Cedar Fort boasts none of Hollywood's glitz and glamour, but the town's abundant rustic charm fits the bill for location scenes in a new independent movie, "The Mine." Besides filming several scenes in Cedar Fort this week, the movie's writer, director and producer Jeff Chamberlain plans to shoot scenes in Fairfield and Ophir while in Utah. Chamberlain had originally chosen Midway as the rural town for his film, but last week's snowstorm covered Midway in a blanket of winter white that presented the wrong seasonal setting for the Halloween thriller.

"I had only four days to find an alternative that looked appropriately rural and still had fall colors," said Clay Maw, Location Manager/Transportation Coordinator for the production.

Maw scouted Magna and Copperton, but couldn't find exactly the right combination of backgrounds and locales that didn't have buildings spoiling the view. On his way to set up shots in the Ophir Mine, he discovered Cedar Fort and Fairfield. "I was amazed I could find a site so perfectly suited to our needs that looked this good with so few changes," said Maw.

Even the weather cooperated with the shooting schedule. Dismal, drizzling rain provided a sorrowful setting for Monday's funeral scene in the Cedar Fort Cemetery.

"It's nice to come here when no one really died," said Anne Chesley, one of four Cedar Fort residents dressed in black who acted as funeral scene extras. Local extras also populated the IFA store for a scene, and some local cows came to a cast call in a field. The film's projected release time is Halloween 2009 to capitalize on the seasonal scare factor.

"I love scary movies, especially the old classics," Chamberlain said. "Scary movies captured my attention when I was a little boy when I saw Hitchcock's movie 'The Birds.' Now the way the genre has developed is getting further and further away from my sensibilities. I always like challenges, and the challenge I have here is to do something different and create scares and thrills without the extreme violence and going for the easy shock of today's horror films."

A group of thrill-seeking teens exploring an old mine is enough to give any parent nightmares, but add to that the chance that the mine may be haunted, and the plot of the movie takes on an extra fright factor. "The Mine" stars experienced young actors Saige Thompson, Reiley McClendon, Alexa Vega, Charan Prabhaker and Adam Hendershott. Young audiences will recognize their faces from various TV movies made for Disney Channel and Nickelodeon as well as the High School Musical series.

Besides looking for the Cedar Fort Cemetery, local scene-spotters can anticipate identifying the Cedar Fort Veteran's Memorial, IFA Store, fields, and homes in Cedar Fort and Fairfield. The production cast and crew will film for four days in the Ophir Mine then move to the Warm Springs Mine in Tecopa, Calif., for the remainder of the mine interior scenes.