Hollywood production heads to Schriever

Production trucks are parked at the front of Magnolia Plantation in Schriever. Filming of 12 Years a Slave, starring Brad Pitt, is expected to last through the end of the week.

Ron Chaisson

Published: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 6:28 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 6:28 p.m.

If you are driving on La. 311 between Schriever and Houma in the next few days, expect periodic delays because of the filming of Brad Pitts feature-film adaptation of 12 Years a Slave.

The movie, in which Pitt stars, is based on the memoir of Solomon Northup, a free man of color who was kidnapped and sold into slavery shortly before the Civil War.

The production started in New Orleans at the end of June and will be filming scenes at Magnolia Plantation in Schriever through the end of the week, according to a crew member with the movie who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Kelly Gustafson with the Houma Area Convention and Visitors Bureau said the bureau was contacted by location scouts recently about the possibility of filming scenes for the movie in Terrebonne Parish.

Besides Pitt, other actors involved in the Steve McQueen-directed film are Chiwetel E! jiofor, Michael Fassbender and Paul Giamatti.

The films page on imdb.com confirms the movie is filming and will be released sometime in 2013.

Another star imdb.com lists as working on the film is Dwight Henry.

Henry, who owns a bakery in New Orleans, starred alongside Houma native Quvenzhan Wallis in Beasts of the Southern Wild.

Shot in southern Terrebonne Parish, Beasts of the Southern Wild has already pulled in nearly $3 million at the box office, good enough to become one of the Top 15-grossing films by screen average as of July 23.

12 Years a Slave, which is also being produced by Pitt, is one of a number of feature films either shooting or preparing to shoot in Louisiana, according to the most recent listing by the state film office.

The crew member would not say whether Pitt was involved in any of the scenes being shot at Magnolia Plantation.

Staff Writer Thad Angelloz can be reached at 857-2207 or at thad.angelloz@houmatoday.com.