Horror flick filming in Capital City

In this August 2016 photo, Mark Reichard, middle left, and Jay Shipman, right, both Jefferson City natives, work on a scene of a new Andrew P. Jones movie shot in Jefferson City. He brought cast and crew to the city to shoot the movie "Darkness Reigns," using the closed Truman Hotel as the movie's set.
In this August 2016 photo, Mark Reichard, middle left, and Jay Shipman, right, both Jefferson City natives, work on a scene of a new Andrew P. Jones movie shot in Jefferson City. He brought cast and crew to the city to shoot the movie "Darkness Reigns," using the closed Truman Hotel as the movie's set.

A Hollywood director came to Jefferson City in 2013 to use the old Missouri State Penitentiary as the backdrop for a supernatural thriller.

Now, he has returned - this time working on a horror film.

Writer and director Andrew P. Jones is shooting "Darkness Reigns" at the now closed Truman Hotel on Jefferson Street.

The story follows a film crew ravaged by a demon, who is bent on cashing in on a deal he made with someone on a movie set who was seeking fame and fortune.

Jones returned to Jefferson City after receiving strong support while shooting "Apparitional," whose title was changed for distribution to "Haunting of Cell Block 11." The movie also had its red carpet debut in the Capital City.

"The people here are so much fun, and we made so many friends. And the resources we have gotten are great," Jones said. "I really wanted to come back. I've been trying for three years to come back here."

Jones said it will take time before the film is released online - Amazon Prime and/or iTunes.

"Shooting it, editing in the special effects all takes time," he said. "Depending on the distributor, it could be three to five months after we're done before it's released."

Jones had looked at shooting this film at a location in Tennessee, but things changed, so he decided to look at Jefferson City.

"I told Chris Wilson at the Convention and Visitors Bureau that I had to come to Jefferson City, or I can't make this movie," Jones said. "He was able to find this hotel, and it's great. It reminded me of 'The Shining.' It just took a little re-write of the script, and we were ready to go.

"It's designed to be shot in 11 days," he said. "There's a lot of behind-the-scenes work and very long takes. It goes quickly, but it is complicated."

As was the case in 2013 with "Haunting of Cell Block 11," many of those working on "Darkness Reigns" have Jefferson City roots.

Jay Shipman was cast to have a part in "The Haunting of Cell Block 11" and is now the art director for "Darkness Reigns." He moved to Los Angeles last year to attend graduate school at UCLA.

"Being a native, I always love it when I can come back," Shipman said. "There are so many beautiful venues here. The hospitality that has been shown to the crew has been tremendous. When I was told where we were shooting, I came and saw the hotel, and it has the perfect ambiance for the film."

Mark Reichard is another Jefferson City native who has been living in Los Angeles. He's one of the producers for "Darkness Reigns" and also worked on "Haunting of Cell Block 11."

"I don't get to come back home often, and this is such a treat," Reichard said. "We had to call several people and places around town seeing who we could get for various services. On one of those calls I realized the man I was talking with was my old soccer coach who I hadn't talked to in years.

"When I was a kid, I always dreamed about something like this. It's one thing to dream it, and it's another to actually see it happen."

Jones said he was pleased with the cast he was able to put together for this film, headed by Casper Van Dien, known for his roles in "Starship Troopers" and "Sleepy Hollow."

"Casper brings a real energy to the set," Jones said. "He's made numerous films, and he's a real professional."

The rest of the cast includes Jennifer Wenger, Linara Washington, Peter Mayer and Zachery Mooren.

"We have a mixture of LA, St. Louis and local talent all involved, which is a big part of the fun of making this film," Jones said.

Shooting began Thursday and is scheduled to wrap up around the end of the month.

Anyone interested in being an extra when the crew is shooting scenes at Capital 8 Theaters on Aug. 29 should email their name and contact information to [email protected].

"We're looking for a lot of people," Reichard said.