If Reid Bailey's plans take off, downtown Fredericksburg might have to get used to working around film crews.
Bailey, 39, is a budding filmmaker based in Fredericksburg. He's in the process of filming three short features, then will embark on a full-length film next year. He plans to shoot all four in downtown locations.
Once the short films are done, he'll send them off to various film festivals, hoping to get exposure for himself as a filmmaker and for his cast and crew as well.
The first short has already been shot.
"It's a tongue-in-cheek look at the cult of celebrity," Bailey said.
The film, called "Decisions, Decisions," is about a famous actress reviewing presentations from three resorts eager to secure her business. All seems fairly straightforward as the pretentious reps woo her with fancy food and vintage wines, but there's an ironic twist at the end.
Bailey said he chose Fredericksburg as his location because this is where he lives now. He and his wife, Lisa, moved here in October 2003 when she took a job with the Justice Department at Quantico.
While he's working toward his filmmaking break, Bailey earns a paycheck doing IT support for Winrock International, a nonprofit organization in Arlington.
Bailey said he has wanted to be a filmmaker since his childhood in Garrett County, Md. He has been writing film scripts for about five years, and has made some contacts in Hollywood.
"I did a pro bono piece for a producer in Los Angeles," Bailey said. "That gave me an introduction to a lot of people."
He's also worked with a producer-director for the A&E show "Intervention" and a producer for commercials.
A year ago he won a Bronze Quill award from the International Association of Business Communicators for a funny business short he made.
"I would like to be able to sell a script for a whole lot of money," Bailey said, "but barring that, I'll [film] it myself."
He has pulled together a group of actors, directors and crew, many of them with local roots or ties to the University of Mary Washington.
Mike Setti grew up here and graduated with a theater degree from James Madison University.
Date published: 6/5/2005
