Film crew captures ‘anytown’ vibe in Butler locale
“The Haunting of Prince Dom Pedro” is a movie about a group of high school misfits uncovering some dark mysteries, according to its cast, and it’s supposed to be set in “Anytown USA.”
The movie’s writer and producer Joe Fishel, knew his hometown of Butler had the perfect locations to represent a small town that could be anywhere in the nation. On Tuesday, June 4, Fishel and the movie’s production crew and actors shot a few scenes in Your Parent’s Basement on Main Street.
“People get the idea it’s in Western Pa., but it's supposed to be an anytown-type thing,” Fishel said. “When I wrote this script, I had a place that was kind of a hangout after school, and this is the perfect hangout after school-type place.”
Production began on the movie last year, and Fishel said its filming would be about two-thirds of the way done after the two days of work at Your Parent’s Basement. Fishel said the movie’s production involves many Western Pennsylvania natives, and has mainly been shot around the region.
The shoot Tuesday was scheduled to last throughout the day. It featured four actors and several crew members, led by the film’s director Don Swanson.
The shoot at Your Parent’s Basement was not the first time the location has been a scenic backdrop. Co-owners Jen Osborne and Ray Frenden said the building has been used for school projects and even a bachelorette party since it opened last year.
“I think we took a very strong stance with the aesthetic for the place,” Frenden said, “and because of that it lends itself to more potential uses than we would have guessed.”
The 1980s-themed tabletop board gaming, role-playing and wargaming event space has shelves stacked with board games set around the first floor, which used to be the lobby for a PNC Bank. Old television sets and furniture also populate the floor, which is lit by sunlight streaming through windows on its north side.
Osborne said the aesthetic has caught the eye of photographers and producers over the past few months.
“We try to make it homey in here,” Osborne said.
Fishel said the crew has shot at other places in Butler and the surrounding area, including Cummings Candy & Coffee on Main Street, and at Armstrong High School. He said the film is about a group of high school Latin American History class students learning to regret their decision to not fully appreciate Dom Pedro I, who was the founder and first ruler of the Empire of Brazil, often called the Liberator of Brazil.
Maddie Sclichter, an actor in the movie, said the group featured in the scenes shot Tuesday are reminiscent of the main characters from “Scooby Doo.”
“My role is kind of like the rational one,” she said. “We’ve been kind of comparing our roles to like ‘Scooby Doo’ characters, my role is the Velma of the group. She keeps everyone on track.”
Rachel O’Day, an actor in the movie, said she has been on set for about 10 days of filming. She said the production has been a good experience.
“It's been pretty steady, a few days every week or every other week,” O’Day said. “It has been very encouraging, we're all getting to form close bonds and getting to know our characters and each other.”
Fishel said he has plans to film in a few more Butler locales, so people from the area will see some familiar spots in the finished film.
“There has been hiccups and things have changed, but everything has gone smoothly so far,” Fishel said.
