Christmas movie shot in Oregon

After being taken down at the end of January, Christmas decorations had to be put back up late last month at Pinehill Inn Bed and Breakfast in Oregon.

A made-for-TV movie, the name of which is still under wraps, was shot on site from Feb. 26 until March 1. Scenes were also filmed at Sinnissippi Tree Farm & Forest in Oregon for the holiday movie.

“They found this location on the internet when searching for bed and breakfasts,” Pinehill Owner and Oregon Mayor Ken Williams said. “Boy meets girl at Christmas, they kiss under the mistletoe and they meet at a B & B. They thought Pinehill fit what they wanted and shot it here.”

Williams said there were 25-30 crew members and a small staff. They worked 12-hour days and shot inside and outside Pinehill. The shooting done at Sinnissippi involved the movie’s stars walking the farm and commenting on its scenery. The crew waited to film outdoors until the weather was warm enough.

Ari Golan, the film’s director and cinematographer, called his time in Oregon “a great experience.” He and his crew had tried to find locations closer to Chicago, but landed on Oregon after seeing its qualities.

“Looking for a victorian mansion surrounded by pine trees, Pinehill looked like it had been built straight from our script,” Golan said. “Sinnissippi was the epitome of a tree farm. It had a beautiful view and we took a great drone shot.”

Golan said the network the movie will be shown on is yet to be determined. The movie will be shown domestically and internationally.

“It was the quaint, picturesque town we were looking for,” Golan said. “The locations looked like they were right off the storyboard. We traveled farther than we anticipated to do it.”

Sinnissippi Tree Farm Owners Doug and Julie Conroy called the day of shooting at their site fun and interesting. Despite some snow melting, it was still difficult getting the crew to their desired sites in the conditions.

A lot of the Sinnissippi signage and equipment was already back in storage behind built-up snow, but the crew got what it was looking for.

“It brought back all those happy feelings of the seasons and it was a joy to share in the production,” Julie Conroy said.

Golan said he looked at several other tree farms before deciding on Sinnissippi. Doug Conroy called being chosen an honor. After a busy season, some trees in shooting areas were gone. The Conroys said it still turned out well and some of their favorite personal areas on the farm were chosen by the crew.

“It’ll be a special feeling to see it,” Doug Conroy said. “Most of the cast and crew were from other parts of the country. But they were so nice and respectful. They were in and out of our personal home during the shoot. They were great and so coordinated.”

Williams said he felt pride during the process as both Pinehill owner and mayor.

“They’ll be leaving the name Oregon, Illinois in the movie,” Williams said. “Those people find love in Oregon. The crew ate at and patronized businesses in town. Oregon’s name in the movie will show what a great town we have.”

Golan said the movie was originally planned to be set in a fictitious town in another state. But he decided to keep Oregon’s name, feeling it fit well. There’s also a nod to Oregon Police Chief Shawn Melville. The movie’s police chief will have his last name.

Williams said hospitality businesses like his have been among those hit the hardest during the pandemic, and he appreciated having a full house for four days. The entire crew was COVID-19 tested before the shoot and everyone on set wore masks with the exception of talent on camera.

The filming was the first in the area since August 2018 when scenes for HBO’s Lovecraft Country series were shot at White Pines State Park and rural roads near Polo.

“The community was very interested,” Williams. “We put a Facebook post up explaining the decorations. People drove by and took a look. They didn’t bother the crew.”