Claysville business sets the scene for horror film ‘The Old Hag’
Justin Seaman grew up across the street from the Montgomery Mansion bed-and-breakfast in Claysville and always wondered what was inside the historic Victorian home on Main Street.
But when he was looking for a location to shoot a horror movie, it was the first place that came to mind.
”I never had a reason to come over here,” Seaman said, “but it seemed like the perfect place, as long as the inside looks like the outside.”
Once he got inside, Seaman found the interior of the business was camera-ready for his latest film production, “The Old Hag.”
”We just had to bring in the lights,” Seaman said.
”The Old Hag” is one of five segments of an upcoming feature-length film titled “10/31” that will present several short horror tales in an anthology format similar to “Tales from the Crypt” or “Creepshow.”
Rocky Gray, the former drummer of the rock band Evanescence, is producing “10/31,” and Seaman’s cinematographer Zane Hershberger is also directing a segment titled “Trespassers” that will be shooting soon in Cranberry.
Seaman and Hershberger make up the local film production company Nevermore Production Films. The company’s previous feature film, a throwback to ’80s horror movies titled “The Barn,” was filmed in Washington County.
Hershberger said their similar tastes and Seaman’s ability to scout interesting locations is why he became involved in the company.
”I love ’80s horror,” Hershberger said, “and he had every location I ever wanted to shoot in, including a roller rink and a drive-in movie theater.”
Gray wrote the original music for “The Barn,” and Hershberger said Gray was inspired by the final product to make his own movie and asked the Nevermore crew to be involved.
Seaman and Hershberger filmed “The Old Hag” at Montgomery Mansion over the weekend of April 21-23, and the production reunited them with some of the cast and crew from “The Barn,” including lead actors Mitchell Musolino and Nick Edwards.
Musolino and Edwards play two students who answer a classified ad to make a TV commercial for a bed and breakfast. However, things start to seem off when Edwards’ character keeps seeing a frightening old woman around the house.
The titular “Old Hag” was actually played by a man. Crew member Jedediah Giacchino portrayed the ghoulish character under a foam latex makeup appliance created by Pittsburgh makeup artist Robert Kuhn.
New Brighton native Edwards said that playing the part of a college student working on a TV ad wasn’t a big stretch for him.
”I have a degree in marketing from Slippery Rock, so I could relate to the character,” Edwards explained.
Musolino lives in Washington but said he moved around a lot while growing up, which helped to inspire his goals as an actor.
”I went to a lot of different schools, so it was hard to make friends, so I’d watch a lot of movies,” Musolino said. “When I found out it could be a career, I knew it’s what I wanted to do. I want to help people the way movies helped me.”
Actress Cindy Maples joined the cast as the bed and breakfast owner, Kathy, after working with Seaman and Hershberger on a film in her home state of Kentucky. Maples said “The Old Hag” marks her 40th film role.
”I love working with Justin and Zane,” Maples said. “It’s been good, except for the noise.”
Outside noise was indeed a problem for the production, as Montgomery Mansion is located right along Route 40 and traffic would frequently interfere with the recording of audio. Delays also occurred when the mansion’s neighbors took advantage of the sunny weekend weather to mow their lawns.
However, despite these minor setbacks, shooting finished on schedule, and Hershberger said the interior of the mansion was beneficial to his job.
”There were so many nooks and crannies we could hide lights in,” Hershberger said. “It made lighting really easy.”
After filming on “The Old Hag” began, Seaman said he was very thankful for how “welcoming and hospitable” Montgomery Mansion owners Butch and Shirley Smith were to the filmmakers – and Butch extended a similar response to the Nevermore Production Films crew.
”It was a privilege to have them here.”