LaRose visits Sugarcreek film set, highlights Ohio’s growing movie industry

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose paid a visit to the set of American Cinema Inspires on Tuesday, Aug. 19 as filming inched closer to a wrap on the television series, “Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise.”

The film crew set up in the old tourism center along state Route 39 in Sugarcreek, with LaRose and his entourage stopping by to experience the art of filming on set.

LaRose had a special invitation extended to him after he helped Chevonne O’Shaughnessy, American Cinema Inspires co-founder and president, work through some paperwork issues that needed to be cleaned up.

“Chevonne had contacted me several weeks ago with a bit of a crisis she had encountered with a paperwork issue,” LaRose said. “She didn’t know who to turn to, so she called me and we were fortunately able to work through it.”

The issue at hand had kept O’Shaughnessy up nights as her crew continued to work through the filming process, so LaRose’s quick actions solved the problem and allowed her to refocus all her attention on the task of filming the television program to perfection.

LaRose said the issue wasn’t anything unusual and said it was simply part of the routine customer service his office provides to businesses throughout Ohio.

“We want to make things easy for businesses to operate here in Ohio,” LaRose said. “She was very grateful and invited me to come to the set.”

LaRose took her up on the invitation and spent an evening watching professionals do all the work in front of the camera and behind the scenes, where he spoke with many of the individuals involved with the production between takes.

“Watching the film being produced was fun,” LaRose said. “This is an important business. It’s a fun business, but it’s a serious business, and it’s not just the actors and producers, but the people who provide the food, the lighting guy, the sound guy and more.”

LaRose said one goal is to make Ohio an inviting destination for many more film crews to come and operate because doing so creates many job opportunities and helps put the spotlight on Ohio.

He said when he was in the state Senate, he was a longtime supporter of the film production tax credit that entices filming crews to film in Ohio because of certain tax breaks.

LaRose said Ohio is an ideal place for film crews to film because of everything the state has to offer.

“We’ve got talented people, and we’ve got great scenery,” LaRose said. “You can shoot film in Ohio of a small town (like Sugarcreek) — we are rich with agricultural communities — or you can shoot a big-city scene like they’ve done recently in the various action hero movies in Cleveland and Cincinnati. You can shoot maritime on Lake Erie, woodlands, and basically anything but a desert scene or an Alpine Mountain scene.”

In addition, Ohio offers a full slate of seasons, and LaRose said Ohio wants to make the state friendly as it relates to the business side of film.

“We’re really building an industry here,” LaRose said, noting Ohio continues to create scenarios like California and Georgia, with Ohio becoming known as a state that can provide quality film personnel right here, rather than needing to bring film crews in from out of state.

LaRose said helping someone like O’Shaughnessy work through a difficult issue is gratifying because it is helping people overcome obstacles and helps them do great work that in turn becomes good for others.

“I enjoy being a problem-solver,” LaRose said. “(O’Shaughnessy) shouldn’t need to worry about government bureaucracy. She should focus on making a great film here, and that is what we want her to focus on.”

LaRose was able to get all the necessary people involved to fix the issue, and that allowed O’Shaughnessy to move forward in creating wholesome, family-friendly entertainment.