Big production in a tiny town

STRONG – In an effort to show that visual arts can be successful no matter where a person lands in the world, a film producer from Dover, New Hampshire decided on the hometown of her stepfather- the tiny Maine town of Strong.

Devon Padley, who studied acting in New York City, decided to sit down and write her own script after feeling frustrated with the lack of opportunities in New England.

“There just isn’t a big film community here, so my friend and I decided to make our own,” she said.

Padley and her friend, Benjamin Breault, both had experience in acting and in producing, but the film, Playing With Fire, was their first major project. Beginning in Dec., Padley said the project saw some major changes over the course of several months- including where the story was set.

“We knew we wanted to film in Strong, but we were originally going to set it in the South. Finally we realized- why not set it in Maine?” she said.

With the help of her stepfather and his extended family, the newly formed crew drove to Strong for three days of filming. Locals came out of the wood work to help- offering their farms, barns, houses and even horses as a backdrop to the movie.

“It was a big community effort. It was really neat to see. Everyone was so willing to help,” she said.

The short film focuses on the story of siblings Henry and Hattie who lose their parents in a barn fire. “It’s a story about loss, family, greed, and endurance,” the website describes. Partnered with Dover Independent Players, the film is entirely a grassroots efforts. A fundraising campaign has been started to cover the cost of filming the movie and post-shooting edits. To learn more about Playing With Fire click here.

Upon completion, Padley plans to send the film out into the world of festivals across the country.

“It’s really going to show case the beauty of Maine. It’s an underrated location in the film industry,” she said.