to the episode airing, do not read the article or view the photos below.

A couple months ago I photographed "The Black Canary" on set. At the time, I had no clue who it was. As it turned out, it was the stunt double for the recently cast new Sarah Lance (who btw looks NOTHING like Jacqueline Macinnes Wood.. the original Sarah Lance), Caity Lotz.

Finally, on a late end of August night, I saw Caity Lotz in person filming... and what a scene I stumbled onto. On this particular night, I managed to find Ms. Lotz filming scenes with Paul Blackthorne (Quentin Lance, Sarahs father). The scene? Sarah lets her father know shes alive!

It took  place on a quiet street in the Downtown Eastside mere feet from where I saw Supernatural filming scenes a few weeks  earlier. This time, as Starling City. A scene for episode 205 titled "League Of Assassins" the scene has Quentin walking to his car, seeming pleased with himself over something, till he realizes someones coming up behind him. He slyly slides his gun out & quickly turns around, gun drawn & points it at the person. As the mysterious person comes from the dark street into view, the shocked Quentin Lance sees a face that he cant & immediately, doesn't believe. Its his daughter, Sarah. She motions to him & closes in on him, eventually getting close enough to put her hand on his gun & push his hand down. After Quentin accepts who it is, a large emotion filled hug takes place between the two, and you can hear Quentin mutter "your mother was right".

A little later, another set of scenes was done. This time, Caity was off for the rest of the night. It was now Felicty Smoak doing scenes with Quentin Lance, as Emily Bett Rickards showed up to film scenes. Emily & Paul did scenes where Felicity stands on a street corner waiting for Quentin to return home from a shift. As he approaches, she rushes up to him & eagerly tries to get his attention about a matter that she says has his life in jeopardy.  I couldn't hear all the details, but she brings up Malcolm Merlyn in the conversation. It ends with Quentin closing the door on Ms. Smoak & her speaking at him thru the door "so I guess you aren't leaving town?". What can the mysterious trouble for Quentin be?

I saw some details for their next day of work, and I can say... its either confusing me to no end, or really interesting how they are playing it. All I will say is, it includes Oliver & Sarah at the Queen Mansion being attacked by... someone (not gonna say who) & the scene takes place prior to the scene where Sarah talks to her dad photographed below.

Apologies to anyone who feels ripped off that these FREE photos are sometimes grainy/blurry. I do this with a $500 camera, not a $5000 camera remember.

Arrow returns on The CW for season 2, October 9, 2013.