The celebrity spotting in Turlock has come to an end for now, as filming of the romantic comedy “Christian Mingle” finished off its work in Turlock earlier this week.
Corbin Bernsen’s production company, Home Theater Films, will be filming the remaining scenes of the movie in Los Angeles.
“Everything in Turlock went really well,” said Turlock Film Commission founder Michael Everett. “The production company was very pleased with how it all went and would come back to Turlock again.”
The TFC was able to entice Bernsen to choose Turlock after giving him a tour of the city and showing off the photogenic appeal, especially that of Main Street, which was used extensively in the three weeks of filming.
Securing Turlock was a major coup for the TFC and could lead to future cinema projects coming to town, Everett said.
“This experience does two things,” Everett said. “It shows we can do something like this and it gives us people in L.A. spreading the word about Turlock. The more you do stuff like this, the more opportunities you get.”
The expected release of the film is in the spring of 2014 and Everett said there are plans being discussed for a Turlock premiere.
When the film does come out, plenty of area residents will have a chance to see themselves on the big screen. Everett said an estimated 500 locals were used as extras while filming in various spots around Turlock, including Lisa’s Cookie Jar, Main Street Footers, and Sushi Cuisine.
“Christian Mingle” is a romantic comedy about the spiritual journey a woman undergoes when she turns to the Christian website in her search for Mr. Right.
“'Christian Mingle' is about a young, modern, single woman. She’s trying to achieve it all — a successful career, amazing friends and finding Mr. Right,” said Bernsen. “She stumbles into the world of online dating looking for an instant ‘soul mate solution,’ but ultimately ends up taking a personal journey transforming her life.”
Bernsen said Gwyneth, the lead character played by actress Lacey Chabert, does meet her dream guy, but is put on the spot when her embellished claims of faith are called into question.
“Our goal at Home Theater Films is to inspire and entertain our audience,” Bernsen said. “We want to make great movies that everyone can enjoy and elevate them with contemporary, relatable characters that naturally demonstrate their faith in real world situations.”
The cast includes Jonathan Patrick Moore (“L.A. Complex,” “William and Kate”), Stephen Tobolowsky (“Groundhog Day”), Erin Bertha (“Fireproof”), and John O’Hurley (“Seinfeld,” “All My Children").
The film is written and directed by Bernsen and produced by Chris Aronoff. Executive producers include Matt Swanson and Charlie Schafer. The film is a co-production between Home Theater Films and Creation Lab Pictures.
