Ready to roll

Courtesy of Life Out Loud Films

Elizabeth Roberts, who had a role in the 2010 film "Downstream," auditions for "Lake Effects" while Erica Arvold, casting director, looks on.

Film crew for "Lake Effects" record Andy Warden, Moneta resident and member of the Wake N Skate wakeboarding team, doing tricks on June 25.

Lee Hussey (second from right) briefs "Lake Effects" crew before taking them in his helicopter for aerial film footage.

Life is a little surreal right now for Sara Elizabeth Timmins. The daughter of Union Hall residents Bill and Sue Timmins has been pounding the pavement since early 2008 to make a movie at and about Smith Mountain Lake.

Filming of the working-titled movie "Lake Effects" begins Oct. 5 and will continue six days a week for four weeks.

Timmins had been living in Los Angeles for several years where she's acted in and produced several films when she got the idea to make a movie at the lake during a December 2007 visit to her parents' house.

She temporarily moved in with her parents in May 2009 to immerse herself in the community and drum up monetary support from those she hoped would become investors. Timmins eventually moved to Mayberry Hills and has taken countless meetings with those she hoped to involve over coffee across Virginia 122 at Bluebird Bakery.

"Lake Effects" was given the green light in May after Timmins secured enough money to make the movie through investors. All but one are Virginia-based business owners, including Ron Willard, president of The Willard Companies at SML.

"It's stone soup, where you make something out of nothing," said Timmins. "I guess if you just work really, really hard at something and you believe you can do it, how can you fail?"

Courting the stars

With the go-ahead, Timmins and crew courted name actors last month in Los Angeles. The response was overwhelming, she said. Timmins and crew met with about 100 actors.

Mike McKay, director, said although it's not uncommon for an independent film to attract a lot of actors, he was impressed and surprised at the level of talent brought to the table.

"On my first day of casting, I got to give direction and work with an Academy Award nominee," he said. "There was such an incredibly talented and, in a lot of cases, well-known performers."

McKay said some had more than 100 credits on their resumes, and some were multiple-award nominees.

"Some of these people earn more typically as their salary for a film than for our entire budget, but they're attracted to the material," he said.

Timmins said actors repeatedly praised the script for its developed characters and approachable plot. One actress said, "Wow, what a love letter to your town," said Timmins.

McKay said although that love letter is to Smith Mountain Lake, its themes are not exclusive.

"It really does translate to anyone who has that kind of experience growing up in a small town or spending summers on a lake," said McKay. "We had so many comments from actors ... who said the script really resonated with them."

The movie is about a mother and her two daughters, who were raised on the lake, reinventing themselves after the family patriarch dies. Their stories are intertwined with those of a few men searching for a Loch Ness-type of monster they believe lives in the lake.

The script was written by Scott Winters, an actor whose credits include "Mystic River" and "My Best Friend's Girl." He delved into screen writing about 17 years ago, but "Lake Effects" will be his first that will make its way to film.

"It's kind of mind-blowing," said Winters. "The caliber of people that have come in to read really is quite high; it's just really flattering."

When the Los Angeles casting was complete, the crew sat down and made a wish list from the actors they had met for the main roles, said Timmins. The next day, Erica Arvold, casting director, started getting calls from agents.

"Hollywood blew up," said Timmins. "Erica said this script was the talk of Hollywood that morning."

Timmins said she was preparing to board an airplane to fly back to Ohio when Arvold called with mind-blowing news -- everyone on their wish list was asking them to make an offer.

"I was on the phone [with Arvold] literally until the stewardess was standing there saying, 'Miss, you need to turn off the phone,'" recalled Timmins. "I had to sit there for four hours and couldn't text or e-mail anybody. I just started bawling. I was like, oh my god, it's happening."

Timmins said they've made offers to nine interested actors, a few very well-known, and are negotiating contracts.

Arvold -- who has worked in the casting department for dozens of movies including "A League of Their Own," "Runaway Bride" and "Natural Born Killers" -- said while it isn't uncommon for small films to secure name talent, it's uncommon for the talent to be this recognizable.

"There are plenty of independent movies that don't get made with the cast of the caliber we're talking about," said Arvold. "They may not be the biggest names, but they are people that are most definitely recognizable."

Timmins said having name talent elevates the film's distribution pool. At this point, everything is on the table, from cable network broadcasts to a movie theater release, she said.

The local edge

Casting for local talent to fill the remaining 27 speaking roles will be Sept. 8 in Charlottesville and Sept. 9 in Roanoke at Hotel Roanoke. Timmins said auditioners must have previous acting experience to try out. Appointments are necessary.

An open call for extras will be Sept. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount.

Deedee Bondurant, Moneta resident and She-Doo, and Tim Ernandes, Moneta resident and owner of WSLK 880 AM, will play themselves in the film.

Timmins said they're also seeking several crew members, with all positions being paid.

"Our goal is to hire as many Virginians as possible," she said. "We've already hired a number of people here locally."

Mary Nelson, communications manager for the Virginia Film Office, said hiring from within the state helps increase the revenue a movie can bring to its filming location.

"Typically, maybe 25 to 50 percent of the budget of the film will remain behind in the area it was shot," said Nelson.

In addition to crew members, films require construction materials, office supplies and basic necessities, which spread the economic impact throughout the area, said Nelson. In 2009, the film industry's impact in Virginia was about $378 million.

That impact can be long-term, she said. Movies made in Virginia such as "What About Bob?," which was filmed at Smith Mountain Lake, and "Dirty Dancing," filmed at Mountain Lake in Giles County, can draw tourists who want to see where it all happened.

That can pool over to the filming locations as well. Timmins said confirmed locations include Penhook Boat Dock, Benjamin's at The Pointe, Fallon's Pub & Grill, Dudley Elementary School, Lake Inn, Franklin Community Bank, downtown Bedford, Franklin County Courthouse and her parents' house. Unlike "What About Bob?" the business names will not be changed.

Scenes depicting the annual SML Wine Festival will be filmed at Bernard's Landing, one of the event's former locations. The festival will provide the backdrop for a pivotal scene toward the end of the movie when many of the characters' story lines will converge, said Timmins.

Other local tie-ins include the handiwork of Roanoke artist Eric Fitzpatrick. He will paint three canvases portraying various stages of a landscape painting for the film, said Timmins. Fitzpatrick's artwork, as well as his studio, will be used by one of the film's main characters who is an aspiring artist.

Making ends meet

Timmins said she would not be at this stage in the film-making process were it not for the support of the Smith Mountain Lake community. She's asked for, and people have provided, leads on locations, donated sky miles and volunteered to assist however possible.

A lot of that support has come from call-outs on the film's Facebook page. Timmins said the popular social networking site has been a tremendous help in gaining support and keeping people informed.

"People say Facebook can be a waste of time," said Timmins. "For us, Facebook is such an important tool."

She said they'll be utilizing it throughout filming to call for extras or last-minute needs that arise.

Timmins said securing in-kind donations and borrowing equipment is common for independent films. The amount she's been able to secure, however, is not.

"There's nothing common about this community," said Timmins. "I don't believe that had my parents moved to a different lake and I had gotten the same idea that I would be sitting here today."

Although she declined to say what the film will cost, Timmins said thanks to in-kind doantions and volunteers, they'll spend about half the estimated budget.

Much of one of the biggest line items in a film budget -- food -- is being provided by various businesses, including Edo Grill & Sushi, Small Plates, Schaal Catering, Mango's Bar & Grill, The Landing Restaurant, A Cut Above Catering, Sweet Keisters, Woodhaven Nursing Home, Blackwater Cafe and Fallon's Pub & Grill.

Another sizable line item is transportation, said Timmins. Berglund has signed on as the official transportation sponsor, Camping World is providing RVs to house actors between scenes and Sonny Merriman Inc. is providing passenger vans for crew transportation.

Timmins said the Screen Actors Guild is not requiring them to provide personal transportation for the stars, but she plans to anyway.

"We're bringing somebody across the country," said Timmins. "They're used to making millions of dollars. If you bring them here and they're going to have four or five days off, it's only fair to give them a car."

Timmins said she and her crew also are trying to put together excursions around the lake that cast and crew can participate in on off-days. She said she won't be surprised if some of them fall in love with the lake the way she and much of the community have.

"[Lake Effects] is really going to set the precedence of whether or not I can stay here and make film," siad Timmins. "I don't have a desire to go back to Los Angeles."

Looking to the future, Timmins said she plans to stay at the lake and produce at least two additional movies in Bedford and Franklin counties. Timmins said one could be filmed anywhere, but the other is based at the lake.

Timmins said it's important to dip her toes in another project because people in the industry will be asking, "What's next?" when "Lake Effects" hits the market.

Right now, however, "Lake Effects" is her priority, said Timmins. With the first day of shooting quickly approaching, there's little else to think about. Timmins said it's good to finally be able to show the community what she's been working so hard toward for almost three years.

"I'm excited because I think a lot of people just needed to see something happening," said Timmins. "It's so good to finally be able to say, 'Hey, we're here, we made it.'"

For more information about "Lake Effects," visit lifeoutloudfilms.com.