A Canadian drama called GUITAR LESSONS is about an unlikely friendship between a teenage boy and a shy rancher who meet through music. Aaron James directed and wrote the movie. Kaden Noskiye plays the young teen, and real-life musician and actor Corb Lund plays the gruff guitar teacher. With strong supporting performances by Conway Kootenay (Ernie), Roseanne Supernault (Raye), Kirsten Lankester (Monique), and Aaron James himself (Eldon), the film delivers a grounded look at identity, mentorship, and resilience.
WHEN AND WHERE WAS GUITAR LESSONS FILMED?
GUITAR LESSONS was filmed entirely on location in Alberta, Canada, in the summer of 2021. It took 18 days to shoot. Alberta’s beautiful countryside was used in the production—which brought out the beauty of the area’s nature. Small towns and ranchlands were used in the shoot to match the story’s cozy rural setting.
GUITAR LESSONS FILMING LOCATIONS IN DETAIL
HIGH LEVEL, ALBERTA
One of the main locations for the film, High Level offered an ideal small-town backdrop that reflected Kaden’s community and cultural roots. The setting helped shape the emotional tone of the film, grounding it in realism.
Director Aaron James confirmed in an interview that Guitar Lessons was filmed in High Level, Alberta, with strong involvement from the local community. “They started raising money and putting together people, introducing me to everyone in their region and within a matter of months, I’m up there shooting a little movie,” James shared.
The production took a unique, community-theatre-style approach—employing local residents both in front of and behind the camera. “We filled literally every other position with local yokels,” he said, noting that many of the cast were first-time actors discovered through regional auditions.
The crew filmed during September 2021, and post-production work was completed in Calgary. This local and grassroots-driven process added a layer of authenticity to the story’s rural Alberta setting and helped bring the small-town characters to life on screen.
MACKENZIE COUNTY, ALBERTA
The production also filmed at Lee Farms in Mackenzie County. One behind-the-scenes picture from a cold shoot day shows the wardrobe department borrowing boots, which shows how real the filming was. On set, musician Carl Blanchard could also be seen, which added to the realism of the musical scenes.
PADDLE PRAIRIE, ALBERTA
Home to a significant Métis community, Paddle Prairie’s inclusion grounds the film in Métis identity. The area’s deep cultural ties add meaning to Kaden’s search for connection through music and heritage.
BEAVER RANCH, ALBERTA
The farm-like feel of Beaver Ranch was used for some ranch scenes and wider shots. The rural setting fit with the movie’s themes of being alone and getting better.
FORT VERMILION, ALBERTA
Fort Vermilion is another vital filming location. The Instagram post from the film’s official page shows behind-the-scenes shots of the set, including props like lawn darts in Bruiser’s Pawnshop—adding both visual detail and subtle commentary, since lawn darts have been banned in Canada since 1989.
ZAMA CITY, ALBERTA
Zama City is far away and surrounded by nature. The natural quiet of this place fits with the emotional beats of the movie by letting scenes breathe with few other things going on.
COLD LAKE, ALBERTA
Even though it hasn’t been confirmed that this movie will be filmed in Cold Lake—the same team used the area to scout for future projects in a post from December 2022. It shows that Aaron James and his team are still getting ideas from Alberta.
GUITAR LESSONS OFFICIAL TRAILER
Stay tuned to netfilming.com for more updates, previews, and behind-the-scenes.
