Movie to begin filming in town this Monday
After months of preparation and a formal audition at Capalano?s, filming is set to begin Monday for the movie ?Tenebrous.?
The film, directed by Joel Bender (?Karla,? ?Jennifer is Dead?), has been in intense pre-production for the last three months. Producer Phil Melfi, who is a Warren County resident, has maintained a hectic pace as the shooting date has crept closer.
?It?s been amazing from the perspective of people in town helping us out,? said Melfi. ?I?m excited and I?m numb from all the calls and all the work. We still have a few more things to finish up before Monday but we?ll be ready.?
With actor Brad Thornton established as the male lead, Melfi is announcing Francesca Cecil as the female lead. She plays the role of Sara Belmont, the beautiful hometown librarian with a secret past.
Cecil is a Yale graduate who double majored in political science and Theater. She was voted Yale?s Most Beautiful Thespian in The Yale Rumpus 2004.
The technical hurdles required for filming ?Tenebrous? have been overcome with the generous help and understanding of McMinnville officials. One such hurdle was ensuring the safety of everybody on the crew as well as the townspeople.
?We will be blocking off Main Street downtown for the library scenes for the camera operator?s safety and we will try to get out of everyone?s way as soon as possible,? said Devin Watson, the film?s writer. ?This is a big task that you can?t do alone, and we?ll be thanking people for many months to come after filming is done.?
Melfi wants to extend very special thanks to Frank and Joy Mitchell of Mitchell?s Automotive for allowing the film crew to use their home for key scenes in the movie.
Producers have said shooting for ?Tenebrous? will take 18 days. Downtown McMinnville will be one site, but several rural settings have also been selected.
In addition to Thornton, other notable stars in ?Tenebrous? are Costas and Louis Mandylor.