'The Wait' is shooting in Sisters

Lights, camera, action! The crew of the indie film production, "The Wait," has been spotted around Sisters filming scenes and dressing locations to conjure up a little downtown Hollywood magic.

On Monday, June 21, they were set up outside Metamorphosis Salon on Elm Street with a dozen crew members fulfilling various sound and lighting duties. A 14-foot length of dolly track laid along the sidewalk provided a smooth platform for the digital camera. Assistants adjusted sun filters and readied the mic boom while crew members whispered in walkie-talkies to unseen ears.

Director M. Blash, clad in a bright red cap and striped shirt, quietly consulted with his team, then squinted into a monitor as they rehearsed a short scene with a young man strolling down the planked boardwalk and entering the salon.

Costar Chloe Sevigny observed from the sidelines, chatting on her cell phone and enjoying the abundant sunshine. They slowly rolled the camera back to starting position and started again.

Salon owner, Tami Jones, said everyone was very friendly and easy to work with.

"They were here from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and only shot exteriors and through the windows. The interior here was a little too upscale and cosmopolitan for what they were looking for. Movie-making is not as glamorous as you'd think," she said. "There's a lot of standing around and waiting. The actors work hard, and I didn't see anyone fanning them or spooning them caviar. There were no pretensions or complaining or attitude at all. Just nice, normal people."

After breaking down the shoot at Metamorphosis, the crew went on to Lonesome Water Books, where they created a small newsstand for a short scene in the back alley.

Line producer, Brett Cranford, is pleased with his talented cast and efficient crew and how smoothly the shoot is progressing.

"These guys have all worked together before so they're a tight group. That makes a monumental difference. We're completely on schedule and the weather has been cooperating perfectly," he said.

The production is currently filming six days a week and should finish up sometime in mid-July. Joining the cast after July 8 is Academy Award-nominated actor Michael O'Keefe, immortalized forever as Danny Noonan in 1980's epic golf comedy, "Caddyshack," and honored by the academy for his work as Robert Duvall's oldest son in "The Great Santini."

More recently, O'Keefe has done guest appearances in many top-rated TV shows, such as "House M.D.," "CSI," "Law and Order," and "Criminal Minds." In 2007, he played opposite George Clooney in "Michael Clayton."

Local musical theater sensation Trey Hansen has found a featured role in the film with speaking parts after being discovered at one of the extras casting calls. Hansen attends Mountain View High School in Bend and has performed in many regional productions including "Seussical" and "Into The Woods."

And in a lucky development, Tami Jones has been asked to take over for the head stylist next week, due to a scheduling conflict.

"I'd already worked with one of the leads, Jena Malone, so they thought it would be a smooth transition," she said. "I'm so excited. I'm in show business!"