HARMONY TOWNSHIP — Director/writer, Nicholas Bushman calls the setting for his latest feature film “perfect.” The green, wooded valley is on the property of Bill and Susie Muenchow.

Bushman will film there with the cast and crew for about six days and then film a car chase on County Road 179 before returning to Columbus to finish another 40 days of production.

“The people here and their neighbors have been great in helping us in many ways,” said Bushman when he took a few minutes for a break on Friday. “A neighbor who turns out to be a mechanic fixed our car and Susie even helped with sewing a costume today.”

This is Bushman’s fourth feature film, titled “Future Lies.” He calls it a film about “lovers on the run.” Any details about the plot, costumes, or action are being kept completely under wraps. That’s in the tradition, said his producer, Gayle Morrison of Alfred Hitchcock and Woody Allen who didn’t even let their actors see the whole script.

Morrison said the location at Muenchow’s home was recommended by their mutual friend, Nancy Collander, who is a neighbor of Muenchow’s. She said Collander thought Harmony Township and the back roads of Morrow County would be ideal for the film. Morrison said that Bushman was skeptical that such a place existed.

“But when he saw the Muenchows’ home and the wooded valley, the crooked lane and the country roads he just said, ‘This is perfect,’” said Morrison with a smile.

Bill and Susie Muenchow are in turn delighted to facilitate the production in any way they can. Much filming will be outside on the lawn and in the woods, while some will be filmed in their home. Bill ran to and fro all afternoon finding duct tape and stopping cars from parking on the front lawn. Susie helped sew up a ripped outfit and opened their garage and home for the crew and actors.

Morrison predicted that it might be as long as a year after filming that the movie will be released. Bushman does most of the editing and post-production work with others who have expertise in sound and other aspects of editing. Frank LoCrasto, a New York composer will do an original score.

Bushman is delighted that his third film, “Strangers in the Dunes” was featured at Raindance Film Festival. To have a screening at this festival is a tremendous opening for a director.

Bushman said he’s known he wanted to make films all his life. The 33-year-old played at making movies at four and began experimenting with making short films when he was in middle school and high school. He dropped out of Grandview Heights High School when he was 16 to research making films.

Bushman continues to work with several classmates and friends from Grandview Heights in Columbus. Misa Farslow is script supervisor and a former classmate. Seth Hammond has acted in a couple films. His friend, Mike Dwyer has worked with him since high school in all four feature films as actor, writer and assisted in directing. Other actors come from Los Angeles and Australia.

The first film “Sandbar” is now on Amazon and I-tunes. “Union Furnace,” the second film made by Bushman was written with Dwyer and is now on Vimeo ad Blue Ray. “Stranger in the Dunes” is still being shown on the festival circuit. There are trailers and clips of each film online.

Susie and Bill Muenchow watch the filming in their front yard.
http://www.morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2017/10/web1_DSCN3908.jpgSusie and Bill Muenchow watch the filming in their front yard.

Mike Dwyer assists as Director Nicholas Bushman prepares to shoot a scene for the independent film, “Future Lies.” They are on location in Harmony Township.
http://www.morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2017/10/web1_DSCN3904-2-.jpgMike Dwyer assists as Director Nicholas Bushman prepares to shoot a scene for the independent film, “Future Lies.” They are on location in Harmony Township.

By Alberta Stojkovic

The Sentinel