What to plan on:

We are planning to shoot on Friday, July 9th and Saturday, July 10th.

We also may potentially shoot on the following Friday and Saturday, July 16th & 17th.

Our schedule is dependent on the weather, and plans may have to be changed.

Filming is a time-consuming process, even for short scenes. You should plan on being on the set for the entire filming period, or until you are dismissed by the director. We will try to get all the crowd scenes done first in order to free up the greatest number of people, but depending on the scene, that may take up to several days of filming. Once you have been recorded on film, it is important that you participate until your portion of the scene is complete.

We will provide lunch and supper meals on the site for the time that you are with us. Please plan to eat a good breakfast before you come. If you have any special dietary needs, please feel free to bring something with you that will be compatible with your diet. Since meal times can sometimes be delayed because of filming needs, it is suggested that you bring a small snack with you in case you get hungry.

There is parking near the location. The filming site is a short walk from the parking area.

You will be asked to sign a release when you check in at the start of the filming day. This is a document that gives us your permission to use your image or property in our film. This must be signed before you will be able to participate.

What to bring:

Water in a clear bottle, sunscreen, insect repellent, snack (granola bar is suggested) and something to read or do during “down time.” Please be sure your name is on all items that belong to you.

What to wear – Men:

• Light (but not pure white) shirts without button-down collars. Band-collar or Henley shirts are good, too. Vertical stripes are okay, but no tiny check prints.
  Dark colors would not be appropriate, as it is summertime.
• Four-in-hand tie or bow tie.
• Suspenders, especially if they button onto the slacks you are wearing.
• Slacks of coarse-woven fabric or cotton pants
• Some could wear vest sweaters, especially Argyle or similar patterns.
• A few could wear suits with 3- or 4-button jackets. Vested suits are okay, or vests without jackets.
• Fedora hats or “Newsboy” caps (with 8-piece crowns and a snap fastening it to the bill).
• Leather tie shoes with thin soles (prefer that they not have rubber soles with deep grooves or lugs).
• Men could also wear overalls.
• Men’s hair – In the 1920s, hair was short around the ears and the back, but long on top.
• Men did not wear facial hair in the 20s, nor did they wear their hair long.

What to wear – Ladies:

• Straight dresses with short or cap sleeves and collars. Styles with a drop waist, off-center details, such as pleats or a long vertical row of buttons are especially good. One or two-color prints, especially geometric designs, and solid colors are best.
• Tunic-length blouses with a bottom band, collar, and ties. Solid pastel colors and cream or beige (no deep colors, as it is summertime).
• Straight or pleated skirts, or skirts with pleated sections, vertical rows of buttons. Some could have small patch pockets. No pants of any kind.
• Tunic-length cardigan (“boyfriend”) sweaters in light or medium colors are good.
• “Mary Jane” or T-strap shoes with low or squash heels in fabric or leather are good. Lighter colors would be best, as this is a day wear scene. No spike heels or open toe styles. Cut-work designs around the foot opening are especially nice.
• It would be wise for ladies to wear a full slip in case we need to provide one of our dresses for you to wear.

What to wear – Boys:

• Shirts–same as men (see above).
• Knickers with dark colored knee socks and suspenders. Pre-schoolers can wear shorts and knee socks.
• “Newsboy” caps, but no “baseball” style caps
• Sailor outfits are timeless.
• Leather shoes, same as men (see above).
• Boys could also wear overalls.
• Boy’s hair – In the 1920s, hair was short around the ears and the back, but long on top.

What to wear – Girls:

• Simple A-line dresses with a scoop neckline or small collar and short sleeves.
  Smocking was popular in the 20s–on the yoke and cuffs. Sailor dresses were also worn. Drop-waist styles with pleated skirts are also good for older girls. Light colors are best for summertime.
• White or off-white knee socks or anklets (no frills or lace on the cuff, please).
• “Mary Jane” or T-strap shoes.

Everyone should come dressed for filming. If you are unsure what to wear, bring a couple of choices for us to see. We may ask you exchange the costume you bring with some of our wardrobe items.

Film production is a lot like planting a garden.  You put the seeds in the soil, and for a while, you can’t really see that anything is happening.  But down there, under the surface, those seeds are absorbing moisture, and those embryonic plants are beginning to grow.  Eventually the corn and beans break through the crusty topsoil, and you can almost measure their growth hour by hour.

Well, at UNUSUAL FILMS, the seeds of the new 1920s Baseball Film are in the soil, and a lot has been going on under the surface.  Here’s just a sampling.

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Casting call – We are still looking for additional cast in all age groups, but particularly men who are 17 – 30 years old. Check the “Casting” page for more details and other cast news.

During the summer, several hundred people were screened, photographed, measured and interviewed for possible roles in the film. Some even got opportunities to demonstrate their baseball playing skills! Some have been called back for more extensive screentesting for various roles and final decisions for key parts will be made soon. Because of several scenes that involve large crowds, we anticipate that anyone who volunteered to be in the film will have an opportunity to participate.

New Producer – The Unusual Films crew welcomes our new producer, Dr. Darren Lawson, to the production team. Dr. Lawson is the Dean of the School of Fine Arts and Communication at BJU, and he will be a great asset in coordinating the film efforts with the many Fine Arts folks who will participate in the filming or the music elements in the film. Dr. Lawson has already made a location scouting trip to a working textile mill museum in Massachusetts to see if it will be suitable for shooting mill interiors.

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