Day thirteen: (9-30) movie set LFY Sugarcreek Ohio

Today is the day in the script where the “media” discovers who Joe Matthews really is and descends on his cabin. This involved borrowing local news vans and engaging plenty of extras who dressed up as news reporters and repeatedly ran up the hill while pretending to snap pictures and shout questions at Joe. They did a great job–but I think some of them got a whole lot more exercise than they were expecting!

Today we got to see the “clean-cut” Joe where he shaves off his beard and faces the media as himself. I had gone to visit some Amish friends in the neighborhood, but one of the extras said that the look he gave Rachel as she sees him clearly for the first time, pretty much melted every female heart there.

In real life, the Old Order Amish mother of the man who owns the farm where the movie is being filmed came to watch. She had read the book long ago, and was excited that much of the movie was being filmed on her son’s farm. She also asked me who the little Amish boy was she saw running around. The little “Amish” boy happened to be our young actor playing Bobby (Thomas Kapanowski) who was dressed up at that moment in Amish clothing for one scene. The costume department had done such a good job dressing him, I don’t think anyone could tell the difference.

I got interviewed again by a different film crew and with different questions. Yet again I was humbled by how very hard it is to think clearly with a camera filming every second. Stick a camera and a mic in my face and what do you get? Brain freeze.

Tomorrow we film the house-burning-down scene. The crew have been working diligently on building the set. Everyone is excited to see it.

-Serena