An old church on a dirt road in north Lee County is the last place you'd expect to find the buzz and chaos of a Hollywood movie production.
On the afternoon of Sept. 19, that's exactly what was happening at Flatrock Baptist Church.
"White Water" is a film that takes place in 1963 Opelika, about a young African-Amerian boy who sets out to drink from the whites-only water fountain.
It is based on a true story written into a children's book under the same title by Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein.
In a 2011 promotional interview for the book published by Candlewick Press, Bandy, whose childhood experience the book is based on, said he wants to give people hope.
"We look at this project as being one of inspiration, being one of success and motivation and, most of all, hope," Bandy said.
Producer Dwayne Johnson-Cochran said he's glad to be filming in Opelika.
"We've had a lot of cooperation from the city, local vendors and local communities," Johnson-Cochran said.
As members of the film crew raced around the churchyard and packed up the equipment to move to the next location, Johnson-Cochran commented on the convenience of having filming locations close together.
"Making a movie is always chaotic," Johnson-Cochran said in between answering calls, texts on his phone and making sure the crew got the additional audio they needed from inside the church before they moved on. "Being able to move quickly [from location to location] is the most important thing."
Gregory "Grits" Carter, line producer for the film, said the film had been to several locations.
"We filmed in Waverly earlier this week," Carter said. "Today we're at the church, and later we'll be filming a scene in downtown Opelika."
The budget of the film is just under $1 million, but with the RED digital cameras they are using the final product will look like a higher-budget film, according to Johnson-Cochran.
Johnson-Cochran also said Alabama tax breaks for local films have helped keep the costs down.
"Twenty-five percent we get back for hiring people from other places and 35 percent we get back for hiring people in Alabama," Johnson-Cochran said. "We're spending a lot here with restaurants, hotels and local vendors."
Several locals have been hired for small parts and as extras in the film.
"I've been hiring people all day," Johnson-Cochran said. "All of our extras we've hired from Alabama."
Actors in the film include Daniel Thomas May, who played Allen on season three of "The Walking Dead," and Barry Shabaka Henley, who has been in several Michael Mann films. Playing the main character, Michael, are twins Amari and Amir O'Neal.
Rusty Cundieff is directing. Cundieff has directed several episodes of different television series, including 25 episodes of "Chappelle's Show," according to the Internet Movie Database (IMBD).
Cundieff wasn't able to speak with The Plainsman during the visit to the set.
"I have to make sure (Cundieff) gets all his shots in," Johnson-Cochran said. "We've got to be in Opelika in an hour and we're about to lose the light."
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