Details on the mysterious Albany movie shoot
The scene on Hamilton Street this morning.
Updated August 8: a casting email that went out on Friday included more details about who's staring (Alicia Silverstone, Vincent D'Onofrio)
Updated August 4 -- we talked with one of the movie's producers.
The movie that's been filming in various locations around Albany in the last week landed on Hamilton Street in Center Square today.
We checked out the scene and picked up a few details (and photos) about the very hush-hush production.
The details on the movie have been hard to track down. And a lot of this is unconfirmed. The movie's title is Sister Spirit (still a working title), though it was previously called Ass Backwards. (There's an IMDB listing for Ass Backwards, nothing for Sister Spirit). They haven't completed casting, and there are rumors on the set that Kate Hudson will star in the flick -- but right now IMBD lists Alicia Silverstone, Jon Cryer, Melissa Leo, Jason Ritter and Amy Sedaris. (Just this morning Silverstone and Cryer were "rumored," but the tag came down within the last hour.) Kristen Wiig has also been rumored to be in the movie.
Another on-set rumor we picked up: they'll be shooting a scene with three actors in a bathtub in the Hamilton Street apartment and supposedly Ritter will be among them.
AB was written by former SNL cast member Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael, according to IMDB (they also wrote Bride Wars, which starred Kate Hudson). Wilson told the Balitmore Sun AB is about "how the way we lie to friends to make them feel better can also make them sort of delusional." The Sun reported the movie's budget is $3 million.
The film didn't come in with the big splash that Salt and The Other Guys did. According to crew members they haven't reached out to local actors -- just some crew.
And this morning a few Hamilton Street residents found out when they woke to the sound of tow trucks. We heard people on the street were only given a few hours notice to move their cars.
The movie is filming inside the basement apartment at at 372 Hamilton and using the basement Israel African Methodist Episcopal Church for its HQ. We wandered down this morning. Here's what we saw:
The carriage house behind 372 Hamilton has also been taken over for shooting.
We did not see Kate Hudson or Alicia Silverstone. We did see these movie star bunnies. Yes, they're in the film.
Crew outside the apartment
Good looking guy with script.
(Thanks, Ryan)
Find It
Movie shoot in Albany
372 Hamilton St
Albany, NY 12210
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Comments
We had a notice on our door on State St. in Center Square from this movie, saying they wanted to use our house for filming. It was very confusing- makes more sense now.
... said TP on Aug 3, 2010 at 1:11 PM | link
AOA should've picked up on the local connection with this shoot. The producer on this film is a former Albany resident who co-produced "Frozen River" with Melissa Leo (also cast in this film).
... said anonymous on Aug 3, 2010 at 1:30 PM | link
Would just like to add, from the curmudgeonly fun-squashing perspective, that it seems totally unfair that as a resident of this neighborhood (and a neighbor of the house where they are filming these sequences) there was not ample warning for the fact that a movie production crew is going to be infiltrating your neighborhood. Last night, as of 9 pm when I returned home, there were no No parking signs put up. However, by 7 AM this morning, when I was leaving to drive my girlfriend to work, there were signs in front of the residence where they are shooting, and large utility vehicles parked up and down the road. The picture of the red pickup featured above is an example of one of the many unfortunate individuals who will now have to pay a fine for parking in a restricted area (restricted as of sometime between nine pm last night and 7 AM this morning), and a hefty towing and storage fee to get their car back. Which is ridiculous.
Now if we could only find out where Kate Hudson is.
... said ryan on Aug 3, 2010 at 1:42 PM | link
Huh, that's really interesting. Can't wait to find out more.
... said Summer on Aug 3, 2010 at 1:52 PM | link
This is my old apartment! I lived there in 2007.
... said Herbstreet on Aug 3, 2010 at 1:54 PM | link
Another example of the Albany Police Departments upstanding treatment of the residents and tax payers of Center Square: Despite the fact that they are required to post No Parking signs a minimum of 1 week in advance, they stuck these signs up sometime late last night. Countless residents woke up this morning to find their cars missing. As a resident of Hamilton Street whose household cars have been towed in the past (despite the fact that we followed the posted parking rules) I find this endlessly annoying. On several occaisions, I have personally witnessed police officers posting parking signs a couple days, or even hours, before a ban is enforced. Thank you, Albany Police Department, for always being on the case to screw someone else over after you failed to do your job.
... said Sarah on Aug 3, 2010 at 2:00 PM | link
I think this is great... shooting in our neighborhood is exciting. To all that are
imposed by this, well you have quite a conundrum. Guess as they say in show biz "the show must go on".. Can i be an extra? good luck on the film. Can't wait to see it. Would be Sweet to see some scenes shot on my street...c.c.
... said anonymous on Aug 3, 2010 at 2:37 PM | link
I live a few houses up and also noticed the signs indicating no parking 7am-5pm. Fortunately I wasn't parked there and I left for work at 6:45 anyway. But that could have very well been my car had I just happened to have parked there the night before and not left so early today. I would be screaming at the APD right now.
... said ParkedAcrossTheStreet on Aug 3, 2010 at 2:45 PM | link
Albany police is reimbursing the residents towed and are waiving the tickets issued. Please call the Albany police for more details. Thank you center square residents!
Editors: We followed up this comment with an email to the accompanying address. It bounced. So, consider this unconfirmed at this point. We'll update if we find out more.
... said sister spirit on Aug 3, 2010 at 3:47 PM | link
I am glad to hear that the APD is doing the right thing and reimbursing residents for any fees incurred for parking tickets and towing.
Aside, I would be very interested to know if the APD would care to begin enforcing their 1 week advance notice standard for posting 'No Parking' signs. I am aware that there is a log kept of when each sign is posted- but I am also aware that it is not always 100% accurate (as proven to me personally upon my own inspection after a towing occurred last summer). Or, will residents continue to need to prove their point and watch their backs by taking time-stamped cell phone photos of police officers that document when signs are REALLY posted? I bet (given the recent controversies in Albany regarding white-collar parking and bending the rules for ghost tickets) that local residents and taxpayers might find this a very interesting investigative news story.
... said Sarah on Aug 3, 2010 at 5:58 PM | link
Okay so there's a minimum amount of time that MUST be utilized for a no parking sign posted to be enforced, and the police decided to enforce it anyway. Doesn't that constitute many counts of grand theft auto by the Albany Police? They know they are wrong or they would have enforced the fines and fees. They aren't doing it because they are nice people. I hope all the citizens mildly or severely inconvenienced by the police departments transgression pull together and fix societies number one infringer; the police and the system of laws they use to harass us. Good luck Albany. I feel your pain.
... said Captain Justice on Aug 4, 2010 at 12:30 AM | link
If anyone involved in the shoot needs local talent or input, or you locals want to be involved in local film making there is a fantastic group called Upstate Independents. You can contact them at upstateindependents.com.
... said Eric on Aug 4, 2010 at 12:36 AM | link
It is great to see another movie being filmed in the area. I am glad to see the money being spent here and not in another city. Wouldn't mind seeing Kate Hudson too...
... said Michael (@TCRPMG) on Aug 4, 2010 at 2:08 AM | link
I got to go down there and get Cher,..I mean Alicia, to sign my copy of Clueless.
... said Jackers on Aug 4, 2010 at 10:20 AM | link
@Jackers: You might want to hold off. From her Twitter feed, it appears she's in Detroit right now:
http://twitter.com/AliciaSilv
... said Greg on Aug 4, 2010 at 10:43 AM | link
Forget Silverstone and Hudson... I'd want Amy Sedaris to sign my Strangers with Candy DVDs :D
On the subject of the towing - it's ridiculous that APD posted signs late last night and towed early this morning. Why bother posting signs at all, just steal the cars! If APD doesn't reimburse the towing costs and drop the tickets, I'm sure the owners have a very good case against them.
... said Paul on Aug 4, 2010 at 10:59 AM | link
I believe the emergency no parking signs are only required to be posted 48 hours in advance.
... said biodiva on Aug 5, 2010 at 9:08 AM | link
UPDATE ON CASTING...
Just received this notice from an auditions list that I subscribe to. Doesn't sound like Kate Hudson has anything to do with this, although Silverstone and Cryer are listed. The rest of this is casting director, Rita Powers, writing. Her contact info appears at the end.
This film is an R rated, irreverent chick comedy starring June Raphael and Casey Wilson. The two of them set the stage for themselves as comedy actors a few years back with a long running show called Rode Hard and Put Away Wet. They've since starred in many comedies and television shows and wrote the film, Bride Wars. A host of other comedy stars are in this film including Alicia Silverstone, Vincent D'Onofrio, Sandy Martin, John Cryer, Epatha Merkerson and more.
We will be shooting the scenes for 'Camp Sister Spirit' here in the Albany area on August 10th and 11th. We are looking for a dozen 'sisters' to play as extras in the film as the community members.' Extras will be paid SAG scale extra rate of $135.00-8 hours for their time which will likely be an 8 -10 hour day.
In the script it calls for a sister who plays a drum and a sister who plays a digiridoo if there happen to be any in the area! Our director would love to see digital pics of anyone interested if possible.
Please Contact:
Rita Powers Management LLC
295 Greenwich St.- #513
New York NY 10007
212-965-1683-office phone
917-576-9478-mobile
732-477-9079-fax
— Rita Powers, booked77@aol.com
... said Tony P on Aug 8, 2010 at 7:14 AM | link
I like the fact that Upstate Independent has taken the capital district area talent and helped them widen their scope for connections in the upstate area. Allowing talent to network and meet perspective Producers and Directors and get involved in great projects. President Kevin Craig West is heading this wonderful venue for networking and he is is doing a spectacular job on helping develope the creative side of the capital district area.
... said Rachel Krupsky on Sep 21, 2010 at 7:32 PM | link