“Best things come in small packages.” We’ve all heard that phrase many times. But in the case of the latest movie production currently filmed in West Michigan, we cannot come up with a better description.
Yesterday, February 10, 2010, was the first filming day in West Michigan of Tom Seidman’s small-budget film The Bunny Lady. “The movie is set in West Michigan, and written for West Michigan,” said Seidman. It’s a story of a “crotchety old farm woman” with a big heart running a rabbit rescue center, and starring in the title role is our beloved “Mrs. Brady” herself, Florence Henderson.
Seidman, a West Michigan native, wrote and directed this charming family Christmas movie. He has also worked in many well-known films and television productions over the years including The Dead Poet’s Society, Reds, Rich and Famous, Honky Tonk Man, Ordinary People, and Golden Girls. The Bunny Lady is his directorial debut.
The movie was filmed entirely in Western Michigan, where the director grew up. The “Cooper” home in the film belongs to Todd Johnson in real life. Johnson is an old childhood friend of Seidman’s. After scouting numerous locations, the filmmakers decided to film many of the woods scenes at Honey Creek, a creek that runs through northeastern Kent County.
While the exteriors of the farm featured in the movie were filmed at an old farm near Alto, Michigan, the interiors of the “Bunny Barn” were shot at The Critter Barn of Zeeland (open to the public), an animal educational center where all of the rabbits starring in the movie came from.
What we love most about this small indie film is that 80% of its cast and crew are West Michiganders, that the filming location is in West Michigan itself, and that last but not least the Michigan Film Office is one of our very own clients. For a list of upcoming productions to be filmed in Michigan, visit the Michigan Film Office’s website.
“This is what the state film incentive is all about—employing locals,” said Tom Seidman. We at Reel-Scout concur.
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Updated on March 13, 2014
The movie was renamed The Christmas Bunny and is now available on iTunes. The movie has an official blog and a trailer, in case you want to check them both out.