BYU NewsNet - LDS-themed TV series to be shown

The Sundance Film Festival has been over for weeks, but Hollywood is back in Utah, this time to film a brand new LDS-themed television series.

This past weekend, a Provo neighborhood became the filming site for “This is the Place.”

The series, directed by Brad Johnson, follows a non-LDS man, Vince Stroud, and his observations of and encounters with his neighbors whenever he steps out of his house to smoke.

His neighbors come from various backgrounds and religions, including a young bishop, a widow and some religiously conflicted families.

“This is the first-ever LDS television series,” said Todd Bay, executive producer of Bay Entertainment and Media, about the drama. “We’ll never film inside the church though.”

He said the story follows the interactions of neighbors outside of their homes only.

On Friday and Saturday, Hollywood filmmakers and local crew members gathered to film a “pilot presentation.” This is a 10-minute short film introduction to the characters and to the essence of what the show is all about to television networks.

“We were able to bring our quality filmmaking and quality actors that we have in L.A.,” Johnson said. Johnson was originally against the idea of an LDS series until he read the script.

Johnson said the script was unique and a more accurate and realistic portrayal of Mormon culture than previously done in LDS media.

“I saw that it wasn’t just going to be a small market [production],” Johnson said. “This idea is something that could be worldwide. It’ll relate to people who are Mormon and who aren’t Mormon.”

Overseas filmmaker, teacher and writer Chris Larsen and Todd Bay are the creators and executive producers of “This is the Place.”

“Instead of treating Mormons like a religious group, I kind of treat them like an ethnic group,” Larsen said.

The show may start off as a mini-series until it picks up enough support and viewers to sustain a full series, he said.

“There’s 13 million [Mormons],” Larsen said. “It kind of seems like we should be able to sustain a television show.”

Robert Jayne plays the roll of Vince and is a producer of “This is the Place.” He has acted in several film and television parts such as Melvin Plug in the “Tremors” movies.

He said he had no worries about making an LDS film. There are all kinds of preconceptions about anything, Jayne said.

“My job is to say ‘How can we tell the best movie out of these circumstances?’” Jayne said. “To me it’s just a story and some of the characters just happen to be Mormon.”

David Nibley, best known for his role as Elder Rogers in “The Best Two Years” will play Joshua Avery, the young bishop that lives next door to the character Vince.

“There was an element of real life in it,” he said. “I was really impressed with the quality how it addressed the everyday issues that Mormons have.”

Nibley said that the writing has more subtle religious messages that are applicable to all faiths.

He says he portrays this through the character he plays.

“Whether you’re LDS or whatever faith you belong to, there’s faith involved, and sometimes it’s easier to have faith more than at other times,” Nibley said.

Two BYU students were cast in the series.

BYU student Nikola Clark, a special education major, excitedly accepted her role as Natalie Thomas, a 25-year-old widow.

“We’ve all had devastating experiences and [I] just sort of go to that place,” Clark said.

She has been acting for two years. She was a dancer in “High School Musical 2” and “HSM 3.” She also had roles in MTV’s “The American Mall,” and the upcoming film “Jerk Theory.”

Shauna Welch, 19, an exercise science major, got the part of Erica through her neighbor who has friends involved with the project.

“[He] just called me up and [said] they needed a girl,” Welch said. “He said ‘I need you to come play this part. It’s kind of hard because you’re going to be 14.”

Welch spoke with the director and accepted the role having previously modeled but never having acted before.

“I thought it would be fun,” she said.

Crew members for the set are production and cinematography students at Utah Valley University.

Shay Magana, a freshman at UVU, plans to major in computer science with a film emphasis.

During filming he acted as a boom operator. This was his first time participating in a real production.

“It’s kind of interesting how they run the set and … how much time goes into making something like this,” Magana said. “It gets tiring, but it’s fun.”

Networks have already shown interest in “This is the Place.” Producers are hoping to continue filming in late spring and early summer, and are aiming for a fall launch of the series.