Fayette Films president details amphitheater plans”We don’t want to see Fort Necessity any more than they want to see us,” said Thomas. “We’re going to plant more trees, because we want trees in the background of all of our films. We’re not going to create downtown Manhattan (on the site). That would be ridiculous.”
An old-time livery stable and an old-time mansion would be built as movie sets, said Thomas, but no amusement park type rides would be offered. “We’re a (film) production company but because we have the amphitheater there we’d do live shows,” said Thomas, who added that there are no plans to expand the venue’s seating capacity. “That’s the perfect size for us. We don’t need larger seating. We’re not going to bring in the Rolling Stones or anything (like that).”
Thomas said that his company plans to produce a number of documentaries in its first year, including one based on a “local kid” and another centered on the lives of a typical local, hardworking family.
One family film on tap for production is “Glitter Tree,” about a little girl and her big dog who get lost at Christmastime and are rescued by the whole town. Another is “Rodeo Kid,” a comedy about an over-the-hill rodeo star who is latched onto by a young kid who idolizes him but makes his life “totally miserable,” according to Thomas.
Visitors could end up in a movie when there’s a need for extras, said Thomas. “If we’re shooting a street scene and people are there, we might say, ‘You, you and you,’ and they walk down the street in t he background … and we give them a (movie) credit and send them a check,” he said.
Thomas said that when he visited the area he saw “tons of people” he’d like to put into films, including some 18-year-old kids who could become stars with the right industry exposure.
“If they get a start with us, the world will know who they are in 10 years,” said Thomas.