'Harvey's Place' captures community

SANDPOINT — How do you capture an entire community in a feature-length film?

An upcoming local film, “Harvey’s Place,” is set to answer that question with a story described as the TV show “Cheers” with Sandpoint flair and brimming with local actors and organizations. The crew wrapped up its final set of shots Monday at Monarch Mountain, clearing the way to continue editing the film for its release date in September or October.

“We wanted to do a community comedy to educate people interested in film careers,” director and 40-year Hollywood veteran Ted Parvin said. “It is also intended to make the community more aware of the Northwest Film Institute.”  

“Harvey’s Place” is a Sandpoint film through and through, according to the cast and crew. For one thing, it’s filled from minute one with familiar faces. Locals like Ron Ragone, Tim Martin, Miriam Robinson, Andrew Sorg, Keely Gray and Tina Gors fill out the main cast, but they’re hardly the only local folks you’ll see in “Harvey’s Place.” The movie is packed with 71 speaking parts and 12 non-speaking parts, so it’s likely that local audience members will see someone they know.

The film also zones in on a number of Sandpoint businesses, many of which contributed to the fundraising for the film. Production designer Don Goodman said it’s easy to identify shooting locations, but viewers in the know will also recognize some of the names thrown around in dialogue.

“Harvey’s Place” keeps the pace lively with a joke delivery Goodman describes as “Cheers” meets the classic sketch comedy show “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In.” The story follows a group of individuals looking to rob a bar, and the comedy that follow come fast and snappy. The tone is irreverent but unmistakably affectionate, Goodman added. For instance, one of the scenes shot Monday pokes fun at the parking enforcement policies of Diamond Parking.

As a professional in film and television set decoration , Goodman is no stranger to high quality productions. However, he said every ounce of rigor one would expect from a Hollywood crew is replicated in “Harvey’s Place.” That’s an impressive assessment considering everyone involved in the project is a volunteer.

“I’ve worked with paid crews that were not as good as this crew,” he said.

According to Parvin, the most important factor that turned “Harvey’s Place” into a successful production was the sheer number of locals passionate about film. However, the movie will also serve as a tool in Northwest Film Institute’s continued efforts to establish a filmmaking school in town.

“When you have a finished product and can show people what you can do, it’s a lot easier for them to get on board,” Goodman said.