American Cinema International finds its home in Sugarcreek

What mysteries abound in Sugarcreek, Ohio?

One production company is about to let the world know.

The crew from American Cinema International is currently filming the eight-episode series “Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise” in downtown Sugarcreek, a family-oriented mystery series that follows Cheryl, who, after a devastating breakup, sees her life is turned upside down when her aunt sends her to the Amish town of Sugarcreek. There, Cheryl uncovers an unsettling secret that could disrupt the small town, but also finds a sense of acceptance, peace and perhaps even love.

American Cinema International co-founder and president Chevonne O’Shaughnessy’s first experience with this community came a decade ago when she filmed “Love Finds You in Sugarcreek,” a feature-length film that went on to capture the hearts of many fans when it ran on Up TV and racked up millions of viewers.

Her subsequent films grew to even greater heights as the public began catching the vision of what these films were presenting, and “Love Finds You in Charm” and “Love Finds You in Valentine” were also huge hits.

This eight-episode television series is different, and the crew is camping out in Sugarcreek, where it is making quick work of filming each scene, whether it is on set or finding permission in one of a number of well-known Amish locations.

For O’Shaughnessy, the massive success of these movies and soon-to-be series is simply due to a return to the roots of the nation when times were simpler.

“It’s good, clean content,” she said. “It’s something different, something outside the norm. A lot of my buyers say it’s kind of like ‘Little House on the Prairie’ but today, and they love the fact that it’s clean and they can watch a good family movie that they can watch together as a family.”

How successful was “Love Finds You in Sugarcreek?"

When O’Shaughnessy and her late husband George contacted Up TV, they said they expected it to hit two million views. She said the producers there laughed at that idea, because the highest viewed movie on the station up until then on Up TV was “The Passion of the Christ,” which hit 700,000 views during an Easter airing.

“They said, ‘Do you really think you’re going to beat Jesus?’ I would never say that,” O’Shaughnessy said with a laugh. “But they aired it, did seven repeats, and we hit 4.7 million views.”

The following movies were equally successful, paving the way for this series, which O’Shaughnessy hopes to team up with Up TV once again, and she said the idea of creating clean, quality content is something that drew her to the book series.

“If I get to have a voice in this world, I want to have a voice that helps and encourages people,” O’Shaughnessy said. “That’s what I’ve been doing.”

The American Cinema International crew has caught the vision, and for this series, most of the original crew and cast returned, providing plenty of continuity.

Filming for the series began June 29, and with a tight schedule that stayed on track, the group tore through production right on time. By July 9, they had finished four of the episodes, although they expect to be in Sugarcreek through August.

O’Shaughnessy said working with the professional crew that understands the values and vision she has makes for quick, professional work.

Director Sandra Martin oversees the production and has been pleased with the way things have rolled along smoothly.

She said this process began many months ago, deciding on which books in the series they wanted to create on film. Those books then get adapted, and Miller makes sure the stories flow. That is followed by casting, crewing up and finding locations to film that are authentic, something that each 42-1/2-minute episode must maintain.

She said her crew is tremendous, and coordinating everyone and keeping them on the same page and on time with production is a mixture of knowing each other well and utilizing local Northeast Ohio talents both in front of and behind the camera.

“It’s a lot of coordination,” said Martin, who directed the last film. “It was great that all of our main actors came back because they understand what we want.”

The demands of filming are immense, and it can be intense when things happen so quickly.

Isaac Alongi, cinematographer, said his role is to make sure continuity and detail are superb.

“This is one of the most ambitious projects I’ve done,” he said. “There’s around 140 actors cast with a ton of moving parts.”

What has added to the crew and cast’s experience has been the acceptance they have received from local folks. Alongi said they have found the people here kind and generous, and they’ve been made to feel right at home.

“So many people have helped us out with so many things,” Alongi said. “It’s been a wonderful experience for us to shoot here, although we don’t want to wear out our welcome.”