Locally filmed ‘Mickey Matson’ will be shown Friday in Scottville

Cronk, left, and Struble work on props for the next film.

National sales doing well; sequel to be filmed this fall.

It’s been a good summer for local film producers Harold Cronk and Edgar Struble. Their movie, “The Adventures of Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Treasure” is currently being sold exclusively at Wal-Mart stores around the country (that’s a pretty big deal). And, sales are going well. Plus, they are just over a month away from beginning filming of the sequel, which, like the first, will be filmed almost exclusively in Mason and Manistee counties.

I met up with Cronk and Edgar on a recent afternoon while they were wearing their set designer hats in Cronk’s Amber Township workshop, working on props for the new film. Cronk had just gotten back from a run out to the scrap metal yard where he found some items to be used for props. In Hollywood, he said, the process would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars just to make one prop. Here in west Michigan the process is a little more laid back and a lot less expensive. But the outcome is the same.

Before we go too far in this story, let’s call it what it is. This is a plug to get you to come down to the Scottville Clown Band Shell Friday night (that’s this Friday, Aug. 2), where you will have the chance to sit on the lawn or a lawn chair, buy some popcorn from the Scottville Optimist popcorn wagon and watch “The Adventures of Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Treasure” for free. That’s right. Free.

Then, because you will love the movie for many reasons (it’s a great story and it features some familiar Manistee and Mason places) you will want to run down to Wal-Mart (which is open 24 hours a day) and buy “Mickey Matson” so you can watch it again and again. And, by purchasing the movie, you will help contribute to future films being produced right here in our own town!

If for some reason you don’t feel inclined to purchase the movie you can rent it at any Red Box around the country.

The movie starts at 9:30 p.m. but there will be live musical entertainment by Ludington’s own Tyler Reed beginning at 8 p.m. Cronk, who wrote and directed the movie, and Edgar, who produced the film, will both be there to talk about the movie. Rick Plummer, one of the movie’s stars, will also be there (more on him in a bit).

If you are not familiar with the story line, see the trailer below:

Since you have now watched the trailer for “Mickey I” let’s talk about “Mickey II.”

The film will feature many of the same characters and actors, including Christopher Lloyd, who is Mickey’s grandfather (“Back to the Future”). The child actors, Derek Brandon and Francesca Derosa, are a couple years older since the first movie (which was filmed in 2011), so the storyline is a little more teen-driven, Cronk says.

“The action scenes are definitely more intense,” he says, “the stakes are higher and the bad guys are, well, more bad.”

There will be some new villains but the previous villains, including Ludington’s Rick Plummer as Stalwert Priggish III, will make cameos.

One thing that will be the same as the previous movie is the family friendliness of the sequel. That’s an important element to both Cronk and Struble — keeping their west Michigan values in a nationally-sold film.

The Friday Night Movies at the Shell series is presented by Great Lakes Energy, Carr Communications, West Shore Bank, LAVA Concept, Scottville Clown Band, Scottville Optimists, Mosquito Squad, Don and Elizabeth Pasco and Mason County Press.

Those wishing to make a tax-deductible donation to the Friday Night Movies at the Shell fund may do so by sending a check to Scottville Clown Band, 405 N. Main St., Scottville, MI 49454. Memo: Movies.