"Stay Off the Tracks!"

The past couple weeks as I've been coming home I've run into signs for "Lonely Joe Film Production." For a few days they were on Route 5 in Elbridge, filming at a lovely old farmhouse. I remember thinking it was a great location - the quintessential farmhouse, white and gabled, set back from the road, good porch, some pretty gingerbread trim.

I wondered vaguely if these were the same local people who had filmed in Port Byron a couple years ago, creating a soft horror film which premiered at the high school.

But when I turned the corner on my road and was stopped by the crew set up in the orchard, this took a new turn. Filming on my road! Wow!

As the day went on - an absolutely gorgeous October's bright blue weather day - I watched them do make-up on the side lawn, set up lights and eat the catered food. A police car appeared in the driveway, clearly there for the filming.

I called my friendly Post Standard reporter, Matt Michael, and he informed me that it was local people and NYC people, not the same ones as the Port Byron film. Lonely Joe would be their first film.

The second day of filming it rained and rained. Hope they needed a rainy day....

The owner of the orchard told me later the crew drank 20 gallons of his cider and pronounced it the "best they'd ever tasted!" He also said they left things behind - a director's chair, lights and electrical equipment, even a laptop. But he had enjoyed his moment in the sun!

You can read more about the premise for Lonely Joe and the production on their website: http://www.knowlonelyjoe.com.