NEW MILFORD — New Milford was the scene of a crime last fall when brothers Eric and Carson Bloomquist of Newington shot scenes in town for their thriller. “Founders’ Day”.
The film centers on a murder mystery that “unfolds in the midst of a heated mayoral election in a quaint New England town.” according to the film’s IMDB page. The film was written by the Bloomquist brothers and directed by Erik Bloomquist.
Through them film company Mainframe Picturesthe Bloomquist brothers produce their films in Connecticut, including “Weekenders,” “Night at the Eagle Inn” and “She Came from the Woods,” which was released in August.
Filming for “Founders Day” began in September and continued through the first three weeks of October, said Valerie Lorimer, president of the New Milford Film Commission.
Lorimer said the crew shot the film in a few locations around town, including the Town Green, the John Pettibone Community Center, Bank Street, the Bank Street Theatre, New Milford Town Hall and private residences. He said the crew also employed at least 50 local extras to shoot the film.
Mike Boucher, a New Milford resident and foreman for the city’s Department of Public Works, said he saw the request for extra films on Facebook and decided to apply.
“It’s something I’ve always been interested in, so I thought, ‘Why not?'” Boucher said.
Boucher said he was an extra in four or five scenes, acting as an audience member at a college speech, a festival attendee, a supporter of a politician and a participant in a town hall meeting filmed in the Paul E. Martin Hall of New Milford Town Hall.
“I knew some of the other extras that I knew were local,” Bauche said of his experience on set. “We had a great time. We had many, many hours, but the director was incredible and the crew were all nice — they were there to talk to you if you needed anything.”
Lee Cragh of New Milford said he was involved with “Founders Day” as a member of the New Milford Film Commission, although it was not his first experience filming.
“I just came back here last March and within a few weeks, I was extra ‘The Thursday Night Club’ also filmed here,” Cragh said. “I found there was also a need for another member of the Film Committee and what better way to get in touch with people interested in making a film here than by being on the film committee.”
Cragh said he was originally hired as a background extra the film “but on the third day, I was asked if I wanted to play a policeman in search of a murderer.”
He said he was in a few different scenes for “Founders Day,” including a City Hall meeting scene. a scene shot on Bank Street at night. and a scene shot on Lover’s Leap Bridge “where we were searching the woods for the accused”.
Cragh’s friend, Loretta Kretchko of New Milford, also had a hand in the film’s production by lending the crew her truck to film for scenes and her house on Aspetuck Avenue as a filming location. She said she became involved with the film through Cragh and her childhood friend, Lorimer.
“He was looking for a location,” Kretchko said of Lorimer, “and the house is prominently downtown across from the historical society, and the crew saw the house and Valerie said, ‘I happen to know who lives here. ””
Kretchko said she and Cragh watched the shooting take place in their home across the street.
“It was interesting,” he said. “They gave us [Erik Bloomquist’s] screen so we could see everything being filmed and how it would look on the big screen.”
“Founders Day” is in post-production, according to the IMDB website.
in addition to “Founders Day,” Lorimer said a few other movies have been filmed in New Milford in recent months, including the holiday movie “Holly Jolly” and horror film “Candlewood.“
“I think this is a wonderful addition to our economic development,” said Mayor Pete Bass, adding that New Milford has been used as a filming location for four movies in the past year.
“We take credit for New Milford, where people can see our beautiful town and it continues to add luster to New Milford and add economic vitality,” Bass said. “For every dollar they put into film, we get $4 of economic activity.”
