Ross Partridge and Kathryn Aselton dry off and warm up after a tumble in the snow with the help of the Feed the Fish crew

Door County has always been known for its beautiful scenery and cute shops, delicious cherries and tasty wine, its many lighthouses and bicycle trails. Now, though, Door County will be known for something else as well – films.

If you’ve been in Door County in the last month or so, you may have seen men and women walking around, bundled up in snow pants, thick jackets with hand warmers stuffed into their pockets, carrying cameras, lighting equipment and gaffers tape. But did you know they are shooting the feature film Feed the Fish? Written and directed by Michael Matzdorff, Feed the Fish is a romantic comedy that takes place in Door County, and will feature several well-known Door County locations such as The Viking Grill in Ellison Bay and the Skyway Drive-In between Fish Creek and Ephraim on State Highway 42.  The drive in?

A site rarely seen

Open Again Next May

Yes, it is nearing the end of February, and here we are at the Skyway Drive-In. There is at least a foot of snow blanketing the ground, the lone radio stands the only disturbance. The candy shelves are empty, the popcorn machine scrubbed clean. The only sound is the pitter-patter of the crew’s feet setting up equipment on the roof of the snack bar. The director calls action, an engine roars, and around the corner comes a tan pickup truck with a yellow plow, making its way to the front row. As someone who has spent every summer in Door County since I was born, this was not a scene I ever expected to see. Several hours later, long after the sun had gone down, long after the cold had set into our boots and gloves, wrap is called, equipment dismantled, and warm shelters sought.

As we tiredly sipped warm beverages and nibbled warm food, the talk was all directed towards the next day, when several of the cast members were going to participate in another Door County tradition – the polar bear plunge. Many were beginning to wonder if they would ever thaw out, and we all shivered at the mere thought of jumping into the ice-cold waters of Lake Michigan.

Feed the Fish chronicles the journey of Joe, an LA resident that wrote a hit children’s book several years ago and has had writer’s block ever since. Joe, played by Ross Partridge (who has several independent film titles to his name and a recent recurring role on As the World Turns), is joining his friend for a trip to Door County in the hopes that the peace and quiet will allow him to tackle his writer’s block. Once there, he finds more than he expected. Other cast include Sif played by Kathryn Aselton, Axel played by Barry Corbin (who, if you haven’t heard of him, has over 150 titles to his name) and the sheriff played by Wisconsin native and Door County local Tony Shaloub (Monk, Wings).

Thanks to a new tax incentive put in place by Wisconsin, Feed the Fish was able to shoot in the state, utilizing local talent and creating jobs. The tax incentive has been successful in bringing in other films, including Public Enemies, staring Johnny Depp, which was filmed in Oshkosh and Project Solitude, staring Eric Roberts, which was filmed in Green Bay. Feed the Fish is set to be released this year with a screening in Door County around Labor Day.

If you are a resident of Wisconsin, you may understand the dedication it would take to make a film during a Wisconsin winter. And this winter certainly gave us its all. With temperatures dipping to 40 below, conditions were not always optimal – causing issues with camera equipment that can’t operate in such a cold climate, risk of frostbite for cast and crew, and even continuity issues. With the constant fluctuation that is Wisconsin temperatures, the melting and freezing of snow, the falling of new snow, crews are forced to become rather creative in an effort to make sure that the scenery looks the same from shot to shot.

The crew sets up for the first shot

In some instances, such as the arrival at the drive in, you get only one chance to get the shot right. Once you plow a large path in the snow, it takes more time than it is worth to return the scene to its natural looking state – you would have to fill in the path, every single footprint, and make it look as though it hasn’t been touched in months.

Locations for the film are scattered from Sturgeon Bay to Gills Rock, so as you are sitting in the theatre viewing Feed the Fish, you are guaranteed to see something that you recognize. As Shaloub states, “The movie is an homage to the area. It was written with certain locations and people in mind.” And as they began filming, it became apparent that they had picked the perfect place. “There is an openness here, a freshness. And that translates into productivity. People say ‘yes,’ and you can get things done.”

That's a Wrap

When final wrap was called in Wisconsin on March 7, Matzdorff was not only witnessing his own dream, but inspiring many who thought that being from our state was a detriment to their dreams. “It all felt very, very far away and I felt quite removed from it,” Matzdorff has said about growing up in the Midwest with dreams of being a filmmaker. “Somehow, without any real definite, well-thought out plan, I put one foot in front of the other and somehow ended up in the right place at the right time.”