Surprise! Shoreline Police Called to Robbery at the Café Aroma, but it's a Film in Progress

So a while back, after being the location for a local independent film for a Shoreline Community College film crew, we were told that the SIFF ‘48 Hour Film Challenge’ is always looking for unique locations to film for this 2 day event in which independent film makers are given 48 hours to come up with a plot, write a script, shoot and edit a movie…

Sure enough, we were asked if one of these 800 crews could reserve our back room for their film, since it could be used for so many different locations—living room, dining room, garage, outdoor space (with the opening garage door), even an office, they said... We said “sure! that sounds like fun!”

Fast forward to today: the police have since left, and our hearts have stopped pounding…a bit.

Apparently what happens in such film ‘challenges’ where there is so little time, the plotline changes on the fly, as it is being filmed…as happened during this filming on location at Café Aroma. While I’m still not completely sure of the entire/final plotline, this story is about a young woman who overcomes the hardships that life has thrown at her…however, a scene was apparently added that included a robbery attempt in which she was to ‘talk down’ the desperate single father out of his attempt to rob…the CAFÉ! This was, needless to say, NOT known or approved by anyone at the café, nor local law enforcement…more on that in a moment.

So, 11 hours into filming (which is 3 hours over the planned time to be completed…) the story has been morphing over the day; not being used to the film industry, it seemed to be slow going, with multiple takes on every line. Then, in the next scene, an actor plays out an ‘attempted robbery’ . . .  before the staff got over their surprise, INSTANTLY, the Shoreline police arrived, and had the actor on the ground!!! Not sure how they arrived so quickly, but even at the end of the day, the young actor was still shaken, with a newfound respect for police strategy, telling of the incident, that “you don’t even hear them, they are just suddenly there behind me, telling me to get down on the ground!”

With all of the camera equipment, filming gear, and sound booms, it was apparent that a film was being shot, and the police took that actor aside for a very serious talk; both he and the young director will be thinking twice before writing / acting out such a scene again!

With the Eastside Neighborhood Police Center next door to us, we have always felt safe; but now we know we are! So from the Café Aroma staff, a big ‘thank you’ to our incredibly vigilant and professional police force, who are looking out for all of us! 

The crew was super apologetic, and learned a lot today, I think; we will be getting a preview of the film as soon as it is edited and ready…we are also invited to the screening this Wednesday at the SIFF Cinema Uptown. The winner of the SIFF 48 Hour Film Challenge can win a trophy, and go on to ‘Filmapalooza’ and more--hopefully, this independent film (and its cast & crew) will go all the way to Cannes!!