'Empire Falls' rolls into Skowhegan today
Copyright © 2003 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
SKOWHEGAN — Hollywood stars and the cameras that film them are expected to roll into town this afternoon for the first day of shooting at two Water Street sites for the HBO film "Empire Falls."
Actor Ed Harris reads a newspaper beside a chair that bears his characterıs name on the set of ³Empire Falls² in Winslow on Thursday. click to enlarge
After weeks of preparation, the former Patrick's Pizza Joint has been transformed into the Empire Grill and the Redington Home will become the Whiting mansion for the movie based on Richard Russo's novel.
Crews will film in Skowhegan this afternoon and return Saturday and Monday, according to Lynn "Kip" Kippax, location manager for Falls Films Inc.
Filming today will concentrate on exterior shots and is expected to create delays in downtown traffic that usually is heavy even on a good day.
However, plans already are in the works to ease traffic woes, according to police Chief Butch Asselin.
Rotary traffic headed north onto U.S. Route 201 and east onto U.S. Route 2 will be diverted from Water Street up lower Madison Avenue. Ordinarily a one-way street, the avenue will carry two-way traffic for the days of filming, Asselin said.
School buses will be allowed to pass on Water Street, as will emergency service vehicles, the chief said. Other vehicles will use Madison Avenue and cross at High Street to travel east.
"We're only talking intermittent disruptions," Asselin said.
Asselin met Thursday with Town Manager Patricia A. Dickey and Ian Jacob, assistant location manager for Falls Films Inc. to discuss traffic issues.
For part of Saturday and on Monday, crews are expected film interior shots that will not disrupt traffic as much.
"For the most part, traffic may sometimes be stop and go," Jacob said. "Yesterday and this morning at Bee's diner (filming in Winslow) we pretty much never had to stop traffic from going at all, except onto Lithgow Street."
When Asselin asked about crowd control, Jacob said that is rarely a problem. Spectators will be allowed to watch from a distance, outside the frame of the shot being filmed and where traffic permits.
"We only step in when there is a safety issue," Jacob said. "We also have to make sure the stars don't get rushed."
For people who work in the downtown area, identification has been provided for parking behind Water Street stores, according to Dickey and Asselin. Dickey also reassured downtown business owners that attempts will be made to keep parking spaces available for customers.
"We don't want tourists and sightseers to take all the spots, like those at Variety Drug that are used by elderly customers," Dickey said.
The footbridge will be available for pedestrians, but they will be encouraged to exit from behind Water Street stores, rather than through the filming area, Dickey said.
Downtown route signs have been removed and display windows altered in business windows, including The First Amendment, which during filming will become the Bull Moose music store. New signs sport advertisements like Empire Falls Chamber of Commerce.
Meanwhile, the downtown will be inundated with equipment and visitors. A grip truck carrying props, a generator and trailers will be moved in. A tent will be set up in the municipal parking lot along with portable toilets for people working on the film.
"Tomorrow will be a learning time for all of us," Jacob said. "Each location is different. Then we do it all over again on Monday and Tuesday. The interior shots aren't really as difficult."
Filming is scheduled to be at Waterville Senior High School on Tuesday, according to Kippax.
Darla L. Pickett — 474-9534, Ext. 343
dpickett@centralmaine.com