[Interconnector]

Herald Sun

Hollywood filming will affect traffic locally

DURHAM -- "Main Street" the movie continues filming in downtown Durham this weekend and through mid-May. Based on the last screenplay by the late Horton Foote, the film stars Orlando Bloom as a Durham city policeman, who, along with four other characters, have their lives changed by the arrival of a stranger played by Colin Firth. Other stars include Ellen Burstyn, Andrew McCarthy, Amber Tamblyn and Patricia Clarkson.

Directed by John Doyle and produced by Reliant Pictures, "Main Street" has already led to some street closings downtown on Dillard, Duke and West Corporation streets. Some scenes are being filmed in old houses and a tobacco warehouse. The plot includes a tobacco heiress who rents a warehouse to the stranger, Firth, whose character is named Gus Leroy. Burstyn plays Georgiana Carr, who, judging by the last name, is presumably the tobacco heiress. Bloom's cop character is named Harris Parker. Clarkson plays Willa. Newcomer Nadya Simpson plays Kate.

No streets will be closed in the coming week, but traffic will be stopped intermittently for filming of short scenes. Much of Monday's filming will be outside featuring characters out and about in Durham. Unit publicist David Linck said the film's budget is under $10 million. He said the low budget means some actors may have cut a deal -- accepting lower pay -- to be part of the production.

Next week the final scenes for two unnamed actors will be filmed and they will leave the set for good, while some new cast members will arrive. With a limited shooting schedule, they don't have the luxury of time, Linck said. The entire film is being shot in Durham over five weeks.

"Main Street" is an episodic movie of several stories being told that are linked by different characters. Linck describes the film as a "gentle, intelligent, languid story. It's a thoughtful, lyrical film. Almost like a poem in some ways."

After short scenes are filmed early next week, production moves on to a bigger scene set in city council chambers. Not actual Durham City Council chambers, though. No government buildings are being used for filming.

Shelly Green of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau said that filming is arranged with individual building owners. Six or seven city police officers accompany downtown filming to deal with traffic control.

About 100 local residents have been cast as extras by Maxann Crotts-Harvey. She said she still needs more extras, especially Latino men of U.S. citizenship. She is also looking for "great character faces" of white and African American men and women. That means you don't have to be beautiful or a model, she said. No experience is necessary. Pay is $55 per eight-hour or less day, plus minimum wage of $6.55 for every hour more than eight hours.

To be considered as an extra, e-mail a photograph and contact information to maxann@gmail.com. Crotts-Harvey said she will continue casting extras through the first week of May. In late April or early May, a wreck scene will be filmed on a closed section of a local interstate. She said filming location plans change on a daily basis.

Durham has been the filming location for several movies over the years, most notably "Bull Durham."