Auburn is in the spotlight, the backdrop for a Western short film.

Crews – in full Hollywood production mode – will be on location next week to film scenes at historic Neely Mansion and along bucolic Green Valley Road for the short film, “The Shootout”, an old West story about hope, faith and choices, starring legendary outlaw Jesse James and pursuing U.S. Marshals.

Filming spans four days, Friday to Monday, according to Marco B. Nunez, executive producer of Bellevue-based Ides of M Productions. The project involves a large production effort of 30-40 people, including the cast.

“The basis of the film is in Missouri, so we were looking at locations to resemble that,” said Nunez, a Green River Community College and University of Washington graduate. “Auburn and Snohomish County were contenders. But having gone to school at Green River, I remembered that Neely Mansion was just down the street.

“We scouted locations, looking for old Victorian homes,” he added. “We discovered Neely. … We wanted to use the inside of the house as much as the outside (for filming).”

Brian Sutherland, a Seattle actor, writer, producer and University of Oregon graduate, is cast in the lead role as James. Sutherland, a professional actor for seven years, is the co-founder of the improv group, Quiet Monkey Fight, and has performed in various comedy festivals, including New York, Los Angles, Toronto, Orlando and Vancouver. He recently became the voice of the Blue Beta for Microsoft, and can be seen in commercials for Guayaki Yerba Mate, “The Deadliest Catch”, Washington Lottery and Taco Time. He has performed in various films.

The cast also includes Tonya Yorke and Emie Joseph.

“The Shootout” is written by Craig Muller, a Seattle Film Institute graduate who has done work with National Geographic, Discovery, Adidas, The Food Network, Chanel, Dior, among other projects.

“I wanted to be able to bring a Western story to Seattle … to bring something that an audience member can take home,” Muller said. “I wanted to be able to tell my heart and how I feel toward having to make a choice of right and wrong, having to bring faith into your life …”

Nunez hopes to complete the film in time for a mid-January release. Tentative plans are to premiere “The Shootout” in Bellevue, and enter the movie in national and international film festivals, including the prestigious Sundance.
Fundraising for the film is ongoing, Nunez said.

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For a preview: visit www.kickstarter.com/projects.