Independent film to be shot in Eastport

EASTPORT – Hollywood stars? Maybe.

But an independent movie being shot in this seaside community? Guaranteed!

Filming on the $250,000 film titled “Ditch Digger” is expected to start this fall.

Writer-director James Stiles, 38, said recently he expects a 30-day shooting schedule.

The fact that it has lower budget means nothing. Over the years there have been other low-budget films that have had a national release, including “The Full Monty” and “Swingers.”

The writer-director has ties to Maine. He grew up in Augusta and studied at Rockport College. He owns New England Casting. “New England Casting is the biggest casting agency north of Boston. We have been around since 2002 and have over 1,000 people in our database,” he said.

Last year he directed a short film titled “Trailer Trash” that led to his meeting supporters who are helping bankroll this film. “It was a neat little film,” he said.

Stiles, who said his heroes are Stephen King, Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg, wrote the horror-thriller flick. He talked about the plot. “A man, riddled with guilt over his role in a 15-year-old murder, is forced by the ‘ghost’ of the victim to return to his small-town roots to reconnect with his estranged family, confront his childhood friends and find the body of a girl who deserves a much better end than the one she got,” the writer-director said.

The young director said he had planned to begin filming in May, but recently got a job as second assistant director on a $20 million movie that is being shot in New York this summer. That has delayed the filming of “Ditch Digger.”

Stiles is in the process of trying to recruit some Hollywood talent to star in his film.

He said he was talking with another Mainer, Rachel Nichols, who is a friend of his. She now is making two Hollywood films. “She was in the movie ‘P2’ with Wes Bentley in 2007, which came out around Christmastime,” he said. “She is now filming ‘GI Joe’ and ‘Star Trek.’ Those are due out in 2009.”

He said he was uncertain whether Nichols would have time to do the movie, but he was hopeful.

“Once we get down to the wire, we may see who is available for actors out in Hollywood,” he said, “and maybe talk to their manager, something like that. If they are not doing anything … maybe they will come out and work a week on ‘Ditch Digger.'”

In the meantime, dust off your grease pencils and powder your nose because Stiles’ film crew is looking for local talent to work right next to some Hollywood stars.

Stiles plans to hold a local open casting call soon.

The writer-director also has been working with John Miller, administrator of The Boat School-Husson Maine’s Marine Technology Center, looking at location sites.

Stiles plans to film about 50 percent of the movie at the Boat School. “We have the woods next to the building and down below we have the water,” he said.

Stiles also has received help from the Maine Film Office. Lea Girardin, director of the MFO, said Thursday that she has known Stiles for some time. “He has worked in various capacities in other projects that have come into the state,” she said.

And people in Eastport are looking forward to the fall fun.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to be the location for the filming of a new movie,” City Manager George “Bud” Finch said. “The timing of the film is perfect as we [emerge] from what has been a very long winter into spring and summer.”

Finch said the film would help boost the local economy. “The movie brings with it economic dollars that typically would not be spent in the area, thus a great and welcome boost to our local economy,” he said. “Even on the basis of the smaller scope of this movie, the investment in the area will translate into economic opportunity in employment, housing, dining, et cetera.”

This is not the first time a movie has been shot in Eastport.

In 2001, the made-for-television reality show “Murder in Small Town X” was shot in Eastport. At the end of that film the production company donated a large statue of a fisherman to the city. It still stands downtown.

Other films shot in Eastport include “Sunrise at Campobello” and “Pete’s Dragon.” Last year a BBC news travel series starring Stephen Fry was shot in Eastport, Miller said.

Stiles’ Web site is www.jamesstiles.com.

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