Seabrook Is The Filming Location Of A New Movie
The Harbormaster shack where Christa first met Tony Jackett, the father of her child
Don’t be surprised if you walk around town and hear shouts of “Action,” “Cut,” and “Scene!” Starting this month, Hollywood-like film crews are coming to Seabrook and the Pacific Beach area to shoot an intriguing film inspired by the 2002 case of Christa Worthington.
“Denton Harbor”, a feature drama produced by Tusk Films of Los Angeles, will be partly spearheaded by Seabrook homeowner and resident Arthur Egeli. Already a producer of several past films, Arthur also signs off as the original story-writer of the Denton Harbor plot.
The original Christa Worthington case is an interesting one. Born in 1956, Christa was a fashion writer on the East Coast and had written for publishing icons like Elle, Cosmopolitan, New York Times, etc. She had also co-written several books on fashion during her journalist career.
In January of 2002, she was suddenly found dead in her Cape Cod home. Her case was certainly not an easy one for the police to crack given that there were no initial suspects or substantial evidence. Finally, after a lengthy 3-year investigation, the police found their suspect through a DNA match. The man was later convicted to a life sentence in prison without parole.
Arthur Egeli interviewing Tony Jackett in Cape Cod
Instead of focusing on the murder case, Denton Harbor aims to portray the family drama and suffering that Christa’s murder had caused her family. Reminiscent of Cape Cod in architecture and terrain, Seabrook and Pacific Beach provide the perfect backdrop for the film. The producers from Tusk Films, Mohamed Mohsen and Nadim George, fell in love with the Washington coast views the minute they first laid eyes on them. It quickly made sense for Seabrook to be the location where the filming of the movie would take place.
If you’re at Seabrook in the months of October and November, be on the lookout for camera lights and movie sets. Who knows, you may be able to sneak in as a passer-by or an extra!
Here’s the official press release announcing the Denton Harbor movie picture:
Tusk Films
14141 Covella Street
#10A
Van Nuys, CA 91405
(626) 695-0551
arthuregeli@earthlink.net
PRESS RELEASE
September 30th, 2011
FEATURE FILM BASED ON THE CHRISTA WORTHINGTON CASE TO BE SHOT IN PACIFIC BEACH, WASHINGTON
Denton Harbor, a feature film inspired by the 2002 murder of Christa Worthington, will shoot in and around Pacific Beach during the month of November. The film is being produced by Tusk Films of Los Angeles. Pacific Beach resident Arthur Egeli is producing with Mohamed Mohsen and Nadim George of Tusk Films. Arthur Egeli wrote the original story and Ian Bowater wrote the screenplay. James Hyde, “Passions”, will play Rikki Olsen, a character reminiscent of Tony Jacket, the fisherman who was first suspected of the crime.
Arthur Egeli who spent summers painting in Provincetown, Massachusetts, met Tony Jackett in 1993 while filming Unconditional Love, a feature that was later bought by Miramax. When Worthington was murdered in 2002, all eyes turned on Jackett. Jackett, who was married with four kids, had fathered Worthington’s child. Jackett was later cleared, but was denied custody of the child.
Though the original story took place in Cape Cod, the film will be shot in this area for creative reasons. “We have fictionalized the story considerably, and we really want to separate our story from being a documentary about a crime. Our film is about family, love, and betrayal, and not a crime drama. Pacific Beach brings an unequaled dramatic backdrop to the film that not even Cape Cod compete with.
The film is an independent film and will be produced for a low budget by Hollywood standards, shooting under a screen actors’ guild “experimental contract”. The film will rely on local talent for many of the parts. Besides the lead actors and the lead technicians, Tusk films will hire from the local community. There are many speaking parts available for local actors and Tusk Films will be hiring ten crew members locally. For more information, e-mail dentonharbor@gmail.com.
The Christa Worthington case generated several books and countless television stories and coverage in Vanity Fair among others. “Invisible Eden” by Maria Flook become a New York Times bestseller two years after the crime and “Reasonable Doubt” just came out by Pulitzer prize winner Peter Manso. Though the producers hope for the best distribution for the project, “Denton Harbor” in the end is likely headed to television in the end, with several cable networks already showing strong interest in the project.
This month, Seabrook celebrated its 5th Annual Doggie Days event! The long-anticipated day of canine merriment proved to once again be one of the most enjoyable events held at Seabrook! Hosted for the second year in a row by Ann Kjelsberg, owner of The Salty Dog here at Seabrook, Doggie Days showed off just how dog-friendly our beach town can be!
