Lights, camera, action!

Brookhaven will soon find itself at the center of a film that will not only be set in the town but will also feature the faces of the town.

Independent filmmaker Travis Mills, the grandson of retired judge Donald Patterson of Brookhaven, has developed a close relationship with the Brookhaven Little Theatre over the years. Last year, he held a showing at the Haven for his film “Dueling on the Mound.”

“Travis and Brookhaven Little Theatre were disappointed at the turnout,” BLT Executive Director Greg Russell said. “I told him ‘I think if you really want to make a movie sell out in Brookhaven you should involve local talent.’”

Luckily, Brookhaven had always been a part of Mills’s plan.

“I think it’s a unique little town,” he said. “It’s just been on my mind.”

Mills conceded that most small towns can be interesting with the right story, but he’s always felt a connection through his mother’s and her family’s roots in the area.

The film will center around three women who regularly gather to gossip. When a man turns up missing and is suspected to be dead, they turn into amateur detectives. He described the film as “Fried Green Tomatoes” with a murder-mystery twist. Mills said by utilizing local talent, he will be able to capture an authentic feel.

“It’s fun to work with local talent,” he said. “There’s always a lot of surprises.”

Auditions will be held Sept. 1 and 3, and they’re looking for people of all types. There are about 50 parts with spoken lines, and they’ll also be looking for extras. Those auditioning should bring a resume or a personal history document, and they will be asked to read on camera.

“They really just need to bring themselves and be comfortable in their own skin,” Mills said.

Although they’re focusing on actors right now, when they start filming, Mills said there will be plenty of opportunities for people to get involved behind the scenes.

Russell said this partnership is part of a bigger effort for BLT to use Haven for more than just plays. It recently became licensed by Warner Brothers and hopes to show movies at the Haven.

“We put on five plays a year,” he said. “That means we’re dark a lot of the time.”

He hopes that they’ll begin to regularly show movies like “Casablanca.”

“We enjoy doing plays, but there’s a lot of downtime,” Russell said.

For more information about auditions, call the Haven box-office line at 601-669-1878.