Tegan and Sara Quin posted photos from the set of their new film “High School” on the official Tegan and Sara Facebook page. The series is based on the twins’ 2019 memoir by the same name and will be an Amazon original available only on Amazon Prime which can be accessed by a free 30-day trial. It is loosely inspired on the event’s of the Quin’s book, but won’t be directly based on the life of the Canadian pop duo. Tegan had the following to say about their experience creating the memoir and taking it from concept to TV show.
Tegan Quin on being on set of “High School”
Sara and I love to write. We used to physically fight over our mom’s desktop as kids. Typing late into the night we both put a lot of what we were feeling onto paper. Writing was what we did before we figured out we could make music as teenagers; and for both of us it felt natural to take all the feelings we were having and put them to music. To have the opportunity to write a memoir a few years ago about our high school lives was truly a career highlight. It was also terrifying and hard. There was fear that I wouldn’t be any good at writing; that no one would want to read it. Also, were we being too bold to think we could take on writing too? Were we going to fuck up what mattered by focusing elsewhere? And not on our music career? In the end people seemed to love it and I was genuinely relieved. Now it's going to be a TV show. And I'm grappling with my feelings about it all. I’m having trouble feeling excited. Having trouble articulating the joy. Articulating the fear. Having trouble feeling like I deserve this and speaking the spectrum of emotion I carry. Sara wrote two really beautiful posts on our Substack about her first trip to Calgary to visit the set a few months ago. She was the one that pointed out that "We struggle with vulnerability, which is a significant driver of excitement. Admitting I am happy offers the opportunity for you to make me feel the opposite." Today I am posting my response to Sara's posts, about MY first trip to Calgary when the show started and a whole lot about feelings. Which is hard. The link to the story is in Stories, or in our bio, and below! If you haven’t subscribed to our Substack I think We’re Alone now, you should! PS it’s so fucking cold in Calgary. Send warm clothes.
“High School” Production Updates
Synopsys: High School is the revelatory and unique coming-of-age story of Sara and Tegan Quin, identical twins from Calgary, Alberta, growing up in the height of grunge and rave culture in the ’90s, well before they became the celebrated musicians and global LGBTQ icons we know today. While grappling with their identity and sexuality, often alone, they also faced academic meltdown, their parents’ divorce, and the looming pressure of what might come after high school.
Written in alternating chapters from both Tegan’s point of view and Sara’s, the book is a raw account of the drugs, alcohol, love, music, and friendships they explored in their formative years. A transcendent story of first loves and first songs, it captures the tangle of discordant and parallel memories of two sisters who grew up in distinct ways even as they lived just down the hall from one another. This is the origin story of Tegan and Sara. Filming started on March 21st and is expected to wrap on June 3rd.
“High School” Production Address:
“HIGH SCHOOL”
REUNION HS PRODUCTIONS INC
240 7220 Fisher St SE
Calgary, AB T2H
Canada
STATUS: March 21 LOCATION: Calgary, Alberta
PRODUCER: Dede Gardner – Jeremy Kleiner – Tegan Quin – Sara Quin – Paddy Bickerton – Laura Kittrell – Carina Sposato
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Clea DuVall
DIRECTOR: Rebecca Asher
LP: Leslie Cowan PM: Dennis Penney APM: Meghan Westelmajer (mwestelmajer@gmail.com)
PC: Michelle Gougeon – Sam Gainer 1AD: Emily Renner Wallace
CAST: Railey Gilliland – Seazynn Gilliland – Cobie Smulders – Kyle Bornheimer
CD: Courtney Bright – Nicole Daniels – Sara Kay – Jenny Lewis – Rhonda Fisecki
Tegan and Sara on Railey and Seazynn Gilliland
Tegan and Sara shared their thoughts about working with their on-screen counterparts Railey Gilliland and Seazynn Gilliland. “Six months ago @seazyynn and @raileygilliland hadn’t acted or played guitar and now they are doing both brilliantly. They show up for twelve hour days five days a week and then come to the studio on Saturday’s to record Tegan and Sara songs without complaint (okay a few complaints). And honestly it’s so inspiring to watch. I can’t IMAGINE doing what they are doing at MY age let alone at 21. Freaking legends. I think you guys are gonna freaking love them when you see the show and get to know them. Here we are just loitering outside the studio.”
“High School” Production Studios
REUNION PACIFIC ENTERTAINMENT
#301-1720 Grant St, Vancouver, BC V5L 2Y7
604-904-5615 paddy@reunionpacific.com
PLAN B ENTERTAINMENT
846 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Building D2
Los Angeles, CA 90038 323-993-5440
AMAZON STUDIOS
9336 W. Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
310-573-2305 amazonstudioscontactus@amazon.com
Cast and Crew Representation:
Tegan and Sara are repped by WME and APA. Rebecca Asher is repped by CAA. Their contact information is as follows.
Tegan and Sara’s Talent Agent
William Morris Endeavor (WME) Entertainment
wmeagency.com
+1 310 285 9000 phone
+1 310 859 4462 fax
9601 Wilshire Blvd
8th Fl
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
USA
Tegan and Sara’s Literary Talent Agent
Agency for the Performing Arts (APA)
apa-agency.com
+1 310 888 4200 phone
10585 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
USA
Rebecca Asher’s Talent Agent
Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
caa.com
+1 424 288 2000 phone
+1 424 288 2900 fax
info@caa.com
2000 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067
USA