“The Genesis Code” working on a Grand Rapids premiere ahead of national release

Producers of the movie “The Genesis Code” that filmed around the Grand Rapids area this summer have their movie finished and are now planning the premiere.

The movie is said to be on track for a December/January release and Producer Mark VanderWal says “We are working with Loeks (Celebration! Cinema) to confirm the dates for the premiere.  We will likely be doing a two week run of engagement here in West Michigan prior to releasing TGC nationwide.”

 ”The Genesis Code” is about a college hockey player and a female journalism student trying to find common ground between their spiritual faith and scientific studies.  

Logan Bartholomew and Kelsey Sanders play the lead characters “Blake” and “Kerry”.   The cast also includes Louise Fletcher, Ernest Borgnine, Fred Thompson, Rich Franklin, Lance Henriksen, Rance Howard, Catherine Hicks, C.R. Lewis, Susan Blakely, Adam Chambers, Ben Murphy, Jerry Zandstra, Roger Garcia, and Armon York Williams.

The movie is directed by Patrick Read Johnson.

The movie shot for five weeks in August on the campus of Calvin College (at the Chapel, in classrooms, in the cafeteria, at the President’s House, at the Nursing School), at the former Lear Plant in Walker, in Lowell, the Patterson Ice Center, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, and at the Silver Bullet shooting range on Division in Wyoming.

Previous posts on “The Genesis Code”:

http://blogs.woodtv.com/2009/09/03/genesis-code-props-for-sale/

http://blogs.woodtv.com/2009/08/26/extras-needed-genesis-code/

http://blogs.woodtv.com/2009/07/30/not-just-borgnine-more-cast-for-genesis-code/

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UPDATE: Schedules shifting for three movies, production to set up shop soon

In case you missed Friday’s eightWest, the Meg Ryan movie “Sleepless Beauty” has been moved from the first of three movies to the last of three movies.  Also, movie producer Randall Emmett told me over the phone Thursday night that they’ll be back in Michigan next week to head to Lansing and the Michigan Film Office to discuss the Michigan Film incentives and get all of their paperwork going.   Emmett also tells me that he and the Director plan to set up their production office in Grand Rapids during the first week of November.

Production schedule:

“The Gun”: Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson and yet to be cast co-star
Scheduled to begin December 20th

“Jekyll and Hyde”: Forest Whitaker and ‘50 Cent’
Scheduled to begin January 17th

“Sleepless Beauty”: Meg Ryan and Ashley Tisdale
Scheduled to begin in late February

( Originally published 10/1/09)

Three more movies coming to Grand Rapids, starring Meg Ryan, Forest Whitaker, Ashley Tisdale, and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson

Producer Randall Emmett raves about making movies in Grand Rapids

Randall Emmett is back in town scouting locations for three movie productions that  he is bringing to town for back-to-back-to-back movie shoots.    He was in Grand Rapids for the production of “Caught in the Crossfire” earlier this year.

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“What’s Wrong With Virginia” needs more local extras for South Haven scene

Michigan Casting Services is looking for as many people as possible on Monday, October 26th to create a crowd for a beach boardwalk scene in the movie “What’s Wrong With Virginia” starring Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Emma Roberts, Amy Madigan and Harrison Gilbertson.

The opportunity is open to anyone interested in participating.  Filming will take place on October 26 in South Haven, Michigan, weather permitting.   To register and to get more information, go to www.TicTockStudios.com and click on “Casting”.

Requirements for extras on the day of filming:
- Flexibility with time and schedule
- Willingness to stay for the entire shoot (up to 12 hours)
- Prepared to withstand possible cold temperatures. 
- You will be required to come in summer attire (warmer clothes may be worn over the summer attire when not filming)
- Under 18 years of age needs parent/guardian permission

The film is written and directed by Dustin Lance Black (”Milk”) and is produced by TicTock Studios of Holland.

ADDITIONAL INFO FROM PRESS RELEASE:
In August, Michigan Casting Services held an open casting call and nearly 1,000 people were interviewed for a wide range of roles including speaking roles, stand-ins, and extras.   150 people received a call back to audition for roles big and small.  18 people were hired for speaking roles, 35 were hired as recurring background actors, and another 34 were hired as stand-ins.

Those include Dan Waterhouse of Holland, cast as Officer Lee, who is Sheriff Tipton’s (Ed Harris), right hand man.  Kevin Brown, a truck driver from Galesburg was cast as Jerry, the husband of
Betty (Carrie Preston) and neighbor of Virginia (Jennifer Connelly).   Jack Rutledge, a retired resident of Lowell was cast as the security guard at a bank that Virginia tries to rob.    In a supporting
role, Paul Walter Hauser of Hemlock was cast as Dale, the best friend of the lead character Emmett (Harrison Gilbertson).

Previous stories about “What’s Wrong with Virginia”: (more…)

Fun and sweet, “Whip It” is a growing up movie that Michigan can be proud of (story is set in Texas, but shot in Michigan).

Ellen Page is great in a familiar coming-of-age teen angst role… but its a role she excels in again.
 

(My spoiler-free review)

This is a new classic growing up outcast movie, centered on the life of an awkward low self-esteem girl that neither fits into the life of pageants her mother wants nor the high school in-crowd that make fun of her.

The 22-year old Page plays the teenage main character Bliss so genuinely and with such conviction, you might forget that that she is a few years beyond her character’s age.

Bliss’ mom is played wonderfully by Marcia Gay Harden who really helps enhance the mother-daughter tensions, while Daniel Stern plays her supportive football loving dad with a natural ease… add in Eulala Scheel as the little sister and this comes across as a very believeable disfunctional family.

The strength of the cast goes beyond the main characters:  (more…)

MOVIE PRODUCTION SEEKS WHITE COLONIAL HOME

As the Film Industry continues to build in West Michigan, we’ll see more options like this from a press release from TicTock Studios, as they get set to begin the production of ”What’s Wrong With Virginia”.

Details from press release:

TicTock Studios movie scouts are scouring West Michigan for a white, two story colonial to be used as a main location in the upcoming film “What’s Wrong With Virginia”.  The film is written by Academy Award Winner Dustin Lance Black (“Milk”) and stars Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly, 4-time Academy Award Nominee Ed Harris, Academy Award Nominee Amy Madigan, and Emma Roberts.  

The house will serve as as the home of Harris’ character Richard Tipton and his wife Rosanna Tipton (Madigan) and their daughter Jessie Tipton (Roberts).

The description of the what scouts are looking for in the house:
- 2 story Colonial house
- White exterior
- Original (not remodeled) interior
- Dark wood is good
- Lived-in or vintage furniture is good
- Unfinished basement with at least 7 foot ceilings
- Office or Den area
- At least 1 or 2 large bedrooms
- Large front lawn is a plus but not essential

Filming in the house will last about one week.
Production on the movie is scheduled to begin September 28th.

If you want to submit your house to star in the film, (more…)

As production wraps, props to be sold

The crew of “The Genesis Code” is wrapped production Monday.   The movie shoot started earlier this month at the campus of Calvin College.   Jerry Zandstra, CEO of American Saga Productions (the local production company), will be selling off some of the props and set pieces used on the movie this week.

Zandtra says “we end up getting rid of many of the props – some to cast members, sell what we can, and then donate the rest to local charities”.

The sale is today September 3rd, 2009 from 8:00 am-8:00 pm at John Hyatt and Associates in downtown Grand Rapids:

John S. Hyatt and Associates
420 Alabama NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

http://www.jshaa.com/pages/GR.html

(616) 451-9245

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“The Genesis Code” putting out call for extras 18 and older

“The Genesis Code”, filming in West Michigan, is looking for nearly 200 extras to be in the crowd of hockey scenes at Patterson Ice Arena for Thursday and Friday night.   Prospective extras must be 18 or older and available to stay for 5:00pm to 5:00am overnight shoot.  The extras are not paid positions but be fed.

Send your contact information and desired date (August 27 or 28) to genesisextras@gmail.com 

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MGM calling for extras in remake of “Red Dawn” in Michigan

 UPDATE: The production has chosen Pontiac as one of the sites to shoot scenes for the remake of “Red Dawn”.  The Oakland Press reports that the production will spend two weeks at the end of September and a few days in October in Pontiac.  Crews will transform “the area along Saginaw Street, just north of Huron, into a movie set depicting Spokane, Washington.

Also, Connor Cruise (Tom Cruise’s son) and Edwin Hodge have joined the rest of the cast listed below.

According to various other sources, Cruise is playing Daryl, the mayor’s son and best friend of tech geek and Hodge will play Danny, the coolest kid in school and star wide receiver who helps establish the resistance.

The cast reportedly is going to military training in an undisclosed location for a few weeks and then shooting begins after that.  MGM hopes to release the movie September 24, 2010.

 Originally posted August 8th:

Earlier this week, WXYZ reported that the production crew for the remake of  ”Red Dawn” (1984) will be coming to Michigan, mostly in the Southeast part of the state, but some scenes may be shot in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula from September through December.

Information from casting websites and Facebook say that there is a call for hundreds of extras (18 and older), many of which will be needed for consecutive days, some for multiple weeks.   They are ALL PAID positions.  (more…)

Ed Harris replaces Liam Neeson, open casting call for “What’s Wrong With Virginia”

“What’s Wrong With Virginia” Casting Changes

TicTock Studios announces that Academy Award Nominee Ed Harris (“Appaloosa” (2009), “Gone Baby Gone” (2007), “A Beautiful Mind” (2001), “The Truman Show” (1998), “The Rock” (1996), “Apollo 13″ (1995)) is joining the cast.  Harris is replacing Liam Neeson as a sheriff that sees his state senate bid slide away from him when his daughter begins to date the son of a woman (Academy Award Winner Jennifer Connelly) with whom the sheriff has engaged in a 20-year affair.

Check out my interview with Ed Harris for “Appaloosa”

Academy Award-Winning screenwriter of “Milk”, Dustin Lance Black, wrote the story and will also direct.  Academy Award Nominee Gus Van Sant will executive produce.

The movie is expected to start shooting in September.

Here’s the details on the open casting call, from a press release: (more…)

More cast details released for “The Genesis Code”

Three more recognizable names coming to West Michigan to be part of the cast of “The Genesis Code”: veterans actors Lance Henriksen and Rance Howard and veteran actress Catherine Hicks.

Veteran movie bad guy Lance Henriksen will play “Dr. Hoffer”, Henricksen recently starred in ”Appaloosa” (2008) and played a minor part in “The Quick and the Dead” (1995) amoung others.

Rance Howard, the father of Ron and Clint Howard, and recently starred in “Angels & Demons” (2009) and “Frost/Nixon” (2008) will play “Dr. Tolley”.

Catherine Hicks who may be most best known most recently as the mom on “7th Heaven”, and also starred in “Child’s Play” (1988) and “Peggy Sue Got Married” (1986) will play “Myra”.

The main characters of “Blake” and “Kerry” will be played by Logan Bartholomew (parts on “CSI” and “Ghost Whisperer”) and Kelsey Sanders (parts on “CSI” and “iCarly”).

The rest of the cast includes: C.R. Lewis will play “Shane”, Adam Chambers (”Night of the Living Dead 3D” (2006) and parts on “CSI”, “ER”) will play “Marc”, Jerry Zandstra (Pastor at Wayland CRC) will play “Rev. Wells”,
Michael William Freeman (”parts on “The Mentalist”, “Bones”, “The Closer”) will play “Chase”, Ben Murphy (tv parts inclduing ”JAG” and “Navy NCIS”) will play “Professor Campbell”, Jamie Kramer will play “Michaele”, Chris Yen will play “Lin Chen”, and Roger Garcia (bailiff on “Days of Our Lives” 1997-2007) will play “court clerk”.

Louise Fletcher will play Ellen Taylor
Ernest Borgnine will play Carl Taylor
Rich Franklin will play Coach Edwards
Fred Thompson will play Judge Hardin

First casting news 7/28/09:

The first batch of casting news is coming out today for “The Genesis Code”, with three acting heavyweights and a middleweight… a middlewight fighter that is.

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