Leaving for 6 weeks for my 6th Feature Film!
My wife and I have been packing for days to prepare to leave our LA home for six weeks to fly across the country to direct my sixth feature film. This trip is unlike any other we have prepared for… because on this trip we have a newborn infant, a dog, six suitcases, camera equipment, on a red-eye flight and then a six hour drive to get to set!
I don’t know how one prepares for a trip like this mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I guess I will let you know after our first week of filming if we prepared adequately. This is a movie that I first started writing over six years ago. It is the story of a local man who becomes Santa Claus in Central Pennsylvania. It is based on the real life story of Allen Smith. His story is so incredible that while we are in Pennsylvania for six weeks I will be spending more than half of that time making a documentary about the real life individual and his story.
When we land in Pittsburgh International Airport on Sunday morning we will drive across the state, drop off our dog, and head to set for the week at Bethlehem Pennsylvania. I have never been to this city known as Christmas City USA, but I know there is not a place more appropriate to make an original Christmas movie. Daniel Roebuck is playing the lead role in our film “Saint Nick of Bethlehem” and he is from this charming city in the Lehigh Valley. Danny and his wife Tammy have helped tremendously make this film a reality. I could not have done this movie without them. In fact, Danny and I are going to be co-directing and he has helped with rewrites so much he has become a co-writer and producer!
This has already been a wonderful collaborative experience and I am so thankful to have such a great creative team behind this project. It is our hope that this will be a new classic holiday Christmas movie. We have a wonderful cast and crew. We will be filming all over Pennsylvania including Bethlehem, Altoona, Philipsburg, and Morrisdale, PA! This will be the beginning of the film shoot with more pickup shots in the Spring.
It takes a village to raise a film, and we have the best village. It has been years since I had the opportunity to make another film back in my home state of Pennsylvania. I am thankful to have the opportunity to direct two feature films this year and one documentary. Our family has so much to be thankful for in 2023, but I cannot wait to see what 2024 has for us in the future! Cannot wait to share all of these amazing films with you soon!
Sincerely,
Spencer
