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PBS show featuring vacation destinations films in South Shore

Griffin Rogers
griffin@tahoedailytribune.com
TV producers shoot a scene near the South Shore for an episode of the show "Getting Away Together," which airs on PBS member stations.
Keith Ainley, PineRidge Film and Television / Provided to the Tribune |

A television show about traveling with friends and family to great vacation destinations recently finished filming at the South Shore.

The show, called “Getting Away Together,” follows a group of people participating in various fun activities while on vacation. Two weeks ago, the first Lake Tahoe episode was filmed in the series, making it the show’s first “winter” episode as well.

“We found it was one of the most miracle-laden shoots ever,” said Jerry Smith, director of the show and owner of PineRidge Film and Television, the company producing it. “God shined on (South Shore) because the days we were there, there was thick snow and we nailed it in that time.”



Four Bay Area residents were selected to be the cast of the episode, but one couldn’t participate after suffering a sprained ankle a few days before filming. Twin sisters from Salt Lake City were then brought on to the project as additional cast members.

“The story line became twins invading the vacation of three other people, and if that’s the case, what would happen?” Smith said. “Well, what happened is they became like family.”



Crews began filming the episode March 24 with some scenic shots and started filming the cast two days later. They continued filming cast members over the next four days as the group participated in a number of South Shore activities.

During the episode, the vacationers went snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice-skating, gambling, skiing, snowboarding and more.

“These are young kids having fun, boogying at their ski party, skiing and screaming and having fun,” he said. “It’s a fun show to watch.”

Producers picked activities that portrayed the “essence” of what the South Shore is, and Smith thinks the episode achieved that.

“When the show is over,” he said, “we would like the locals to look at it and say, ‘They captured the essence of this place.’”

The group stayed in a 4,400-square-foot house off Pioneer Trail that included six bedrooms, four bathrooms, a hot tub and several other amenities. The home was provided by Lake Tahoe Accommodations, which also funded a portion of the show.

Jim Morris, owner of Lake Tahoe Accommodations, said the company supported the production in an effort to spread the word about Tahoe being a great vacation destination.

“They were really excited about the snow they got here,” He said of the production company. “That was the greatest thing.”

PineRidge tried to film the episode — the show’s 21st — earlier this year, but a lack of snow held up shooting. With a snowstorm having swept through the area last week, it created the winter scene producers were hoping for, Smith said.

In all, the half-hour episode took about six days to film, and Smith said he hopes to see it on the air during summer. “Getting Away Together” airs on PBS member stations.


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