Lights, camera, action coming to Mariposa next week

Everything is on track for the filming of a television pilot episode next week at Mariposa County High School.

“We’re on our way,” said Jazzy Hawley, the 2019 MCHS graduate who is behind the filming — and an actor in the show.

The show, entitled “Edge of the Lot,” focuses on the fictional town of “Mayfield,” which is based in Mariposa. She describes the series as “a chaotic year the town will never forget.”

To get it to this point, Hawley was one of the winners of a Canon competition, from which she received funding to film the pilot episode.

And that filming will get underway next Monday morning on the campus of MCHS, where school will be out because of spring break.

There are two main focuses of next week’s filming: the parking lot at the high school (thus the name of the series) and inside the gymnasium.

Filming will take place all of Monday, said Hawley, and local people will be involved as “extras” on the set. In fact, Hawley said they are still looking for some extras, though many have already signed up after a story appeared recently in this newspaper.

“We do need some more extras,” she said.

Though she said it is for teenage characters, adults “who skew younger” in looks are also welcome.

The film schedule is not quite hammered out, but she said “roughly” they will be filming in the parking lot in the morning and then in the gymnasium in the afternoon.

“It’s definitely surreal and setting in,” said Hawley in a phone interview on Monday from her home base in Los Angeles.

“This is so awesome and a big opportunity,” said Hawley.

Overall, Hawley said she felt she was in a “good space” this week, though it was hectic as they were doing a lot of preparation in what is known as pre-production.

“The whole cast is together,” she said.

In all, there are roughly 35 people who will be traveling to Mariposa this Sunday in preparation for the filming.

This week, she said some of the females in the cast were “getting their hair changed” for the upcoming filming. She said the cast was also rehearsing their lines and just going over the production in general.

“I feel prepared and excited,” she said. “And my family is so supportive. I feel really lucky to be from Mariposa.”

Part of that feeling is the fact many local businesses and individuals have come forward since finding out about what Hawley needs for such a big production.

She said some have offered lodging for the cast, which was a big need, while others are helping with food and other necessities.

Though they are in a good place, Hawley said there is still room for more if people are wanting to pitch in and help.

“More is always better,” said Hawley.

One ask that she said seems to be filled is people loaning cars to sit in the parking lot during filming. She said the community has stepped up in that aspect.

Oh, and then there’s the aspect of Hawley returning to Mariposa during the biggest step so far in her Hollywood career.

“I’m excited to come home,” he said.

That will include 34 of her friends and coworkers, as well.

There has already been some filming done on the series, which took place at Pioneer Market in Mariposa. Hawley said they filmed at night at Pioneer, adding they learned a lot about how a grocery store functions even when it isn’t open.

Next week’s filming will focus on getting much of the pilot episode done, she said.

The concept for “Edge of the Lot” has been in Hawley’s mind for many years. In fact, it came to her while she was a student at MCHS but she put it in the back of her mind for years.

Then, after moving to Hollywood and getting involved in the industry as an actress as well as in production and writing, she pulled it out of the cobwebs and ran it by her partner.

He loved it and so the process began.

Winning the prize money from Canon was the catalyst that put it over the top and led to what will be quite a unique experience next week for Mariposa.

She said the series is “based on myself and other people I went to school with.”

Hawley spent a year writing the entire first season of the show and spent another year “pitching it to investors and the networks.”

Now, with production already underway and more coming next week, Hawley believes her chances are greater of getting the show picked up by a network.

She is the daughter of April and Jason Hawley, who both still live in Mariposa and the two people responsible for her unique name. Though it’s actually Jasmine, once she was born, “Jazzy” was born, too.

Anyone who is interested in participating in the filming next week or helping in other ways is encourages to contact her at jazzyhawleyactor@gmail.com.