Reed neighborhood again ‘goes Hollywood’ for a day

See what it looked like, when the crew of “MANAGEMENT” landed in the Reed Neighborhood …

The movie’s stars were well hidden away – but tons of movie-making gear was visible along SE 34th Avenue in the Reed Neighborhood.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
When the motion picture “Management” was filming in the Reed neighborhood just days ago, trucks full of movie-making equipment lined the streets near the intersection of SE 34th Avenue and Raymond Street. Electric power generators whirred, workers scurried about carrying lights and stands, and caterers were standing by to feed the multitude.

However, none of the neighbors with whom we spoke managed to catch a glimpse of the motion picture’s stars, Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zhan.

Bud Frimoth, a neighbor since 1993, who lives a few houses away from the home used for the shoot, admitted, “I don’t think I’d recognize Jennifer Aniston if I did see her.”

When we visited Frimoth at his home a few days after the production came and left, we saw he’d had a front-row view of the production from his living room.

“About two days in advance,” Frimoth told us, “a young woman came by and told us that a motion picture production crew was going to be filming in the area.”

Although we learned it wasn’t their first choice, producers selected this Reed neighborhood home in which to film – for one day only.

On the designated day, about 10 p.m., trucks and semi-trailers started to line the residential street. A big electric power generator started up and ran all that night and into the next day, their actual day of filming.

“They set up their gear,” Frimoth said, “Went about their business, and were, overall, very pleasant. The only problem is that people use SE Raymond as a through street. At the intersection of SE 34th Avenue, there were two big trucks parked along there.”

On the set
On the day of the shoot, we’d arranged to meet with the Unit Publicist, Guy Adan. As we walked to the brown, ranch-style ranch house on SE 34th Avenue used as the day’s set, Adan gave us some details about the movie under production, “Management”.

He said that the Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and Temple Hill Productions film, slated to be released in 2008, is a romantic comedy about a traveling saleswoman of corporate art (Aniston) who has a chance encounter with a young man who is stuck managing his parent’s roadside motel (Zhan). He follows her, resulting in a surprising cross-country relationship.

We snap our photos of the production, and are escorted off the block.

All of these trucks, trailers and equipment were gone an hour ahead of schedule.

Production ‘wraps’ in 23 hours
That evening, Frimoth said, he stepped into his front yard to take a snapshot of the production – and a security guard rushed up and told him he couldn’t take pictures. “I’m standing in my own yard,” Frimoth reminded the guard, “and, I’m the one that brought you cookies this afternoon! …They were OK with it all.”

Originally, the production company told neighbors they’d “wrap up” the production by 11:30 p.m. “But, when I went out about 10:30 p.m., they were gone – just like they were never here, 23 hours later,” Frimoth said.

© 2007 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service

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