I headed over to the Clinton Street Theater on Monday night to catch the documentary about Hunter S. Thompson's funeral pire/monument. As I rounded a corner I noticed the marquee. The words "It's a Wonderful Life" were where "When I Die" should have been. Then I noticed that the street in front of the theater had been shut down for a film production. So that explained the large light panels and security guys with the Secret Service-style ear pieces.

The production in progress was for an independently produced thriller called "Spiral." The Portland Tribune ran a feature on the film in its Friday edition. The director, Joel David Moore, is a Benson High alumnus and apparently played a character in "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story."

With a few minutes to kill I stood on the sidewalk and watched as three camermen in rain gear dragged a dolly down Clinton Street. The scene being filmed involved a gal and a guy in a Santa hat walking down the block and into a bar. Here's a pretty terrible photo I took from across the street:

I was impressed by the scale of production. There were dozens of people involved in the filming and there were even trailers parked around the block for the cast...

...but maybe not enough security around to keep the locals away from the catering table. As I was heading back to my car a couple walking their dog was digging into the production's supply of pudding cups.

Here's a synopsis of the film compliments of the IMDB:

"A reclusive telemarketer (Joel David Moore), whose dysfunctional friendship with his boss (Zachary Levi) is alleviated when a whimsical co-worker (Tamblyn) enters his life. But as he begins to sketch his new friend's portrait, disturbing feelings from his past threaten to lead him down a path of destruction."