The filming of the movies for the new Marinus Willett Center begins Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2004. Northern Light Productions of Boston, Massachusetts is producing the movies for Fort Stanwix National Monument. "I am looking forward to start filming these movies," said Lenny Rotman, Producer. "We have spent months preparing to film and are looking forward to working in beautiful Rome and outlining areas where, hopefully, it will not rain for an entire week."
There are four primary professional actors who will be performing. All four are from New York City. The actors include Kathrin Kana as the German Colonial Woman, Irma LaGuerra in the role of the Oneida Bear Clan Mother, Eric Altheide portraying the Dutch Continental Soldier, and Michael Shelle as the Scottish Trader. Each of the characters will explore the American Revolutionary War from their point of view, and explain why they chose sides as patriots, loyalists and those staying neutral during the war. In addition, four local actors will have roles. These include Rachel Wood, daughter of Becky Wood, of Rome, William Kuhl from Oneida, Michael Tegart of Clinton, and Lucas Randal from Whitesboro.
Filming will be conducted in several locations during the week of August 16. On Tuesday, filming will take place at the Herkimer Home State Historic Site in Little Falls. Then on Wednesday scenes will be shot on Oneida Indian Nation land. The film crew will then shoot footage at the Steuben Fish and Game Club of Remsen on Thursday. And finally, on Friday morning filming will take place at Fort Stanwix.
The film crew and technical advisors include:
Lenny Rotman, Producer
Emily Jansen, Associate Producer
Jeremy Leach, Cinematographer
Jason Hoag, Sound Recordist
Ken Perham, Gaffer
Chris Nickerson, Grip
Brian Corbett, Dolly Grip
Reuben Savits, Production Assistant
Joe Rossi, Hair and Make-up
Tony Golden, Still and Location Photography
Wade Wells, Reenactor Advisor and Costumes
Tom Kernan, Herkimer Home Advisor
Mike Kusch, Fort Stanwix Advisor
Dan Umstead, Oneida Nation Advisor
Nate George, Black Powder Safety Officer
Darryl Gillette, Black Powder Supervisor
In addition to this week filming will be conducted during the Labor Day Weekend at the Steuben Fish and Game Club in Remsen and at Fort Stanwix. Then in the spring, additional filming will be conducted for the fort's new film.
Four of the new films will be shown in the new Marinus Willett Center currently being constructed on the park's southwest lawn. In three of the films actors portray representatives of people who lived and served in the Mohawk Valley during the American Revolutionary War, while the fourth is an interactive map to aid visitors in understanding the significance of the regional landscape. The last film being produced is based on Lieutenant Colonel Marinus Willett's account of daily life at the fort in 1778. Using Willett's journal, the film will explore the day-to-day lives of the men, women and children who served at the fort, and the sacrifices they made for our liberty and freedom today. This new film will support fort programs after the Willett Center opens to the public.
Working with Fort Stanwix on this project are the National Park Service's Harpers Ferry Center, Oneida Indian Nation, both Oriskany Battlefield and Herkimer Home State Historic Sites, Steuben Fish and Game Club in Remsen, NY, and Northern Lights Production of Massachusetts.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
