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Film Crew Brings 'Misconceptions' To Pinellas
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Published: January 11, 2008
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ST. PETERSBURG Ron Satlof's film "Misconceptions," a comedy about an evangelical Christian who becomes a surrogate mother for a gay couple, is set in a small Georgia town.
So why is the producer and director shooting the movie in Florida's most densely developed county?
There are several reasons, but mostly because it's cheaper on his $500,000 film budget.
Satlof, who teaches film making and video at Eckerd College, is getting free labor from 30 college students who are earning credit while assisting crew members in technical aspects of the production.
But he has another ulterior motive for doing his filming in Pinellas County:
"I live here, so I like to sleep in my own bed, which my actors don't get to do,'' said Satlof, a St. Petersburg resident who has directed such popular television shows as "Magnum, P.I.," "The A Team" and "The Dukes of Hazzard.''
Satlof and the stars of "Misconceptions" appeared at a news conference Friday at Eckerd College's Bininger Theater to talk about the film and their short time in the Tampa Bay area.
"In Pinellas County, you can find all the looks you need – the pieces that fit – to create a small-town Georgia look,'' Satlof said. "We used the Main Street of Dunedin, which is perfect for a small town. We used the piney woods that are up off Keystone Road in Tarpon Springs. So all those kinds of things are here.''
Actor Orlando Jones said he and other cast members have spent some of their free time hanging out on St. Pete Beach or dining at the posh Don CeSar Beach Resort.
"I have to say we've had fun,'' Jones said. "I'm from the South, so for me it's kind of like I'm back home.''
In recent years, several independent films have been shot locally, including "Love Comes Lately," which stars comedian Rhea Perlman, and "Grace of God," a war story starring John Cusack, said Jennifer Parramore, director of the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Film Commission.
"We have a steady business of independent film in the area,'' she said. "We have a variety of looks here. You're not limited to just a tropical scene with a palm tree and a beach.''
The biggest movie shot in the Bay area was "The Punisher'' in 2003, Parramore said. The $12 million production, which starred John Travolta, was filmed mostly in Tampa but also in St. Petersburg, Parramore said.
"Misconceptions" involves a rural evangelical Christian woman who gets a directive from God to be a surrogate mother for a legally married Boston gay couple. Early in the pregnancy the more colorful partner appears on her doorstep to micromanage her pregnancy.
Besides Jones ("Drumline," "Mad TV"), the cast includes A.J. Cook ("Final Destination 2," "The Virgin Suicides," "Criminal Minds"), David Sutcliffe ("Under the Tuscan Sun," "Gilmore Girls"), David Moscow ("Numb3rs," "Riding in Cars With Boys") and Sarah Carter ("DOA: Dead or Alive," "Smallville").
Filming began Jan. 3 and will continue through Feb. 5. Volunteer extras are still needed for some scenes.
Meredith Winn, 21, a student at Eckerd, was among more than 200 formally dressed hopefuls who turned out this afternoon for a shot at a little screen time as an extra in a banquet scene.
"I've never been in an environment where's there's an actual movie taking place,'' said Winn, a communications major from Massachusetts. "So it's pretty cool. It's exciting.''
Anyone interested in acting as an extra should contact producers at wolfed@eckerd.edu or call (727) 252-3130 for information.
Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at cmoncada@tampatrib.com or (727) 451-2333.
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