Movie making brings several financial rewards to Fayette

FAYETTE, Mo. -- When Hollywood comes to town, it brings a lot of money.

That's what residents of Fayette are finding out, as they watch the filming of the independent movie "Bottleneck."

"There has been a significant amount of money spent here," said Mayor Mike Hirsch, who helped lure the production team to Fayette. "A lot of the production people are already living here, shopping here, buying gas here, having their car worked on here."

Production Accountant Molly Murray said the film company, KD Productions, has spent about $200,000 since filming began. There are still three weeks left before filming is wrapped up.

The expenses have included $15,000 for gas and vehicle maintenance, $50,000 for catering, $35,000 for local extras and $8,000 for costumes and supplies bought from local shops.

Property owners also have been paid for use of their businesses or homes, Murray said, adding film production workers also are spending money on living expenses.

Murray, who temporarily moved to Fayette from Austin, Texas, cited herself as an example.

"I have been here since April 13. I shop here do laundry and eat as much barbecue from The 240 Culinary as possible," she said, referring to a local restaurant.

Jerry Jones, director of the Missouri Film Commission, estimated that 25 to 50 percent of a film budget is spent where the movie is filmed. He said the economic impact of a movie production on a location usually is 3.5 times the money actually spent.

"It brings in a lot of money, and you don't have to build roads and dig sewers for them," Jones said.

Chester Bias, a mechanic at the Home Oil Sinclair service station, said the production crew buys gasoline in 200-gallon quantities. The service station also gets paid for working on production crew vehicles and received $250 when producers used the business in a scene. In addition, Bias had the chance to appear on the silver screen as an extra.

"It's been a good thing," Bias said. "It is very positive."

Local governments are grabbing the chance to promote Fayette and Howard County. Hirsch said he's given as many as three interviews to the media on some days.

The city and county governments also have each invested $2,500 to give souvenirs to movie extras. The T-shirts are labeled "Fayette, Howard County."

"This production in this town is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to raise the profile of our community higher than most others in the state," Hirsch said. "Communities of our size rarely have that opportunity."