Clint Eastwood visits Macon, films scenes for upcoming movie

Clint Eastwood, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake and Amy Adams were just a few of the names of several stars that made their way to Macon, Ga. to film a new movie titled Trouble with the Curve.
Eastwood stars in the movie along with Amy Adams, John Goodman and Justin Timberlake, as well as Eastwood’s son, Scott. Eastwood’s producing partner, Robert Lorenz, is making his directorial debut with the movie.
The set for Trouble with the Curve is a closed one, and even locals who are in association with the movie were sworn to secrecy -- not that they were given that much information to begin with.
“I can’t say anything,” said Jimmy Pierson, whose bar, Northside Cheers, will be one of the locations used for filming. However, the film crew is already setting up barriers and taking up most of the parking lot at its location on Northside Drive, meaning fans hoping to see Eastwood, Timberlake, Goodman and Adams are likely in for some disappointment.

Stephanie Giles, an Atlanta-based publicist for the production, said even her office has scant information about the filming. “Right now, it’s a closed set,” she said.
Eastwood’s production company, Malpaso Productions, handles the shooting schedule, Giles said, and the production schedule is private.
Macon Tent Rentals was hired to provide six tent, tables and chairs to seat 300 cast and crew members near the old stables at Central City Park. Chris Barnes, who works for the company, said Tuesday that workers are setting things up but won’t be there Thursday when the movie shoots scenes at Luther Williams Field. Barnes said the company will pick up its equipment Friday.
“From what I’ve seen, they’ll have the extras here, and this is where they will do the catering,” Barnes said, adding that he didn’t think Eastwood would be at the tents. “They said it’d be an impossibility. No one is going to get to meet him.”
Ben Hamrick, business manager for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, said only the front half of Central City Park was open Thursday, with barricades next to the Round Building and the park’s back entrance on Lower Poplar Street. Places such as the track and the softball fields at the park also will be closed to the public.
Hamrick said the production rented the stadium for five days, paying about $1,000 per day for the four non-shooting days and about $1,800 for the shooting day.
Having a major production featuring the likes of A-list stars like Eastwood, Adams, Goodman and Timberlake could be an effective way of marketing the city as a tourist destination and as a way of attracting future productions.
Monica Smith, president and CEO of the Macon-Bibb County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said that while it’s difficult to measure the actual economic impact of the production to Macon and Bibb County, the benefits of the production filming here go beyond dollars.
“It does help tourism anytime we have the film industry come to Macon,” she said. “The free publicity for our local hotels, businesses and attractions will have a positive impact on our community. While I don’t know the specific numbers of how many rooms the production staff will need, it’s been my experience the city will benefit from the increase in exposure.”
Trouble with the Curve, is set to be released in September.