The unscripted Canadian TV series Jade Fever follows the Bunce family and their jade mining business in northern BC. Now going into their second season, the cast of the show said they’re not only proud to shed light on their industry through the series, but they were also surprisingly pleased by the friendships they’ve formed with the crew from Discovery Canada.
The entire cast sat down for an early-morning chat about what’s to come in Season 2, how they feel about the portrayal of their business on TV, and what it’s like being recognized at Costco (for some of them).
CraveOnline: So what can viewers expect for Season 2 of Jade Fever?
Claudia Bunce: It shows our family and friends in the business and the industry – we have our family dynamic that is even bigger than us out there mining.
Have you found yourselves being recognized more now that you’re on television?
Robin Bunce: The odd person recognizes us on the street, but it’s more when you go into public places, like Costco or the airport. We really did this show to promote the area and industry, and I know it’s not always comfortable for fans to come up to us, so we try to make it a great experience.
And have you gotten used to having the camera crew around?
Robin: Oh yeah. The hardest part is waking them up, so they actually get up – half our day is done by the time they get up!
Joshua: That’s been the best part for me – getting to know the people and everybody involved. I’m a pretty introverted person and don’t find a lot of people I like to hang out with, but one of the best parts has been the process of making the series as opposed to actually seeing ourselves on television.
Guy: No one recognizes me (rest of crew laughs).
Claudia: Fans always ask Guy to hold the camera and take the pics!
Do you feel like the show is a fair representation of your job?
Claudia: We told them they could come in, and we would leave it open to them to follow us and represent us. We had to trust someone with our lives, and they get as much as you can get into 12 episodes of 22 minutes. This season there are 16 episodes. The longer we go, the more people will learn about our industry, but we’re thrilled with the crew, and we’re really happy with the show.
