Filming is still more than a week away but downtown Ladysmith is buzzing with excitement as advance set crews work to transform storefronts in preparation for the eight days of shooting for the Sonic the Hedgehog movie.
Paramount PicturesB次元官网网址� picked the town with its charming B次元官网网址楢mericanaB次元官网网址� architecture as the fictitious setting for hero town Green Hills. The Sonic movie stars James Marsden, Jim Carrey and Tika Sumpter and upwards of $7-million is budgeted as part of the local shoot.
Among the more dramatic of the changes taking place on the south end of the downtown core is the painting of the Bancroft building occupied by NancyB次元官网网址檚 Fashions, AprilB次元官网网址檚 Tack Boutique and Top Drawer Consignment Store, where owners Sherry Coppick and Roxane Plourde couldnB次元官网网址檛 be more supportive about the film and its blue furry lead actor.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e really exciting about Sonic. We feel itB次元官网网址檚 nothing but a good thing,B次元官网网址� said Coppick.
Top DrawerB次元官网网址檚 owners will take a two week stay-cation as the store becomes a donut shop and a barber shop for the film. A wall is being built inside the store and props brought in to give an authentic appearance from the street during shooting.
Rumour has it that a big fight scene takes place right outside on First Avenue. Some of the most dramatic scenes are expected to take place Sept. 20-23 including a controlled car flip and fire ball.
B次元官网网址淲e really canB次元官网网址檛 be open because theyB次元官网网址檝e got to create some depth in this side of the store so itB次元官网网址檚 going to look like theyB次元官网网址檙e chairs and things if you look inside,B次元官网网址� Plourde said.
Limited parking around downtown would also have made it difficult for clients bringing in clothing to sell but both women donB次元官网网址檛 seem to mind at all.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really nothing but a good thing because our clients bring us clothes and itB次元官网网址檚 one thing to be walking down the street but if youB次元官网网址檙e going to moving around these (movie) sets itB次元官网网址檚 just going to be so much nicer to be closed,B次元官网网址� Coppick added.
B次元官网网址淪onic must really like us - he wants us to have two weeks off and rest up.B次元官网网址�
Next door, the Bayview Framing & Art already has the crest of the sheriffB次元官网网址檚 office coat of arms centred on the front window.
Film producers had discussed the idea with business owners Wanda Dombrowski and her husband Bruce Whittington of possibly using the inside of the store as an actual set for the film.
However, in the end, an island in the centre of the store would have been a big task to remove and a set will instead be made off-site.
Bayview Framing will only have to close for one day (Sept. 14) and early a couple of the other days for filming.
Whittington said while he doesnB次元官网网址檛 expect much in the way of direct economic spin off like some of the restaurants and coffee shops in town feeding film crews and actors there are definitely still benefits.
B次元官网网址淚 think there are several good things about it, one is the owner of this building gets a paint job and I think the last time this building was painted was two movies ago - thatB次元官网网址檚 expensive for a building owner. Other buildings are getting painted and thatB次元官网网址檚 going to freshen them up too,B次元官网网址� he said
ThereB次元官网网址檚 even a potential for tourism with SonicB次元官网网址檚 global fan base.
B次元官网网址淭he basis for this film has kind of a following so it may get a life of its own and people may come just to see us,B次元官网网址� he said.
Whittington and others who spoke with the Chronicle have also expressed the ongoing positive engagement from the production crew and their willingness to satisfy the questions and concerns of LadysmithB次元官网网址檚 small businesses owners.
Some of the tenants of apartments on First Avenue have also been given food vouchers to use at local restaurants.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a big film crew B次元官网网址hey have the resources to be much more engaged with people and it shows and thatB次元官网网址檚 been good,B次元官网网址� Whittington said.
NancyB次元官网网址檚 Clothing and Bouma Meats are among the storefronts that wonB次元官网网址檛 change and appear in the movie.
Owner of the butcher shop, Paul Bouma said the store has been in a couple of the films shot in Ladysmith in the past but itB次元官网网址檚 still exciting this time around.
B次元官网网址淲hen you get your name in a movie thatB次元官网网址檚 not so bad. I was happy theyB次元官网网址檙e using it,B次元官网网址� he said, looking over as his storefront window as a new sticker was being applied on Wednesday morning. B次元官网网址淢y front window for 18 days, I canB次元官网网址檛 use it. TheyB次元官网网址檙e going to decorate it and itB次元官网网址檚 got to stay that way because when they do their different shots itB次元官网网址檚 got to look the exact same way.B次元官网网址�
Bouma likes the look of the new sign but pictures were also taken just in case he wants to go back to the original.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 looking pretty good. The old sign was up for 10 years so it was maybe time for a change,B次元官网网址� he said.
He is also expecting to keep regular business hours when filming isnB次元官网网址檛 taking place.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 kind of glad that itB次元官网网址檚 not during the summer. Kids are back in school so you donB次元官网网址檛 have that impact that you lose from holidayers. September is perfect,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e going to look at what sales you might have lost and help everybody out.B次元官网网址�
