FAIRHOPE – Just before a movie staffer called out “action,” pedestrian and vehicle traffic came to a halt at Section Street and Fairhope Avenue as cameras rolled for the latest film to feature Fairhope as a setting.
While most film companies shut down streets or entire blocks during production, Fairhope turned the making of “A Map of Tiny Perfect Things,” on Friday into an attraction. Traffic flowed along the streets and strollers walked the sidewalks until the time for the next scene to be shot.
During filming, the city held “Fairhope is Open for Business,” day to show that the production would not interfere with store operations and to encourage people to shop downtown. Jessica Walker, Fairhope community development director, said the production company worked with the city and merchants to avoid interrupting local businesses.
“Everybody has been great,” Walker said. “Every hoop that we’ve asked them to jump through they have been awesome in our city. We are very proud to have them.”
She said the event was planned before the Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival was cancelled over concerns about the coronavirus and was a good way to promote local businesses.”
“We are encouraging people to shop downtown in light of the Arts and Crafts Festival cancellation next week,” she said. “We are doing our very best to get people in shops here in downtown even though there’s filming going on.”
On Friday, the movie was being shot at the Fairhope Pharmacy. Across Section Street, Katherine Lapeyrouse of Gigi & Jay’s children’s clothing shop said business was good.
“It’s been great. It hasn’t slowed down at all,” Lapeyrouse said. “The movie people I’ve interacted with have all been incredibly nice. It’s great exposure for Fairhope.”
Lapeyrouse said the film company asked her to open the previous Sunday so that people could be seen coming in and out of the store while a scene was being shot on Fairhope Avenue.
“I opened the store for them to do the scene and we actually had good business,” she said. “We usually aren’t open on Sunday.”
Film crew members said they were not allowed to comment on the record during movie production, but praised the cooperation by businesses and city officials.
