Movies are currently being shot in the Butler County area and, according to TV Hamilton Executive Director Steve Colwell, have presented the kind of problems you want to have when Hollywood comes to town.
Right now, “The Life and Death of John Gotti” is filming in the Cincinnati area, and the Lifetime movie about R&B artist Michel’le, titled “Girl from Compton,” is shooting some scenes in Middletown. The James Franco movie “Blood Heist” has also started production in Hamilton.
“With all of these movies coming to the area, it is really a good thing,” Colwell said. “But these productions really need qualified crew members to work on the set, and we are seeing a shortage of them because so much work is coming to the area, but that is a good thing because that means there is plenty of crew work here.”
The acting bug also hits when residents see filming going in in their community. Kent Richardson, a Hamilton native, was one of several local people who volunteered to be an extra in the movie “Tiger” when it was in production last year in the city.
Richardson was a part of the filming that took place at Hamilton High School.
“So the cameras rolled and we began to cheer and clap. Everybody in Hamilton High’s gymnasium exploded in cheers and whooping and hollering. Afterwards they remarked that we had given them some of the best footage they had gotten all film long. By midnight, the filming was in its last hour, and unfortunately the lead character, Prem Singh, was tagged in the nose, ending the shooting for the evening,” Richardson told the Journal-News after his experience.
The Cincinnati Film Commission said that people interested in being an extra in the Gotti film can send a head shot and contact information to gottiextras@gmail.com.
The production also needs cars from the 70s, 80s and 90s - especially Cadillacs, Buicks and Lincolns. Car owners can email gotticars@gmail.com if the would like to have their vehicle used in the movie.
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