Movie is the talk of two towns

Nick Malawskey

UNIONVILLE — In the late 1800s, the villages of Unionville and Julian along Bald Eagle Valley benefited from the railroad that tied the towns together.

CDT photos/Nabil K. Mark

A train carrying a crew and camera rolls down the tracks in Julian Friday during filming for the movie “Unstoppable,” starring Denzel Washington.

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Carrying iron and lumber, the railroad made the two villages important centers of trade within the region.

Over the last few weeks the railroad has again brought the two towns into focus — through the camera’s lens.

Depending on whom you talk to in the valley, the spotlight is either a curse or a blessing. But one thing is sure — the arrival of Hollywood has been the talk of both towns.

“It’s the most excitement this town has seen in 40 or 50 years,” said Amor Miller, who lives in Unionville.

For the two communities, with a combined population of about 450, the circus has come to town — a small army of production assistants, security personnel and of course, the movie stars themselves, Denzel Washington, Chris Pine and Rosario Dawson.

On a recent morning in Unionville, the quiet of the valley was chopped by the noise of two helicopters, buzzing up and down the Bald Eagle rail line.

Sitting on the back porch of a home on Chestnut Street, two women watched the train rumble past, followed by a small engine modified for filming. For them, it’s the daily entertainment — watching the action on the tracks and trying to catch a glimpse of the film’s stars.

Further down the line on Railroad Street in Julian, Dan Harvey, owner of Grandville Hollow Pottery has a front-row seat to the filming. The train tracks run right in front of his studio and store.

Harvey said he and his staff have seen a lot of the trains being filmed for the movie, but “no Denzel sightings yet.”

“We’ve seen a lot of the train though, as it goes flying past,” he said with a laugh. “This is the talk of the town.”

While the filming of the movie may be a recent phenomenon in Bald Eagle Valley, planning for the film began about five years ago, said Dawn Keezer, director of the Pittsburgh Film Office.

“ ‘Unstoppable’ is a very large project and we’re excited to have them in Pennsylvania,” said Keezer.

Keezer said the production of the film was brought to the area primarily through the Pennsylvania film production tax credit.

“The film industry is a business,” she said, “And people forget sometimes that it is a business ... and like any business, decisions are made based on the bottom line.”

The tax credit offered to production companies directly relates to that bottom line, she said, as it offers the production company a 25 percent tax credit based on the amount of money spent within Pennsylvania.

To qualify, the production team must spend at least 60 percent of its budget within the state. After filming has completed, the commonwealth reviews the movie’s budget and determines the monetary value of its tax credit, which can either be used by the film or, as in most cases, sold to a third-party corporation in Pennsylvania.

So a film like “Unstoppable” — which is rumored to have a budget around $100 million — would have to spend at least $60 million within Pennsylvania to qualify.

Jane Saul, director of the Pennsylvania Film Office, said having a major motion picture like “Unstoppable” filming in Pennsylvania is a major boost to the state’s economy.

“It’s great for the economy,” she said. “Because in general, when films come they spend a lot of money and then they leave ... and especially a film like this, being a large budget feature.”

It also boosts the state’s hospitality industry, she said. The production crew has rented most of the rooms in the newly constructed Best Western on Shiloh Road and the cast has been spotted spending time at several local restaurants.

“They stay in hotels, they eat in restaurants ... they do everything they need to do and they do it locally,” Saul said.

Several Penn State students have signed on as part of the crew, serving as production assistants for the filming. The university began its partnership with the production team in late summer, when it held an informational session for students interested in participating.

“What are the chances of getting that kind of experience while you’re in school?” said Bob Martin, assistant dean for internships in the College of Communications. “It’s pretty remarkable and they’re having a great experience.”

“So they do some hiring within the region,” Saul said. Not only for crew, but also for cast — extras were recruited earlier in the fall at a casting call in Tyrone, where the movie will also be filming.

But not everyone is enamored with the production taking place in their backyards.

One valley business owner, who declined to identify herself, said the filming has been an inconvenience, driving away customers because of traffic congestion and road closures.

However, most area residents seem to enjoy the show — and the change of pace in the quiet villages along the Bald Eagle Railroad.

“They got the trains running up and down the tracks, helicopters flying up and down the valley in the air ... they’re filming most every day,” Miller said. “And all this in central Pennsylvania ... it’s very exciting.”