Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Signs of Shyamalan
Movie filming brings famous director to Royersford, Spring City
ROYERSFORD — The Royersford and Spring City area played host to a famous director Thursday.
M. Night Shyamalan, the awardwinning director of “The Sixth Sense,” “The Happening,” and “Signs,” is also a Philadelphia native.
According to a notice from Feb. 14, a company called Jamison Farms Productions LLC, would be filming on Feb. 20.
The notice sent to Royersford businesses advised owners a film crew would be in the area working on a film tentatively titled “Sundowning.”
But Sharon Pinkenson, the executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, said the project was untitled.
“(Shyamalan) is working on a feature film,” she said. Pinkenson said the micro-film noted on the directors Twitter may reference the budget for the movie, but she could not confirm that.
Pinkenson could not confirm if Shyamalan’s project was similar to those in his past — supernatural and suspense — but she did say it was a narrative film.
Although the notice promised
the crew would attempt to minimize disturbances for residents, several people took to social media in frustration.
“Royersford is the epitome of small town America. At least in the eyes of Hollywood... Thanks for making me late to work,” Tweeted one area resident by the user name of @Stephanackle.
Barbara Belgie Stitt posted on The Mercury’s Facebook page, “More important is the snarled traffic everywhere.”
Readers speculated that the movie being filmed was actually titled “Labor of Love,” which according to Variety will star Bruce Willis.
That rumor was dispelled when Pinkenson confirmed that neither Willis or Denzel Washington was in the film being shot Thursday.
A photo posted in response to a request on Twitter showed a movie film crew in front of the Spring-Ford 8th Grade Center. Kristine Bruno Kreps on Facebook confirmed that filming was occurring at that location Thursday.
Matt Stehman, a Royersford councilman, said scenes were being filmed at the Spring-Ford 8th Grade Center at the intersection of Lewis Road and Washington Street. He also said the crew may be filming at the 5th Grade Center on Friday.
Several signs around the area were changed to reflect the setting of the film — Masonville Borough.
The Spring-Ford 8th Grade Center was temporarily renamed Masonville High School, home of the Grizzlies.
However, local busi- nesses felt differently about the filming.
“(The company) thought they would have to close the block down for a period of time but, naturally, we did not mind,” said Rob Lawson, the owner of Sweet Ashley’s Chocolate on Main Street in Royersford.
According to Lawson, it seemed like the busy street was closed for approximately 25 minutes. He said he noticed traffic stopped during that time.
“There were no visible barricades or anything like that,” he said.
Brooke Hughes, a Spring City resident, said she saw Shyamalan in the back of a truck filming on Main Street.
“It was kind of exciting,” she said. “I did geek out whenever I saw him.”
But this is not the first time Shyamalan, or other directors, have used the area as a backdrop for their films.
In 2007, “The Lovely Bones” starring Mark Wahlberg and directed by Peter Jackson used Royersford to illustrate the hometown of a family mourning the death of their daughter.
Shortly after, Wahlberg returned to the area with Shyamalan to film “The Happening;” a supernatural thriller about a father and daughter who try to escape a natural disaster that cannot be explained.
However, long before Shyamalan and Jackson brought stars and recognition to the area, the cult-movie classic “The Blob,” was filmed in Phoenixville. The famous scene where movie-goers run screaming from a theatre was shot at The Colonial Theatre on Bridge Street.