Berthoud Weekly Surveyor | Covering all the angles in the Garden Spot

Independent film looking for local talent and extras

By: Sue Arnott | The Surveyor | March 17, 2022 | Local News

After 15 years of writing, pitching, rewriting and dogged persistence, Elan Milkes is preparing to produce a movie that’s taken his head and heart hostage these many years. It’s a coming-of-age story set in the 60s and 70s about a troubled boy, his love of baseball and his relationship with his wise grandfather who helps him on his journey towards inner peace. The film is called, Finding the Zone. Production starts this spring. In Berthoud. The only thing that could make Milkes happier is to find three crucial ingredients: a team of high-school-aged baseball players, a lighted ball field, and an old-time convenience store for a scene or two. Based on his initial response from members of the Berthoud community, success is in the air.

Photos courtesy of Elan Milkes- Photos from the production of “Finding the Zone.”

Milkes, an Orange County, California native, created several award-winning short films in his early 20s before returning to university for an advanced degree in Psychology. “We needed something more stable,” he said when describing his main loves in life—his wife of 28 years and his son. “I put this project on hold to raise a family and help others first. The film industry was too spotty for me. It doesn’t necessarily lead you down the right path. I didn’t want that lifestyle. I wanted to raise my son, be a good husband. So I went for stability.” Over the next 26 years, Milkes taught at-risk youth. But still, he wrote. He tweaked. He rewrote. He dreamed. With his son grown and a stable retirement income, this is his time to fully dedicate himself to his craft.

His goal: to create a great story with artistic merit and commercial appeal. His muse: Stan Musial, the Hall of Famer baseball legend who played 22 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. “He impressed me. I read everything I could about him. This normal human being with a talent for baseball. He wasn’t your typical sports hero. No bling-bling. No entourage. I like that kind of guy. I read everything I could find. I idolized him.” Musial died in January 2013, but before he died, Milkes sent him a copy of his script along with a letter explaining his project. “No response at first,” he said, “but six months later, a package arrived from Stan the Man Inc. It contained a letter of encouragement from the Musial family along with a special gift from Stan himself: his signature on the manuscript. “I was blown away,” Milkes said. Hopes of a closer relationship, a possible collaboration on the project never materialized, but the encouragement wasn’t wasted.

While he couldn’t make a movie about Stan the Man, he could find inspiration from him. So he did an entire rewrite.

As a setting, Berthoud caught Milkes’ instant attention and affection. “A dream come true,” he said after visiting Dave and Diane Levy’s scenic farm when a family friend introduced them. “All the location elements I was looking for were there—expansive farmland, views of the Rockies, a pond, a warm home.” The Levy’s introduced him to more locals who graciously offered their assistance. Triloki Patel, the new owner of Grandpa’s Cafe, offered the use of his restaurant to shoot a scene. The Levy’s neighbor, Steve Williams, offered his treehouse, and Kristin Ramey, owner of Long Shadow Farm featuring a bevy of farm animals, offered her land as a setting. At a Levy-hosted lunch, Milkes met Kathleen Gruman, a local realtor and Board member of Berthoud’s Moon Theatre. “We only met briefly, but her enthusiasm to help me with this project was amazing.”

Photo courtesy of Elan Milkes.

Via word-of-mouth and social media, Gruman helped Milkes obtain a generous list of residents eager to be a part of the movie.

Through multiple acts of kindness, Milkes grasped instantly the essence of Berthoud. “Its true beauty isn’t just the gorgeous environment. It’s the people who are the living force that breathes life into the landscape. Everyone smiles, a peaceful existence based on friendship and trust in each other. The spirit of Berthoud is the essence of this movie. Call it serendipity or sheer luck, finding Berthoud put me in a zone of thankfulness and gratitude. I intuitively knew Berthoud was the place.”

Filming is set to begin in early summer. Preparations will begin earlier in April when Milkes and his colleague, award-winning film writer/director/producer Michelle Opitz, return.

In addition to the team, the field and an old-time store, Milkes is still seeking extras and local talent who want to participate in baseball and townspeople scenes. Interested parties may contact him directly at eacepay2424@gmailcom.

 

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