Arts

Lights, camera, action! on Union Park

by Michele D.  Maniscalco
Thursday Oct 6, 2016

The sudden appearance of a film crew, equipment and a couple of old cars on Union Park evoked mystery and intrigue over the weekend, with some residents speculating that the project is a Jamie Foxx vehicle. The South End News investigated on Saturday, braving the rain to seek answers from production manager Paul Van Wormer. It turns out the location shoot, which lasted from Friday through Sunday before departing for Cape Ann, is part of a German made-for-television production to air next year. The film, whose working title is "Herzenssache" in German and "A Matter of the Heart" in English.

Van Wormer reported that the film is part of the "Katie Fforde Presents" TV-movie series based on the works of British romance novelist Katie Fforde, whose books are quite popular in Germany. "Herzenssache" is the 30th of this year's films and its script is not based directly on a specific Fforde novel, but written "in the spirit of" Fforde's work.

Van Wormer, a native of upstate New York whose current home base is Orlando, Fla., is familiar with Boston's historic charm and the scenic vistas and quaint towns of the North Shore from his days as a student at Emerson College. "I told them about Boston and about the seaside locations like Gloucester, Rockport, Marblehead and we shoot a lot up there," Van Wormer said.

Taking a look at the weather report upon their arrival, the crew decided to shoot exterior scenes on Friday and interiors on Saturday and Sunday. German actors will play the primary roles, but local actors have been hired for some supporting roles and the crew is Boston-based. Passersby might have spied the circa-1970s Wagoneer parked outside of Kava at the corner of Union Park and Shawmut Avenue and the vintage "Boston Cab" with the fictitious phone number 555-5010 painted on the side. The two were "picture cars" rented for the shoot and drew a certain amount of curiosity in their own right.

The city of Boston was very helpful and we love shooting in the South End. Everyone is very friendly and courteous and patient with us and we try to return the favor," Van Wormer said. Having worked on films in Boston over the past three years, Van Wormer has experienced the benefit of the Walsh administration's effort to streamline permitting. "It made a big difference," he observed.

For the curious, selections from the "Katie Fforde Presents" series are available for viewing on Youtube.