Critically acclaimed “No Address” script to come to life with locally filmed scenes, some road closures
A big screen movie with a star-studded cast has a local connection to Folsom as of this week. The producers of No Address, have been filming throughout the Sacramento region in recent days and select areas of Folsom will play home to the filming of various of scenes for the film that will bring detours to area streets.
No Address is being produced by well-known Placer County based filmmaker Robert Craig and directed by Julia Verdin, of Rough Diamond Productions. Verdin co-wrote the film with fellow award-winning writer James J Papa. Verdin has 36 critically acclaimed feature films to her production resume to date. Among her known previous works are The Merchant of Venice that starred Al Pacino and 2 Jacks starring Jacqueline Bisset.
“I wrote the script as a homage to those who have ended up on the streets,” said Verdin, who took some time off the set to chat with local media while filming downtown. “I have talked to people who had good lives and jobs and came from good families who through different misfortunes ended up on the streets.”
No Address is a narrative feature film that tells the story of a group of individuals experiencing homelessness. Their touching storylines, were pulled together from the countless hours spent by the film’s producers, as well as some of its stars visiting shelters, missions, and organizations that are on the front lines of providing services and solutions to the national issue.
Shooting for the film is expected to wrap up in the local area by later next week. A handful of areas in and near Folsom are on the film’s shooting schedule this week and next. Residents can expect to see production crews, trucks, lights and all of the activity that comes with a major movie production at various hours and different locations.
While filmmakers don’t practice announcing specific addresses for operation and security reasons, areas in Folsom that are slated to be part of the film include sites in and near the residential areas of the city’s Historic District as well as filming that has already taken place up above Lake Natoma, near the area known as the Orangevale bluffs and others.
During their visit, Folsom residents can expect to experience some road closures and detours. The Folsom Police Department is working with the production company to insure proper traffic control and detours are in place. According to Lieutenant Chris Emery of the of the Folsom Police Department’s Neighborhood Services Division, current scheduled closures are as follows:
On Tuesday March 21, Natoma Street will be closed between Sibley Street and Bridge Street from 3:30 p.m.until midnight with a detour on Bidwell Street. On Friday March 24. Upper Sutter Street will be closed between Bridge Street and Coloma Street from 12:30 p.m. until 3 a.m. with detours routed to Figueroa Street. On Monday March 27, Mormon Street will be closed from Reading Street and Decatur Street from 10 a.m.until 6 p.m.
Emery explained that signage will be in place for the permitted detours to assist residents and motorists. The road closures will be managed by a contracted traffic and security company for the production company.
According to the background on the production, filmmakers hope is that “No Address” will encourage viewers to engage deeper with compassion in their own communities and incite personal participation by audiences when it hits theaters in the winter of 2023. To date, the screenplay has already garnered over 60 Best Screenplay Awards from film festivals all over the world.
“You have people that are just like you and me, that had a job, they lost their job, or their rent went up and they flat out couldn’t pay it. I mean most people are one or two paychecks away from homelessness,” says Craig. “It’s amazing how simple it is, how someone can slip into homelessness.”
Craig just recently announced the primary cast members of the film include William Baldwin, Xander Berkeley, Ashanti, Beverly D’Angelo, Ty Pennington, Lucas Jade Zumann, Kristanna Loken, Patricia Velasquez, and Isabella Ferreira, among others. The actors have personally connected with the storyline and have been motivated to be a part of the social impact film as they highlight the personal stories of those experiencing homelessness.
Among the others, Baldwin recently took some time while filming locally near a Sacramento encampment to speak to and listen to those with those actually experiencing homelessness in the region as we connects with the community that he helps portray.
Baldwin, known for his roles in Backdraft, Silver and others, leads the cast as he plays the role of Robert. The character of Robert is a gambler, living above his means. An arrogant, judgmental, financially strapped businessman. He wants to buy the encampment property in a deal that would bring significant financial gain but needs to find a way to get the residents off the land.
Baldwin’s fellow stars in the films play the following roles:
Berkeley (“Terminator 2: Judgement Day”, “The Walking Dead”, and “24”) plays the role of Harris. A war veteran, former addict and protector of the group. He is an excellent artist who paints and sells his pieces to make money for the group. The gang members try to blackmail Harris and he is forced to handle the situation and try to do what he thinks is best for the group.
Grammy Award-winning singer and actress, Ashanti (“Coach Carter”, “John Tucker Must Die”, “Resident Evil: Extinction”) plays Violet. An Iraq veteran who suffers from PTSD and has turned to drugs as a coping mechanism. She has a tough exterior. When Lauren first arrives, Violet sees her as a threat but grows to care about her and eventually accepts her into the group. With help from the group, she quits drugs, but her health deteriorates due to other reasons.
Golden Globe nominee D’Angelo (“Coal Miner’s Daughter”, “National Lampoon’s Vacation”, “Entourage”) plays Dora. A former successful actress whose memory and early-onset dementia has led her to a life on the streets. Dora is constantly lost and almost childlike in the way she behaves. She welcomes Lauren into the group with open arms and makes her feel comfortable. The gang intimidates her and it eventually leads to her demise.
Pennington (“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”) guest stars as Mr. Mills. Mr. Mills is a man who owns a hardware store. He is a man of faith and a strong believer in second chances. He’s a very fair and kind-hearted man who recognizes Jimmy’s need for help and creates a position for him at his store.
Zumann (“Anne with an E”, “Sinister 2” and “20th Century Women”) plays the role of Jimmy. Warm, a fighter, a beam of light. He’s been living on the streets since leaving his abusive home. He helps Lauren and invites her to join his makeshift family on the streets. What drives Jimmy most is his desire for a family and he’s ready to go to any lengths to protect his new street family he loves fiercely.
Loken (“Terminator 3”, “The L Word”, and “Killer Jane”) plays Kim, Robert’s wife. She is a hardworking, practical mother who cares most about providing a good life for her son. After Robert spends irresponsibly on their house and his car, Kim returns to her job of being a nurse. She’s concerned and upset about the bills piling up but buys into Robert’s promise that all is about to change. As their money stretches thin, she picks up more nursing shifts and exhausts herself, acting like everything is alright while trying to keep the family afloat.
Velasquez (“The Mummy”, “The Mummy Returns”, “The Curse of La Llorona”) plays Gabrielle. Gabrielle is an active member of the local church group. Gabrielle always goes out of her way to help and support the community of people who are homeless however she can. She makes it her business to get to know as many as she can personally. She dedicates herself to protecting people who have found themselves on the streets and is very fond of Jimmy, who has the same generous spirit as she does.
Ferreira (“Love Victor”, “Crush” Hulu, “Marvel’s Wastelanders: Wolverine”) plays Lauren. A foster kid coming home from her high school graduation, she finds her possessions on the doorstep. She has been kicked out with nowhere to turn to. She ends up on the streets and has a run in with local gang members, leading to her meeting Jimmy and a new family.
A resident of Placer County, Robert Craig founded Robert Craig Films to produce emotionally powerful films with stories that not only entertain but motivate viewers to engage deeper with compassion and generosity in the community around them. No Address is one such film.
Robert Craig Films touts a mission to, “bring high-quality, entertaining movies with life-redemptive content to the screen. Robert Craig movies entertain, inspire, educate, and uplift spiritually – with the ultimate goal of helping bring unity and peace to our world.”
Craig and his team recently completed principal photography on another film, a documentary titled Americans With No Address, which portrays America’s leading crisis and the millions of people that suffer as a result.
The production team toured 17 cities by bus to visit rescue missions and encampments and talked with individuals living there about their experiences, challenges, hopes, and dreams.
Recent past films by Craig include The Lost Girls, an award-winning film that streams on the LIFETIME Channel and chronicles the story of a 16-year-old girl that gets sex trafficked with a strong message of caution, bringing awareness to parents, children, and teens of this growing criminal industry.
Craig is a resident of Meadow Vista. To learn more about him visit www.robertcraigfilms.com. To learn more about the locally filmed No Address movie visit www.noaddressmovie.com
*Visuals approved/provided via Robert Craig Films
