Island Free Press ...Local News

The filming of ‘Nights in Rodanthe’: Hollywood came to Hatteras Island

By AMBERLY DYER

At 7:15 a.m. on Wednesday, May 12, 2007, the Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo community center was a hub of activity. A man stood in Highway 12 directing traffic. Golf carts, ATVs, and construction trucks cruised the highway between the community building, Mirlo Beach, and the Rodanthe pier. The moviemakers had arrived on Hatteras Island.

The filming of some scenes for the feature film, "Nights in Rodanthe," had Dare County in a twitter. Islanders were excited about the filming and the presence of Hollywood stars Richard Gere and Diane Lane. They had to deal with the Hollywood presence in the form of closed highways during the filming of some scenes, being chased out of the ocean at the S-Curves, or being shooed away from a movie set.

However, not many seemed to mind. Cell phone calls, bicycle rides, and surreptitious strolls to find movie locations occupied people for the better part of two weeks. Others blithely set out their lawn chairs along the highway or sat along the dunes, watching the drama unfold.

"Nights in Rodanthe," written by Nicholas Sparks, was published in 2002. The novel brings Adrienne Willis and Dr. Paul Flanner together at the Inn at Rodanthe over a winter weekend. She is keeping the inn for a friend, and he is meeting Robert Torrelson, a local waterman whose wife died unexpectedly after Flanner performed plastic surgery. During a northeaster, Flanner and Willis discover true love. In case you haven’t read the book, I won’t give away the ending.

This movie will be Sparks’ fourth novel adapted to the big screen. Two of his novels, “Message in a Bottle” and “The Notebook,” became major Hollywood hits. "Nights in Rodanthe" is produced by Warner Brothers. The team is led by director George Wolfe, whose credits include a Tony award for “Angels in America” and Director’s Guild Award in 2005 for “Lackawanna Blues.”

Production teams from Wilmington, New York, and Atlanta all converged on Hatteras Island, and their ability to stay on schedule was amazing.

Here are some of the stories of that magical and interesting week of moviemaking on Hatteras Island. MOVIE MAKING: MAGIC AND ILLUSION On the set, the various assistant directors constantly talked about "making magic." Considering all the work and tricks used to create a scene, illusion is definitely a craft.

One of the most noticeable illusions was the transformation of the house called Serendipity on the very north end of Mirlo Beach in Rodanthe into the "Inn at Rodanthe."

For nearly a month, crews added porches and a shed, changed light fixtures, and created blue shutters. The fast pace was amazing, considering that CAMA permits were required to make any changes, however temporary, to the footprint of the house.

John Contestable, Dare County building inspector, facilitated the process. He tells the story about one of the first days, when the crew leader told him that he thought there was a water main break beneath the house.

"Then he realized it was the ocean coming through," Contestable says.

The crew battled not only regular high tides, but a real northeaster, which ripped off new stairs and railings. Film crews were spotted during parts of the storm, out to capture shots of the stormy Atlantic.

Undaunted by the storm, the crew pressed on -- moved sand, planted trees (lashed to telephone poles), and rebuilt the porches. The attention to detail was terrific -- even the newly built shed was stained perfectly to match the existing weather-worn cedar shakes.

Other filming sites included the Rodanthe Pier and JoBob’s Trading Post. At the pier, details such as painting PVC pipe to blend with the structure showed the director’s attention.
The funny thing about moviemaking is that it is not necessarily realistic. For example, the "after-hurricane party," (The northeaster was changed to a hurricane for the movie.) included oysters, clams, and crabs. Most island folks know that crabs and oysters are not usually in season at the same time.

Another big scene included "wild" horses running on the beach, something no one can seem to remember seeing in Rodanthe, even long ago. The ferry ran from Ocracoke to Hatteras, but the set included a "Welcome to Rodanthe" sign on the Ocracoke side. Finally, the town scenes were filmed in downtown Manteo.

Illusion came in funny ways too. Huge stadium-size lights lit up the Rodanthe pier until 4 a.m. one night. The Chicamacomico Banks Fire Department helped "make rain" on a beautiful afternoon so that rain drops would be visible on film.

Overall, the filmmaking business is a lot of work. More than 150 crew members were involved, along with actors and extras.

"Once you got started, it was ultra-efficient," said Don Bowers of Buxton. Bowers worked as an extra "fisherman" on the Rodanthe Pier, and he assisted staging a truck on the ferry.
Each scene was typically shot at least five or six times.

"You had to do it different times for all of the camera angles," explained Gary Mitchell, an Ocracoke musician who was among a group who played music for the hurricane party.    ADDING THE LOCAL FLAVOR Variety is definitely the spice of life, and the moviemakers, despite some faux pas noted by locals, tried to incorporate the ambience of the Outer Banks.

A general casting call was held in Manteo on Friday and Saturday, May 4 and 5, 2007. People from as far away as Norfolk, Edenton, and Williamston stood in line for more than two hours in a drizzling rain to fill out a card and meet casting director Mark Fincannon. Retirees, children, and everyone in between came out for a chance to be in the movies and maybe meet the stars.

When the coveted call came to the chosen extras, vague instructions were provided. People were asked to be prepared to work 10 to12 hours and to bring several changes of clothes for the wardrobe team to choose from.

"I was so shocked when they called Monday, I couldn’t eat my dinner that night," says Cheryl Gray-McDonald, a part-time resident of Avon.

The night before shooting, April Contestable of Salvo, confided, "On a scale of one to 10, I’m containing myself at a 15."

A few extras had to practice for their parts. Brothers Ian O’Neal and Shae O’Neal of Rodanthe, as well as their cousin Elijah Midgette, were cast to ride their bikes.

"They’ve been practicing riding their bikes because they’re skateboarders," explained Jonna Midgette, Elijah’s mother.

After checking in, filling out paperwork, and getting the first lecture about cameras and cell phones on the set, the extras met with wardrobe staff. This is where the conflicts began.
Extras were told to bring clothes for September or October. Wardrobe staff members became perplexed when teen-age boys looked at them blankly and replied that they do not own any "long pants."

Amanda Pitts of Rodanthe, worked as a pool player. She brought more than three outfits, trying to guess which one would suit the scene.

"They put me in this crappy T-shirt," she said. "I only wear T-shirts for painting."

Denise Halminski, an extra during the party, was assigned a melon-colored dress to wear.

"This looks like something I would wear to church, not a beach bonfire," she said.

The crux of the wardrobe rub was not just whether or not you would be comfortable, but it could decide if you would be picked for a scene. One couple from Elizabeth City was called to the set, but rejected by the director for being "too dressy."

Once dressed and ready, it was time to wait.

"You’re in a hurry to do nothing," noted Don Bowers.

Extras were sequestered during the filming, then pulled by an assistant director when needed. At times, it felt completely random.

When filming at JoBob’s, the production team pulled Rodanthe residents Tom Murphy and Robert Harrelson from the folks who were watching to chat on the set. Sharon Jordan rode by on her bike, and a director said, "I need your bike," and there she went, baby and all.

Most people reported that despite the long hours, watching the movie production and seeing the stars made it worth the while.

"It was drudgery, but very enjoyable," related Herb "Speedy" Price, a musician from Frisco.

One family swept the record for extras. The O’Neal family of Rodanthe had seven members participate in filming. The matriarch, Jazania O’Neal cleaned corn for the hurricane party. Her daughter Jonna Midgette, grandson Justin O’Neal, and granddaughter-in-law, Stephanie O’Neal joined her as extras that night. Earlier in the week, her grandson Elijah Midgette rode his bike with her great-grandsons Ian and Shae O’Neal. Even her couch made it into a scene filmed inside a neighbor’s home.

When asked what they were going to do with their day’s wages of about $75, Elijah O’Neal replied, "Buy new skateboard stuff." COGS IN THE WHEELS Some people got to do a little more than sit in the background. After a morning sitting around as an extra, Amanda Pitts was ready to go home.

Luckily she hung around for lunch, when she struck up a conversation with a production team member who hailed from Chapel Hill. Pitts graduated from the University of North Carolina in 2003, where she majored in media production and studies. The light bulb went on, and she was asked to help out as a production assistant during the party scene. Production crews work longer than actors. Pitts worked from 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday to 4:30 a.m. on Thursday.

"It was fun. I wore a headset and a walkie-talkie," she says. "It made my job at the bead store, which I love, seem a little boring."

SETTING THE TONE Featured in the film are some distinct sounds of the Outer Banks. While scouting the area, production staff picked up some local music CDs. They contacted Gary Mitchell of Molasses Creek on Ocracoke who helps coordinate regional shows, including the Ocrafolk Opry.

Mitchell put more than 25 people in contact with the producers for auditions. The directors selected 10 musicians for their final cut.

"They selected folks who were not only musically talented, but who would also be appropriate for the look the director wanted for the scene," explained Mitchell.

Musicians selected were Marcy Brenner, Lou Castro, Jubal Creech, Kevin Hardy, Jule Garrish, Jeane McDougal, Katy Mitchell, Gary Mitchell, Herb "Speedy" Price, and Bob Zentz. All but Creech, McDougal, and Zentz live locally. Price is the only Hatteras Island musician, with the remaining performers living in Ocracoke.

Because ambient noise, such as the ocean or wind, distorts sound on film, the group made a whirlwind trip to Wilmington to record the music at the movie studio.

The tape was played back on the set, and musicians performed in synch to match the visual and sound tapes.

The music is set to be used during the post-hurricane party. The group recorded three songs, including an old blues song "Come on Around to My House," sung by Katy Mitchell and "Before I Met You," sung by 84-year-old Ocracoke native Jule Garrish.

"Jule Garrish’s song will probably be a pivotal part of the movie," explained Marcy Brenner. The scene was a slow waltz, with the stars dancing close at the end of the pier away from the crowd. Brenner reported that even the production crew described it as "magical" after the shoot.

"We’re all thrilled to be in the movie," said Gary Mitchell. There has been a soundtrack released. THE STARS The biggest draw for the islanders was the stars. People waited and watched for a glimpse of Richard Gere and Diane Lane. Admittedly, most of the attention focused on Gere, who is a heartthrob for women of many ages.

On the set, people were admonished not to talk to the stars, unless they spoke first. Each gave off a different vibe.

"She was really relaxed and casual," Don Bowers reported about Lane. "She talked to people and answered questions."

Marcy Brenner said that when Lane saw the band gathered on the pier, she excitedly called out, "They’re here! The musicians are here!"

Though often aloof or sequestered, Gere gravitated toward children, whom he went out of the way to greet. He also found one special lady to hug, Jazania O’Neal. Before the stars shot their stroll through the beach party, Gere approached O’Neal at the corn husking table and gave her a big hug and kiss on the cheek.

"He said I reminded him of his mother," O’Neal said, grimacing and smiling at the same time.

No matter what the reason, she earned the envy of many women who hoped for just a wave.

When the crew filmed at the ferry docks in Hatteras village, groups of women gathered throughout the afternoon. Bowers, who drove a truck onto the ferry to be used in the background, described the scene.

"There were all these women down there screaming at Richard Gere. He waved at them, and they just melted."

By the end of May, islanders had still not stopped talking about the moviemaking. We figure it could last for years. The movie was scheduled to be released in June of this year, but it was moved up to the end of September. It’s likely that there will be a DVD in the home of everyone who had work as an extra.

Luckily, a few people kept their wits about them. Cash Barris of Buxton reported to serve as an extra "stock boy" in JoBob’s store. After waiting several hours, Barris made a decision. It was bright and sunny, and there was a swell. He left the set and went surfing, content with Hatteras Island just the way it is in real life.

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