AN INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR V.W. SCHEICH
Stars Fell on Alabama
story by LINDSEY LENOIR photos by SUSAN DELOACH
It’s been roughly two decades since Beaufort County has played host to the film community. The last time we welcomed Hollywood into our midst was during the filming of William Friedkin’s war drama, Rules of Engagement. Local writer Mark Schaffer coined the statement, “The end of the 20-year drought,” about the pre-production buzz surrounding a romantic comedy that would begin filming in November of last year. Beaufort County has been anxiously waiting for Hollywood to return to the sleepy towns and beautiful backdrops that have set the stage for blockbusters, like Forrest Gump, The Big Chill, The Prince of Tides, and The Fugitive. Due to state legislation that constricts filming incentives for towns like Beaufort, many filmmakers choose to shoot in studios or utilize states that have allocated funds for such opportunities. Currently, South Carolina only offers such incentives to films that comply with specific criteria and meet a minimum expenditure of $1 million. To the independent film community or lower-budget films, that type of budget is virtually unattainable. Incentives or no incentives, the production team for Stars Fell on Alabama (producers V.W. Scheich and Jeffrey Allard; executive producers Uyen Le, Robert Windom and Doug Vetter; and co-producers Ron and Rebecca Tucker), wanted to make a film, and no other town would suffice. V.W. recalls, “When I was reading the screenplay, I was thinking, sure we could shoot this in practically any small town in the South, but I said I really just want to film this in Beaufort and so we did!”
V.W. and Uyen are no strangers to the Beaufort community. They were first introduced to Beaufort and the Beaufort Film Society when their short film Wallenda, set in 1920s Germany about high wire walker Karl Wallenda’s first performance, won best short film at the Charleston International Film Festival. While there, they were introduced to Ron Tucker, who was there representing the Beaufort International Film Festival (BIFF). “We ended up submitting Wallenda to the 2013 Beaufort Festival, we got in, and we won for best short film. One of the great things about BIFF is that they roll out the red carpet for the filmmakers, even providing lodging.” V.W. and Uyen flew out and were given accommodations at the Rhett House Inn, “That was our first exposure to Beaufort. We fell in love with the town, and we won the Festival for best short film that year!” The next year they decided to submit their screenplay Pawn, and won Best Screenplay.
The following year, they completed shooting their first feature film, Interwoven, in Los Angeles, “While editing Interwoven, we thought about our next project and knew we wanted to film in Beaufort. So, we decided to move there with a plan to raise the money.” It was during the two years the couple resided in Beaufort, that they screened Interwoven at BIFF 2016 and ended up winning the Audience Choice Award. V.W. states, “In the two years that we spent there, working on another project and living there, we experienced such a sense of community. We formed so many connections, relationships, and long-term friendships. When you come back to Beaufort, people say ‘Welcome home!’, and they mean it!” The two would eventually move back to Los Angeles, but their time spent in Beaufort was so special that they could think of no other place to film Stars Fell on Alabama.
A Team Effort
As V.W. said, returning to Beaufort to film Stars Fell on Alabama, was a result of the connections and friendships forged throughout their time here. One of those friendships was in the form of co-producers, Ron and Rebecca Tucker. Ron and Rebecca Tucker are synonymous with the Beaufort International Film (BIFF) Festival and the Beaufort Film Society (BFS). The Beaufort Film Society is a nonprofit organization created by Ron and Rebecca to help bring the film industry back to Beaufort, and to encourage young filmmakers to pursue their craft. The Beaufort International Film Festival also falls under the umbrella of the many passions and pursuits of Ron and Rebecca. The two have been a part of the Festival from its inception when it was overseen by the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce. It was placed in the hands of the couple when the chamber decided to make it a private entity. Since then, BFS and BIFF have become a passion project, one that has been welcomed with much esteem from the film community, and one that has paved the way for the “lights, camera, action” returning to the Lowcountry. Ron is a filmmaker, a retired Marine, and he also loves movies. He has been trying to figure out a way to bring films back to Beaufort, a way to make independent productions viable. He and Rebecca have been focusing on indie filmmaking, and they want to support these students and young filmmakers. “You know Marines, they aren’t going to take no for an answer,” relates V.W.. “It’s important for states to realize that filmmaking supports the local economy because a film production spends money, which benefits the community. Whether that is in the form of obtaining permits, eating at the restaurants, or renting equipment, buying supplies, or housing cast and crew. The fact that there are restricted incentives for these types of indie films wasn’t going to stop Ron and Rebecca.” For 15 years now, they have been inviting young, independent filmmakers to be a part of the film festivals and have served as the catalyst for bringing this refreshing, romantic comedy to our town.
The Star of Stars Fell on Alabama
Stars Fell on Alabama was written about 15 years ago by a close friend of V.W.’s, Robert Windom. Recently, V.W. read the script, and decided it was a screenplay that he just couldn’t resist. A Southerner himself, Robert poured his soul into what V.W. affectionately coined, ‘Robert’s love letter to the South.’ V.W. explains, “Robert put so much time into crafting an authentic story that doesn’t make fun of the South. It makes fun with the South…it allows us to laugh at ourselves in a certain way.”
Stars Fell on Alabama is a romantic comedy set in the fictional town of Willow Valley, Alabama. The film depicts a young, successful Hollywood agent Bryce Dixon (played by James Maslow), who has returned to his hometown for his 15-year high school reunion, having bragged to his friends back home that he is dating a Hollywood starlet. The only issue is that it’s a lie. Bryce convinces one of his A-list clients (played by Ciara Hanna) to accompany him to the reunion and to pose as his girlfriend. The audience watches as she falls in love with the small town, and he falls in love with her.
Creating this film was a result of the combination of Robert’s passion for this project and, “Our passion for Beaufort. It’s about the love of all of it. It’s a romantic comedy, so hopefully, our passions for both have seeped onto the pages and onto the screens,” V.W. expresses.
On Location
“Shooting on a sound stage or in-studio where everything is fabricated may look amazing, but when you transport the cast and crew to a location like Beaufort, something magical happens, and it impacts the performances…it becomes so much more authentic and real. Even though sometimes it is more difficult to shoot on location because of the uncertainty of the elements, there is such a richness about what you get back on the screen, and it’s invaluable. No one wanted to leave when it was time to wrap up. The crew that traveled from LA, and even some of the people that came from Savannah, were entranced by Beaufort’s charm,” said V.W.
It is true, shooting on location isn’t necessarily the easiest or financially viable option unless you have a community that chooses to rally and do what they can to support this type of artistry. That is exactly what the cast and crew experienced during their two weeks of filming in Beaufort, “The people were extremely receptive and super generous with their storefronts and their businesses.” Scenes were shot in the Beaufort Inn, Blackstone’s Cafe, in and around the Old Bay Marketplace, the Southern Sweets Ice Cream & Sandwich Shop, Nevermore Bookstore, Melissa Lyons Art Gallery, Good Aura, CarsMark Rental Cars, Kilwins, Harvey’s Barbershop and Old Bull Tavern. Some Beaufort residents even generously donated their airbnbs and carriage homes to house several cast and crew members, “They were very accommodating, and there was such a sense of community and togetherness.”
Whether donating a card table, or creating table centerpieces for the reunion dance scene (courtesy of Oyster Cay Collection), the community participated and, “they showed up early and stayed late.” There was even a cameo by some of the dancers associated with the Larew Centre of Performing Arts. Scenes were shot on Bay Street, The Shed in Port Royal, in front of Port Royal Elementary, at the Beaufort Academy football field, and the Old Town Dispensary in Bluffton, to name a few.
Turning this page in Beaufort County history was an honor bestowed upon the whole Stars Fell on Alabama team, and was an unforgettable experience.
Stars Fell on Alabama is filmed and produced by RareForm Pictures in association with the Beaufort Film Society and is expected to premiere in film festivals by the Fall of 2020.
