#TMISetDay20 report from @Shadowhunting

Wow! What a way to begin my week, I tell you. It was quite an adventure I wasn’t expecting. Actually, I wasn’t expecting much because I had been told that this week would be in studios and that basically means that you don’t have a chance to meet anyone and it was rather upsetting. I had decided to come back to Toronto this week, and not the week before, because Cassie Clare had announced that she’d be there and I really, really did want to meet the brilliant author of my beloved favourite series. So, you can imagine my disappointment when I found out that I would most likely have no chance of meeting her or seeing any other of the cast members. But I wasn’t about to give up! No way! I was in Toronto for a reason and so, no matter what, I’d go search for Cassie! And that is how my day began. I searched online, finding a studio address that I thought was the right one and we drove there. Okay so, this is really tricky because you can’t exactly tell which movie is filming where because it’s a studio and everything is mostly done inside, right? Sharon and I drove from one studio to another (they were about 5 minutes apart) and without success. That’s when I suggested we go to Casa Loma because I had a feeling we wouldn’t find the studio. It was kind of pointless at this point and besides, we did have 4 more days to find it. We were in no rush!

Casa Loma is absolutely beautiful! I had seen pictures of the exterior but I was completely breath taken when we arrived. It’s so old, so elegant, so magical and I could see exactly why they chose to film here. Of course, the exterior of the building wasn’t in the scenes they filmed here so it’s not the actual Institute but just by looking it from the outside, you know it’s gorgeous inside. The cost to visit was a little…well, let’s just say I wasn’t expecting it to cost 20$ but it was completely worth it. I wanted to see what they used to film and I was definitely pleased. The employees were so kind and told me everything about where they filmed, gave me a little idea of what they thought happened in the scenes (since they have no idea what the book is really about) and it was so cool! Basically, they filmed in a study, that they changed into a bedroom and two other actual bedrooms. I’m guessing they’d be Jace, Clary and Isabelle’s rooms since they’re the only ones we get to see in City of Bones. I have no idea which one is whose but I tried to guess. It’s not easy, I tell you. 

But the most exciting things I got to see were the 2nd floor hallway and the library. Unfortunately, the library had been changed into a sort of dining area for the crew of the currently filming new CW TV series: Beauty and the Beast but I was able to take a few pictures despite the tables. It’s a beautiful place and one of the employees told me that they had altered the place in order for it to look like a museum with monsters and stuff! Eeek! So exciting, right? So maybe the actual library or…I’m thinking more Hodge’s office, not going to lie. It’s so beautiful! I wish I could have seen the room without all the tables, food and crew members. It kind of ruined the whole magical aspect of it but that’s alright. It still got an idea of how it would look.

My favourite part of my Casa Loma tour was the hallway! It was so cool and totally not what I imagined but better! I was walking through it and I could just imagine the Simon, Clary and Jace scene happen. I could see the actors in my mind, hearing them, I was in heaven! I looked at the closed doors and grinned like crazy because I was like: this is how it’ll look. This is where Jace and Clary are going to be talking/almost kissing after the Greenhouse scene and Simon will open and interrupt them! And then I had an interior fangirl attack. It was so amazing! I actually made a Vlog for you guys, filming every bit of where they filmed so definitely check that out! It’s a little awkward because I was kind of freaking out and confused as to whose rooms they were, etc but still! 

So after this amazing visit, Sharon and I decided that we needed to check out the few studios we had in mind. Where oh where could Cassandra Clare be? That was the question on my mind. We drove and drove from studio to studio until we found it! There was the TMI sign and everything, we saw one of Lily’s doubles and knew we were at the right place! We parked in one of the parking lots, staying in the car because it was obvious that there was no way we were going to go near the crew area. We weren’t supposed to be there and I did feel really bad. I felt uncomfortable and wanted to leave but Sharon told me that I should tweet Cassie again and wait a little. Just to see what would happen. Thank God I did because not 10 minutes later, we saw Karen come from another place and waved us to come to her! Karen, by the way, is the publicist. To be honest, I was so sure she was going to tell us to leave because she was shaking her head but apparently she said something like: Unbelievable, I can’t believe you found us. And when I got to her, she told us that Cassie was about to leave and that if we came with her, we could meet her and she’d give us those cool bracelets. (On one side, it says The Mortal Instruments with Angelic Power runes on each side and on the other side, it says Toronto 2012! How cool is that?)

Anyway, my meeting with Cassie was so much fun! So exciting! I still can’t get over it. I met her in 2011, I think and I always said that she was the nicest person ever and this meeting confirmed it even more. I got a hug and she sat down and began signing Sharon and my books. We talked about me having met her at her last book signing in Toronto, how long the line had been how long it took me to get there. Then we talked about the autographs I had in my book and how I missed Jemima…and Godfrey! Hehe! I really think that she’s completely in love with him; you can totally see how much she’s excited to have him be her Magnus. Aaaah! We talked about my visit to Casa Loma and how she wanted to visit it, how she loved the places they chose to film. I’m trying not to forget about everything she said because it was an awesome conversation.

There was one bit that I loved of our conversation was when Sharon asked her how she felt about her babies coming to life. She’s really excited about it and sometimes, the things that they’re doing isn’t how she pictured but she thinks it’s awesome! She was like: “I wish I would have thought about that!” She described the whole book to movie process as painting a picture. “They can’t get into my head.” So they don’t get exactly what she meant but she’s definitely pleased about what she’s seeing, guys! YAY! Okay, so I know this is all over the place and what I said she told me isn’t always the exact words since I didn’t record them and therefore couldn’t get them 100% correct but it gives you a pretty good idea. There was more to our conversation but I thought these were the coolest bits and relevant for you guys. What I loved the most, as well, was that she assured me that I wasn’t a stalker because I did express that worry! I’m really glad that she gets that I’m passionate, that I’m not only doing this for me but for everyone that didn’t get a chance to go on set. “You know more than me!” She said about the movie, what happens on set, etc! I thought that was funny! 

My meeting with Cassie was incredible and I’m so thankful to have had this chance. This might have been my last day on set (maybe) because I don’t want to bother them anymore and it is studio filming therefore, there isn’t much we can see. When it’s on location, it’s a different story but unfortunately, I’m starting school soon and won’t be able to come back! Boo! But I’ll never regret the days I’ve spend in Toronto, they were the best ever.