A very merry spring
Movie filming has it looking a lot like Christmas in Chester
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Candace Cameron Bure, an actress in “Moonlight and Mistletoe,” a movie being shot in Chester, and a former star of the television series Full House (second from right) encourages local schoolchildren to run during the shooting of the film at the town green on Friday. Vyto Starinskas / Rutland Herald |
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By Josh O'Gorman Herald Staff - Published: May 31, 2008
Don't be fooled by the warm temperatures, people wearing shorts or the flowers in full bloom — for the next two weeks every day is Christmas.
The Hallmark Channel has taken over the town green and surrounding businesses, transforming the bed and breakfasts and storefronts into "Santaville" as they film the made-for-television movie "Moonlight and Mistletoe."
The film is being produced by Rutland-based Edgewood Studios.
The film tells the story of the aptly named Nick — played by actor Tom Arnold — who operates a Christmas theme park that is threatened by a real estate developer.
His daughter, Holly, played by Candace Cameron Bure, who starred in the 1980s sitcom Full House, returns to help her father keep the park and in doing so rediscovers the true meaning of Christmas.
On Friday, 200 extras stood on the town green, holding their winter coats as they waited to appear in the film.
Production staff sprayed pine trees with white foam to simulate snow and rolled out white snow blankets on the ground, all in an effort to convince the viewer that late spring is actually winter.
"We wanted to film this winter, but with the writers' strike we had to wait until the script was completed," explained Sheri Goldberg, director of network program publicity for the Hallmark Channel.
Goldberg said director Karen Arthur has a home in Vermont and suggested the location.
"We wanted the ambiance of a small town so we came to Vermont," Goldberg said, noting that in the film the town would be called Chester.
"Christmas is a big deal for us at Hallmark, so every year we look for Christmas movies," said Barbara Fisher, senior vice president of original programming for the Hallmark Channel.
Fisher said her channel makes between 25 and 30 original movies a year and will mostly likely make no fewer than four Christmas movies this year alone.
"We love the father-daughter relationship and we love the idea of going back to a simpler time," Fisher said of "Moonlight and Mistletoe." Fisher said that the film would most likely air the week before Christmas.
Shooting began Tuesday, with most of filming done inside. About a week ago, Vermont Casting Director Sandra Gartner put out an open casting call for extras who wished to appear in the film, and by Friday afternoon about 200 people had answered the call.
Gartner said she is still looking for extras for another crowd shot at 7 a.m. Monday. Those who are interested can call her at 353-0001.
On Friday afternoon, extras sweated in their winter clothes as they walked back and forth in front of the Fullerton Inn — transformed for the filming by a two-story Santa Claus façade — and the Country Shoppe next door, which bore an enormous banner that read "Toys."
When the crowd shots were completed, the extras quickly peeled off their hats, jackets and mittens and cooled off with water and ice cream cones.
Helen Gordon of Andover was one of the extras, as were her son, Raymond Gordon, 13, and daughter, Tiffany Gordon, 8.
"I think boredom is starting to set in," Helen Gordon said, gesturing to her daughter. "We do the same movements over and over and we don't know when they're filming."
Gordon said her daughter was taken in by the town's transformation.
"This all looks really real to her," Gordon said. "She wants to stop and talk to the elves and go in the toy store."
Raymond Gordon, his hair wet with sweat as he took off his winter hat, was thrilled to be on film.
"When my mom told me I could be in a movie I jumped on it," Raymond said. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
The film has been an opportunity for aspiring actors and a boon for local businesses, said Sunday Gregg with the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce.
"The inns are hosting the staff and they're buying things in the local restaurants and they're buying extras prop needs at the local hardware store," Gregg said. "I talked to some people visiting town and they got to be extras and they were so thrilled. It's a win win win situation for the town of Chester. It's good for the town, good for the businesses and good for the people visiting the Okemo Valley."
Two of those visitors were Allison Crockett and Ashley Steele, both 11 years old and visiting from Wolcott, Conn. Both wore matching red dresses and appeared to be featured prominently in the crowd shots.
"I want to be an actress because it's lots of fun," Allison said.
Contact Josh O'Gorman at josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com.
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