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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.
"Originally I went to audition for the pieces," Setti said. "I'm an actor. But when he looked at my resume, he offered me the assistant director job."
Holly Kiss, a 19-year-old resident of Stafford County's White Oak area and a graphic design student at Germanna Community College, nailed a job as costumer.
"Costume design is where my heart is," Kiss said.
"Decisions, Decisions" was her first experience of working on a film set, and she loved it.
She's angling for more responsibility on the next two films.
Alex Gomez, a recent University of Mary Washington graduate, was the chief lighting technician for "Decisions, Decisions."
"My background is in theatrical lighting," Gomez said, "but I was the only person [on the film] with any lighting experience."
He found that movies are very different from the theater.
"The lighting positions are constantly changing," he said.
In some ways, though, it's easier to light a movie.
"A film shoot is a never-ending rehearsal," Gomez said. The same scene can be shot with several different lighting designs, and then the editor gets to choose the one he likes.
"You don't have to worry about what the audience is going to miss," Gomez said.
Bailey has also managed to involve a number of local businesses in his project.
"He's working with local people," Setti said, "building rapport with businesses and vendors. He's got a great flow going."
"Decisions, Decisions" was shot at Salono Salono on Caroline Street.
Two of the salon's hair stylists, Kerri Moran and Roxanne Walker, even had parts in the film.
"We had a lot of fun with it," Moran said. She was the Nervous Waitress, and Walker played a stylist.
Bailey filled out the cast with actors from Richmond, Baltimore and Washington who auditioned for the parts.
Although "Decisions, Decisions" is now on film, there are weeks of editing ahead for Bailey. After he's done, the edited film will go to the composer for a score. It will be late summer before it's ready to show.
Then he'll get busy with the second short this fall; the third will probably get pushed to early next year.
"The shorts will be a resume for the film company," Setti said. They will be sent out on a disc to try to interest investors in future projects, perhaps even the feature film Bailey wants to make.
Bailey said he picked a horror flick for his feature-length film because, "They're a lot of fun. And that's where a lot of directors do get their start."
Horror films don't require the same degree of realism as other genres, so are easier to put together, he said. "They're more forgiving."
It may take awhile before there's a Bailey Films production playing at the local multiplex, but in the meantime, Fredericksburg is getting a shot at cinematic fame.
"Fredericksburg is a very artistic town. There's a lot of drama, art and music. Film is one area that hasn't been tapped," said Philip Holbrook, Bailey's second assistant director.
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