Downtown Wilmington was alive with filming activity Wednesday, as the feature films “Max Steel” and “The Sin Seer” both shot scenes on their second and third days of filming, respectively.
“Max Steel” was the most visible, blocking off a one-block radius around Second and Dock streets, where a scene involving title character Max McGrath, played by Ben Winchell, was filmed in the morning. By early afternoon, production had moved to Betten Court Alley, between the Buzz’s Roost and 9 restaurants on South Front Street.
Those businesses and others remained open during filming, as indicated by sandwich board signs placed along sidewalks. Local traffic was also allowed through, but general traffic was restricted from the area by police officers stationed at several intersections.
Production was scheduled to continue into the early evening, with more downtown filming scheduled Thursday. The film will also shoot scenes farther south along Front Street and end the week with a two-day shoot at Hoggard High School, according to permits.
In addition to locations in Wilmington, “Max Steel” is shooting scenes at the former Ideal Cement Plant in the Castle Hayne area.
Related story: ‘Max Steel,’ ‘How and Why,’ ‘The Sin Seer’ roll cameras in Wilmington this week
Produced by Dolphin Films and Mattel, “Max Steel” stars Winchell, of Disney’s “A.N.T. Farm” and “Necessary Roughness,” and Ana Villafañe, of “Hiding” and “Los Americans.” Just yesterday, it was announced Andy Garcia has also joined the film, cast as “the brilliant and mysterious scientist Dr. Miles Edwards,” according to reports.
Meanwhile, across Market Street, suspense thriller “The Sin Seer” was shooting scenes inside the Murchison Building at Front and Chestnut streets. A permit filed with the City of Wilmington indicated prop guns and gunfire was to be used.
Filming was scheduled to continue there Thursday, as well as at an industrial park off 23rd Street, where prop gunfire was also set to be used.
Produced by Overflow Entertainment, the film tells the story of a woman who can see inside people’s souls and uses that ability to help solve crimes. It stars Isaiah Washington, of “Grey’s Anatomy” fame; Lisa Arrindell Anderson, who appeared in the locally filmed “Bolden!”; Michael Ironside, whose credits include “The Machinist” and “Top Gun”; and C. Thomas Howell, whose long list of films include “E.T.” and “The Amazing Spider-Man.”
Also currently filming in town are FX’s “How and Why,” which started production today at Roland Grise Middle School and the Sixth Street bridge over the former downtown railroad corridor, and the CBS series “Under the Dome,” which is two months into filming its second season.
Related stories:
- Four productions, potential for more get Wilmington film scene rolling this year
- Film crews descend on downtown Wilmington; ‘Sin Seer’ enters preproduction
- Want to be in the movies? Here are some starting points
Jonathan Spiers is a reporter for Port City Daily. He can be reached at (910) 772-6313 or jonathan.s@portcitydaily.com. On Twitter: @jrspiers
