The magic of Hollywood will transform Batavia into rural Oklahoma in the 1940s when an independent film company takes over the Old County Courthouse at Main and Ellicott streets next Wednesday.
County Manager Jay Gsell told our news partner WBTA that a crew of about 35 key people affiliated with the company working on a bio-pic about the late Supreme Court Juctice Thurgood Marshall visited the city last week to work on the logistics for filming a courtroom scene on the third floor.
They included location manager Michael Nickodem, the director, lighting crew and support staff.
They also want to film by the front steps outside the courthouse and they scouted for a second site for some outdoor shots, settling on property on Oak Orchard Road in the Town of Batavia. Gsell said it's near the recent house fire, which claimed the life of 90-year-old Roger Saile.
"Something about that location resonated," he said. "So they're also trying to make arrangments (to film there) -- not a massive onslaught, but as background. Again, we're substituting for rural Olkahoma."
It takes an incredible amount of coordination to get everything just right, and to nail down all the details. Yet the finished product will likely result in less than five minutes of Batavia footage.
Plans call for shooting all day on June 1 at the Old Courthouse, then at property on Route 98 (Oak Orchard Road) on Thursday, June 2 or Friday, June 3.
They are also filming at the old courthouse and other buildings in Downtown Buffalo.
For previous coverage on the film "Marshall," click here.
