VICTORVILLE • A deputy with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department watched calmly as several large trucks blew through a stop sign in downtown Victorville on Monday afternoon.
“We’re here for the day to shoot a modern-day Western,” said Katie Valovcin, 22, a production assistant with Mandeville Films, as she helped with traffic control on the corner of Fourth and C streets.
Anton Yelchin, best known for his starring role as Pavel Chekov in JJ Abrams’ “Star Trek,” rolled into town with a group of nearly 80 to shoot a portion of the movie “Broken Horses,” which is set to be released in 2013.
Actor Steve Luna, who had a small role in Abrams’ film, said the production crew was using the exterior of the former El Rancho Theater for the actionpacked movie.
“We filmed the interior in L.A. and we’re using this theater for all the exterior shots,” Luna said. “The bad guy is using this border-town theater called The Alamo as his headquarters, and we’re his guys that go out and regulate.”
Just before sundown, as the production crew loaded several large trucks with sound and light equipment for the ride back to base camp, actor Carl Silva, 25, said he enjoyed his brief time in the Victor Valley.
“I have family who live in the area, so they had a chance to watch some of our work today,” said Silva, as a group of actors gathered around him for the ride back to base camp near the Victorville City Library on Circle Drive. “Downtown had a nice feel to it. The people have been very nice.”
Several large yellow signs reading “BH” were posted along Seventh Street, which directed the production team with several trailers, three semi-trucks and more than 50 cars to the film’s base camp on Sunday night.
The crew also filmed near the railroad tracks after obtaining all the proper documentation.
Director Vinod Chopra, who owns one of the leading film production houses in India, is at the helm of this movie, according to the Internet Movie Database, IMDB.com.
“I saw Vincent D’Onofrio from ‘Law and Order’ come out of the theater doors a few times,” said Justino Alcala, 23, who watched the filming along with nearly 40 others. “With all the action, I think it’s going to be a good movie.”
The film was shot in multiple locations throughout Victorville.
