Lights, camera, action: Bright lights shine on Momence

MOMENCE – East Washington Street businessman Bryce Bowman was asked if he had an interest in being an extra in a Netflix production taking place right where he operates his business, Horde Collectibles & Gaming.

The operator of the 800-square-foot shop, 120 E. Washington St., wasn’t opposed to the idea of donning a costume while cameras were rolling. However, he said, he has a business to run.

And while there can be no getting around the fact the Netflix production of “Monster,” which largely took place this past week in the city of about 3,000, created some obstacles for running a small business, Bowman was more than fine with it.

“Parking wasn’t amazing,” he said, saying customers could not park in front of the store due to filming.

Bowman also was sure his business took a hit in term of retail business due to the commotion, but that’s Hollywood.

“The crew could not have been more cordial and polite,” he said. Personnel came into his shop and bought an assortment of items.

“And they made sure we could operate our businesses as best we could while filming was taking place,” Bowman said. “It’s definitely worth them being in town.”

And while Bowman bowed out of the shine of filming lights, he said his cat, Whiskers, might have caught the camera’s lens a time or two while perched on the interior ledge in the street-facing window.

Momence has been the site for about five to six productions over the course of about 15 years.

The third series of “Monster” will focus on Ed Gein, who was known as the Butcher of Plainfield or the Plainfield Ghoul. This Plainfield is in Wisconsin.

He was a suspected serial killer and body snatcher from 1947 to 1957. He gained widespread notoriety in 1957 after authorities discovered he had exhumed corpses from local cemeteries and fashioned keepsakes from the bones and skin.

He confessed to killing two women, one in 1954 and the second in 1957. He was suspected of seven other murders.

He died at the age of 77 in 1984.

Momence has been a place that has caught the eye of filmmakers. While most communities continue to remake themselves, the hub of this downtown has remained largely the same since the 1950s.

Business names have changed, but the exterior generally has remained constant. And as those locations have become more difficult to find, production crews continue to reach out to Momence.

Willing to accommodate

Mayor Chuck Steele said as long as the entertainment industry wants to borrow Momence for a week or two, the city is willing to accommodate them.

“I think it’s very good for the community. Everyone likes a little notoriety,” Steele said. “They appear to take care of local businesses, which they interrupt somewhat, very well.”

Steele describes it as a win-win.

“There are a few complaints, but you will always have that no matter what,” he said. “I view this as a big boost to our community. Whenever you can bring some attention to your town, it doesn’t hurt at all.”

Another East Washington business owner, Steve Gross, the longtime operator of Sensei Steve’s Karate, 118 E. Washington St., did put on a costume as an extra. His studio’s exterior became a feed mill, rather than a martial arts studio.

The film crew’s only request, other than having students enter from the building’s rear entrance, was to have the interior fluorescent lights kept off during filming.

The lights simply mess with the production’s time period.

Gross was more than happy to accommodate.

“It was a taxing week,” Gross said of the filming.

He said there was snowfall and the unfortunate episode of a nearby business sustaining significant damage due to a late Feb. 11 fire at the Gilster-Mary Lee Corp. site just east of where filming was taking place.

“There was a lot going on here. It’s been nuts,” Gross said.

He said he was glad when Friday arrived.

Filming crews estimated 85% of the Momence-based filming is complete. They may return in a couple weeks to finish work.

Gross said all in all, everything worked out once again with Hollywood visiting this river town.