Filmmakers take to the streets of downtown Troy

Filmmakers use downtown as setting for romantic comedy with echoes of Buster Keaton

On Friday parts of the Collar City became a stage as movie makers filmed segments of “Silent Retreat,” a romantic comedy.

Downtown streets were the set Friday for the upcoming romantic comedy “Silent Retreat.”

City officials say filming was expected to continue to 3 a.m. Saturday. Several streets were blocked off for the film work.

The film is directed by Todd Straussschulson, director behind “Isn’t It Romantic,” a romantic comedy released in February that starred Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth and Adam Devine. That modestly budgeted movie made $48 million, according to IMDB.

It is unclear who stars in the current production which Strauss-schulson co

wrote with Matthew Fogel, whose credits include “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.”

The specific reason Troy was chosen also couldn’t determined, but other filmmakers have used the city for its historic backdrops.

The Hollywood Reporter says the film is backed by movie distributor Miramax. In the article, Strauss-schulson and Fogel describe the film as a “silent comedy about meditation.”

Variety reports this more detailed description of the film:

“The project centers on a man and woman with relationship issues who decide to go on a meditation retreat that requires absolute silence for three days along with the man’s best friend and recently widowed mother. Disaster ensues in what the filmmakers describe as, “If Gus Van Sant and Buster Keaton made a silent comedy about wisdom, compassion, and the difficulties of digesting a tempeh-based diet.”

A casting call for background actors was posted for the movie in April on Hudson Valley Film Commission Actors and Crew Facebook page. Producers were looking for extras “with experience in the practice of meditation,” who could commit to eight days of filming in at a retreat in Columbia County in May and June.

“Roles will require a lot of physicality, threading the comedic elegance of Buster Keaton with a natural accidental modern performance,” the casting call said.

Background casting has been handled by Amy Hutchings Casting, based in Rhinebeck. The company’s owner, Amy Hutchings, said in an April Facebook post that Bill Block, Matthew Anderson and Natalie Galazka are the film’s producers.

Photos by Will Waldron / Times Union Filmmakers and their employees work Friday on Congress Street, Troy, as they film a segment of ‘Silent Retreat,’ a romantic comedy. Several streets were blocked off and there were parking restrictions during the day and into Saturday morning.

First Street in Troy is prepared for the shoot of ‘Silent Retreat.’ It’s unclear who will be starring in the film and when the release date will be.

Will Waldron / times union Crew members converge on first Street friday to prepare for shooting ‘Silent retreat,’ a romantic comedy directed by todd Strauss-schulson. “A silent movie about meditation” is a description noted by the Hollywood reporter.