“Dial-a-Prayer” Being filmed today in Downtown Ferndale
(Crystal A. Proxmire, March 25, 2014)
W. 9 Mile Road is blocked today due to filming taking place. Producers for the film “Dial-a-Prayer” chose Downtown Ferndale for parts of their film, which stars William H. Macy and Brittney Snow. The story is about a woman who has lost her faith, but ends up working the call lines to heaven and making a love connection on the way.
John Murray of Modern Natural Baby watched the filming from the window of his family’s store. When asked what the filming was like, he told the Ferndale DDA “I saw a girl get hit by a car 18 times in a row!”
Detroit native Jason Potash and Paul Finkel are producing “Dial-a-Prayer.” They also produced Beside Still Waters, which was filmed in northern Michigan in 2012.
“It’s exciting to have the film crew here and it adds to the flavor of what makes our little town unique. Movie starts and film crews fit in just perfectly with our creative and exciting Downtown,” said Mayor Dave Coulter.
Downtown Ferndale Communications Director Chris Hughes has been enjoying the Hollywood feel, despite the chilly Michigan temperature. “Having a major movie made in Downtown Ferndale is not only exciting but adds to our cache as a cool and photogenic destination as well as the bottom line of our businesses. The bonus is that it’s kind of fun to be star struck on a cold March morning. We all went out and watched – for a while,” Hughes said.
This isn’t the first time Ferndale has been used for filming. At a 2009 premiere of “Whip It,” Drew Barrymore spoke about shooting on location at Mother Fletcher’s Vintage Clothing Store, and holding base-camp at AJ’s Music Café. “Ferndale was super groovy,” Barrymore said. Then she turned to Derby Girl Racer McChaser, who happens to be from Ferndale, and they laughed together over a difficult scene to shoot.
“Remember skating through that door like thirty some times,” McChaser said. “Over and over.”
“But yes, Ferndale. I would love to come back and shoot more there. There seems like so many beautiful and unique venues to shoot at. So yeah I will be back,” promised Barrymore. She and other Hollywood stars have been spotted in Ferndale in the years since.
Commercials have also been popular in Ferndale. Boogie Fever was the scene of a Ford commercial in 2010, and Dodge also reserved some streets for a major photo shoot. Kotex chose the now closed-down AJ’s Music Café for the scene of a commercial for feminine hygiene products in 2011.
For previous stories about the film industry and its ties to Ferndale, enjoy the following:
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2009/09/15/drew-barrymore-shares-ferndale-memories/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2009/07/01/hollywood-dreams-for-vogue-vintage/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2010/03/15/getting-f-i-t-for-new-michigan-jobs/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2011/03/13/commercial-shot-at-ajs-period/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2011/03/22/less-talk-and-more-action-for-michigan-film-industry/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2011/05/10/dining_in_d/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2012/01/15/m-1-studios-makin-money-makin-movies/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2012/08/30/commercial-filmed-in-ferndale-video/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2011/02/03/filming-in-ferndale/