The allure of the Mountain community has lured another filmmaker.

And in this case, “community” is the operative word.

The screen adaptation of the novel “Senseless Confidential” will start principal photography in May of this year. And according to the novel’s writer and the producer of the film, Martin Bannon Beaudet, 90 percent of the filming will be shot on location in the communities
of Brightwood, Rhododendron, Sandy, Boring, Damascus, Estacada and
Elwood.

“We are in talks to shoot at local homes and businesses, including the Still
Creek Inn in Rhododendron, as well as in the Mt. Hood National Forest,”
Beaudet said. “It (will be) really rewarding to get to work closely with the
locals in making this an authentic, home-grown film.”

Beaudet, who lives in Damascus, was ready to put away “Senseless
Confidential” one year ago and begin work on his next novel. But his story
grew legs.

Laura Peterson, a server at the Rendezvous Grill and Tap Room in Wemme,
became a local celebrity when it became apparent a character in the novel
resembled her. She also bought several copies of the book and distributed
them to friends around the Mountain. Readings at book stores ensued, from
Welches to Sunriver.

Next, local actor Brian Allard contacted Beaudet and offered to read for an
audiobook edition of the novel. During the recording session Allard told
Beaudet he’d like to play the lead role of Nick Prince in a feature film.

“Yeah, right,” Beaudet responded. “Like someone’s going to make that.”
Allard was serious. He already had Portland director Andrew Michael Bray on
board to direct the film.

Beaudet formed an LLC for fundraising through his company, Faux Meme
Productions, and the project took off.

“A casting call was announced last month, generating nearly 200 responses in
the first 12 hours,” Beaudet wrote in an email to The Mountain Times.
“Auditions begin on Feb. 2, and principal photography is set to begin on May
17.”
An executive producer kicked in 25 percent of the needed funding, and as of
today, 40 percent of the monies required have been raised, according to
Beaudet.
The storyline of the film – titled Senseless Confidential – follows hapless
census worker Nick Prince as he deals with the reluctant residents during his
appointed rounds.

“Readers of the novel love Nick’s sardonic wit and wry observations about the
senselessness of both the bureaucracy he works for and the outlandish
attempts of residents to avoid cooperating with it,” said the film’s director
Andrew Bray.

Nick wants nothing more than to drown his sorrows over a lost love, but his
job with the census bureau requires him to venture into the Mountain
community where he encounters everything from reluctant citizens to pit bulls
and shotguns.

When he runs into a loopy polygamist clan, it sets off a wild, wacky race to
save himself, his job, and his bleeding heart.

Oregon has attracted numerous filmmakers in recent years due to cash
rebates on Oregon-based goods, services and the availability of production
personnel.

Feature films like “Wild” (2013), “Extraordinary Measures” (2009) and
“Twilight” (2008), plus television productions of Leverage, Grimm and
Portlandia, have dotted the local landscape.

Now, “Senseless Confidential” will focus its cameras on the Mountain
community.