The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts "The Big 'Un" is gonna be in the movies!

Well, its gonna happen!

My 1946 1-1/2 ton is in the movies. More information later, but for now, the truck is in Smithville, Texas where the production company is filming. So far, the truck has participated (with other passenger cars from the 40's and 50's) as "blocking" -- just sitting there and looking cool.

Irma and I went down to Smithville yesterday and watched the (boring) filming work. My truck proudly sat alone on the street in front of the house where the filming was happening.

The story was sorta like, Dad just came home and found his son hadn't done his homework. So Dad and Junior go out to the woodshed for a talk, and the truck is parked there on the street, in view, outside the fence, while Dad gives Junior what for.

That took most of the day, and I can't stand the turtle and snail pace of moviemaking, so we came home today.

As soon as folks found out that I was the owner of the truck, I had people coming up and talking about the truck--one even handed me a WAD of money, several hundred dollar bills on the outside, and said, "Will you take this for your truck?"

I should have handed him back five bucks and said, "No, but thanks for your interest!" Sometimes I'm too slow-minded for my own good.

Filming will be done in about a week, and then we will see how the rest of it goes.

If this works, I will be able to fund some more repairs to the truck. Gotta pay the taxes first, though.

I'd like to get a gig like that in Virginia!!!

I have had vehicles in 2 movie shoots and you are right it can be boring. Cleon

how much do they give ya for that? just curious.

When they filmed several scenes for A League of their own here in Southern Indiana several local trucks made it in.Not sure what it paid.

I'd like to see my fire truck in one of those old Chevy commercials! Ya know the "like a rock" with my rig in the video!!! I'd do it for free.

That last Steven King movie among several were done here in Bisbee AZ. The owners did all right. Soem were required to drive and they did very well. Kept him busy with the maintenance but it added up.

I'm not at liberty to say how much they are paying me for use of the truck, but it is substantial.

I'm paid for each day the truck is used in filming--that is not every day and it depends on the filming schedule.

As of now, there is one more day this week and then the schedule does not call for any further use of the truck. But.... There is a short sequence with some farm workers and that remains on the table. If the director calls for the scene (currently not on the schedule) then that would be one more day, and if I am not working, I would be able to attend the filming and do the driving.

It is horribly boring to watch a production. The peole who are on the production team are very busy, however.

In the final analysis, the total payment will be 4 figures, and the first number is not one.

I saw your truck! I was in Smithville - trying to meet with Mr. Scott(Russell). Mine was too rough to appear "new" in the movie. I was waiting for him across from the B&B. I kept looking over at your truck - thinking "I'm just an old lump of coal, but I'm gonna be a diamond someday." Sweet truck you have there, by the way. PM me - maybe we could meet up the next time you're down this way.

What's the title of the Movie ?

I think it will be called "The Tree of Life." A local classic car lot has been trying to sell an old AD grain truck used in the movie.
First ad a month ago.$6,000
One week later...$7,000
Yesterday's ad$10,000

Rippintare -- Around here, picture cars used as background (not "hero cars" -- the vehicles shown being driven by the actors in scenes) get $300/day. We've never been a hero car so I don't know what that pays. I think it depends on how the vehicle is used. I just thought it was weird that the background vehicles get the same amount, no matter what it is (i.e., no sliding scale for the cost of getting the rig on set). For example, in our movie (Flags of Our Fathers -- Iwo Jima Monument dedication scenes), the big '54 GMC transit bus that figures prominently in the scene (and sucked a lot of gas coming down from Baltimore that morning) got paid the same $300 we got and our truck barely is visible in one scene for about 10 seconds. Still -- $300 for 10 seconds of screen time... No wonder movies are so expensive to make.

Glenn is right -- it *IS* horribly boring. And the show time is usually the butt crack of dawn. The glamour of being on a movie set lasts about 15 minutes. The crew catering was fantastic on our set, though. And I have a crew badge that's a great souvenir.

I think it's pretty cool that we have so many Bolters who have been in movies. Last winter, Jarge up in Winnipeg had his 2-ton '46 used in a production, too. Maybe it would be cool to compile a list of Bolters who are in movies (what the movie/TV show or commercial is and what truck was used).

Regards,
John