Hallmark films on High Street
By Saria Kraft
kraft@theacorn.com

Luis and Joan Martinez, owners of the Cactus Patch, were set to host a Hallmark TV movie at their corner café last year. But when the company found it tough to secure a film permit in Moorpark, the crew rolled through town into film- friendly Fillmore.

"Annie’s Point," a Faconde Ltd. production for the Hallmark Channel’s fall season, will wrap its three-day shoot in Fillmore tonight. On Tuesday, Joan Martinez welcomed the crew to the Cactus Patch.

"This time, there were no problems with the city," said Joan Martinez. "But the location manager said it seems they don’t want filming in Moorpark. Other movie companies have told us that."

Without a hitch, filming began early Tuesday at the Union 76 service station on Spring and High streets. At noon, the crew set up at the restaurant and left about 7 p.m. to grab a few shots at the city’s Building and Safety Department.

"Annie’s Point" stars Betty White ("Golden Girls") as a recent widow who returns to the spot where her husband proposed marriage. Amy Davidson ("Eight Simple Rules") accompanies her grandmother on the journey from Chicago to the California coast.

Annie’s son, played by Richard Thomas ("The Waltons") travels behind them separately.

"Her son is a workaholic who’s been neglectful of his daughter," said Lina Wong, a production coordinator on the film. "Now he’s trying to make amends and work things out."

The Moorpark locations doubled for a small, midwestern town, one of several random stops the pair makes along the road trip.

"High Street is very quaint and charming," Wong said. "We didn’t have to change a thing."

The Whitaker brothers, who own the restaurant building, seemed pleased about that aspect of the shoot.

"I would be receptive to having them again," said Will Whitaker. "They did what they said, no more and no less. We have had bad experiences, but the impact was minimal. A lot of times (film companies) leave the place better than it was."

Dollarwise, Fillmore would agree. When Universal galloped into town last year with "Seabiscuit," the city gained $21,000 in fire and police protection fees and rentals for parking and catering sites.

In just four days, the racehorse picture spent more than $1 million in filming and related activities, Fillmore officials said last year.

This week, the city will take in $10,000 or more from "Annie’s Point" and "The Perfect Lie," a Chicaray Films project that is also spending three days in town, said permit coordinator Steve McClary.

"Fillmore has been wonderful," said Patsy Fitzgerald, location manager for the Betty White movie. "But it’s blatantly obvious Moorpark doesn’t want filming.

"Once you’re there, the residents are great," she added. "It’s just discouraging and frustrating to deal with the city. There’s so much red tape and it’s very costly to shoot there."

In Simi Valley, Fillmore and unincorporated Ventura County, the average turnaround time to obtain a film permit is two to three days. The county film office alone issues about 300 permits annually, said coordinator Dan Price.

In Moorpark, it takes three to four weeks to secure a permit. The city issues a handful or less each year.

Industry wide, it is customary for the local film officer to act as liaison between the production company and city departments, including fire and police agencies. Fitzgerald said she was required to follow up with fire, police and building and safety officials.

"What am I paying the city $600 a day for?" Fitzgerald asked.

Moorpark also requires that the daily permit fee be paid whenever trucks are parked at a location the night before shooting begins.

"Parking is not filming activity," Fitzgerald said. "It doesn’t work that way in other cities."

In addition to permit fees, film companies can expect to pay cities for application costs, encroachment and waiver fees, fire and police protection and parking rentals.

Julie Hernandez, the senior management analyst in charge of Moorpark film permits, was on vacation this week.