“It was a long day but it was fun...just watching how the tech folks operate was an experience, as was seeing how everyone cooperated and were troupers,” noted Skutley. “Santa Paula did us proud as far as the people who came out for the event; they did a good job in showing off our town.”It was a long day: extras reported for work at 5:30 a.m. and were signed out at 6:30 p.m. Skutley, a Blanchard Community Library trustee, and her daughter came prepared: “We brought books” to fill the time between takes, she noted.“Santa Paula is a very nice town,” said Alasdair Boyd of Avery Pix, Inc. who with Santa Paula’s film liaison Patti Harrison dealt with area merchants impacted by the filming.Thornton plays the title character of Woodcock, a curmudgeonish high school gym coach not fondly remembered by generations of students. Seann William Scott plays Sarandon’s son who returns home to prevent his mother from marrying the dreaded Woodcock. Craig Gillespie is directing his first major film, written by Michael Carnes and Josh Gilbert.
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In photo above left, Susan Sarandon (center) and other actors react to being egged during the ‘Cornival” Parade. The parade scene and the egging are part of the movie Mr. Woodcock that was filmed in Downtown Santa Paula. Upper right, Billy Bob Thornton climbs into a car as part of the movie Mr. Woodcock. Lower right, Seann William Scott completes a scene on Main Street Wednesday. Photos by Don Johnson |
Mr. Woodcock, downtown turned into Forest Meadows, Nebraska
May 06, 2005
Santa Paula News
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesIt’s a long way from Santa Paula to Nebraska, at least again now that the sets have been struck for New Line Cinema’s “Mr. Woodcock” starring Oscar winners Susan Sarandon, Billy Bob Thornton, and Seann William Scott a comedy production that highlighted much of the historic downtown as a backdrop.Also used were hundreds of area residents, who nabbed extra work for the parade scene filmed Tuesday. Several of the extras looked more than ready for a close-up - and perhaps a chance at movie stardom? - wearing stiletto heels or attention grabbing hats while others, probably regulars at Santa Paula’s two annual parade events, appeared much as they would every time a marching band winds its way down Main Street.“Mr. Woodcock,” slated for release in 2006, is the largest production to be filmed on historic Main Street since the 1996 movie remake of the classic television series “Leave it to Beaver.”Transforming Main Street, Santa Paula into its own counterpart in Nebraska wasn’t always easy: prep construction crews worked for days to cover the mural on Mill Street with faux brick made of styrofoam that looked almost like the real thing. Storefronts were altered and, although many of the businesses stayed open during filming, not many customers ventured onto Main Street. The production company compensated merchants and restaurants for lost business, and the “Mr. Woodcock” shoot progressed smoothly.Also at work were city firefighters and police officers whose services were included in the package worth about $71,000 to the city to cover costs for permits and other necessities.Suzi Skutley and her daughter Jennifer were among the approximately 500 extras hired for the shoot to watch Sarandon - tiara-ed up as a former Corn Cob Queen - parade by.
