June 25: Community Loves

One of the best parts of working in any community, is that you can get a real, honest-to-goodness sense as to how supportive the people are when it comes to what you're doing. Any project, really. If you make any sort of splash at all, the community, in general, either supports you or it doesn't, and they usually tell you clearly. What I love about Fergus Falls is that the majority of individuals that reside there know how important the arts really are, and almost everyone...not just A Center for the Arts...will tell you that.

On June 25, we relied heavily on the goodwill of many of our Fergus Falls friends. First, shooting at Kennedy Secondary School was a challenge, but not because of the location. We had so many scenes to shoot, and only a few days to do it in, but the staff at Kennedy made the experience such a positive one! Jayna Johnson was so instrumental in helping us to prepare for those crazy days at the school. It was by far one of our favorite locations.

Tim Larson, DP, and Josh Overgaard ("Brandon Shaw") prep the equipment in the halls at Kennedy School in Fergus Falls. 

Coach Mitchell and his PE class.

On that particular day, we shot a few scenes outside on the football field. Because we were shooting a scene that takes place during a guys' PE class, we needed a PE teacher and a class of boys. Pastor Clay Mitchell from the Naz obliged us by not only being our PE teacher, complete with whistle, but by providing a wonderfully respectful and athletic class. To have the support of community churches, like the Naz and Stavanger Church (where we shot a few scenes earlier that week), is so important to us.

That afternoon, we headed over to Farmer's Field at De Lagoon, with permission from the Fergus Falls mayor and city council, and met up with the local American Legion summer team who provided the extras for our baseball scene. What a friendly and cooperative bunch! From the sound of it, they enjoy every opportunity to play. And even though filming a very small portion of an informal baseball game is not at all the same as actually playing one, these guys were incredibly patient and so pleasant to work with.

Fergus Falls American Legion Team 

with actors Josh Overgaard, Joe Larson, and Levi Preston.

Last, we spent the rest of the evening at Doctor Michael and Pauline Norgard's home, where all of us felt welcome and warmly invited into their space. It's a little daunting for anyone, I'm guessing, to have a production crew come into your personal home and create scenarios that don't usually exist there, but they were so accommodating and I know we made friends for life! The best part: including all of their children in the filming process. What a delight!

Luke Norgard, our stand-in loader. 

Thank you, Fergus Falls, for loving us the way you do. We'll see you June 2015!