That’s a wrap: Movie crew films in Shawnee
Shawnee residents might have noticed something unusual in town recently when areas of Main Street were blocked off to the public as film crews set up shop in downtown Shawnee.
According to Abigail Ropp, production office coordinator, filming in Shawnee started July 18 and wrapped up July 22, and locations involved in the filming included Hamburger King, Theopolis, the Ritz, Tom Terry Park and some scenes shot in a back alley.
“The main part of the movie was set in Guthrie,” Ropp said. “We fell in love with Shawnee because you guys have that great theater down there, and they said they needed a diner, and you guys had that cute diner. We thought, ‘Well, if we’re going to be coming all the way down to Shawnee, we might as well see what kind of locations you guys have.’
You had the aesthetic that matched the aesthetic up here.”
Ropp said the movie is called “Help Wanted” and is about a woman who inherits an old theater when her grandfather passes away.
Rachel Melot, CEO and president of Shawnee Forward, said the production team temporarily set up shop in the Shawnee Forward offices on Bell Street.
“It’s been great having the production team in the Shawnee Forward offices and hearing their commentary on how kind and accommodating our downtown has been to them and their staff,” she said. “It is wonderful to see a production team spending local dollars, buying breakfast, lunch and dinner from our local restaurants, paying our venues to use their space, and bringing movie casts to our communi
ty.”
Ropp said the production crew also had a good experience in Shawnee, and mentioned that the men on the team were “geeking out” over the 1960s type design of their temporary office and saying they'd love to build one just like it.
“Shawnee Forward was so, so great,” Ropp said, also giving a shoutout to Cami Engles at Theopolis for helping things go so smoothly.
“The first assistant director feels like everyone is super, super friendly down there and has been kind and very open and welcoming,” she added. “They said they really loved being down there.”
Ropp knows all about that, though, as she and her husband, Adam, who is unit production manager and a producer for the movie, are from Guthrie.
Melot also added that one of the Shawnee Forward employees had the chance to act as an extra during a scene where she stood in line at the movies.
“Not only did they do a hiring call for extras all over the state,” she said, “they specifically requested some of our locals to be in it.”
Keeping things local is important, Ropp said.
“It's a good thing for small towns to open up the doors for movies, no matter the budget, because it brings a lot of sales tax dollars down there,” she said. “We very much like to shop local.”
When the crew flew in from Los Angeles, she said she put together welcome bags with items from Guthrie businesses to encourage local shopping. And while filming in Shawnee, she said, they used local businesses for catering – The Gathering Place for breakfast and Theopolis for lunch.
Once things wrapped up in Shawnee, the movie had a few scenes left to shoot in Guthrie, but Ropp said filming would be completed over the weekend.
“Help Wanted” should premiere on the Hallmark Channel, and though Ropp didn't know when, she said typically it takes about one or two years.