Filming for ‘The Ring II’ causes excitement for areaComplete with rustic lemonade signs and a Jolly Choo Choo ride, the carnival at McGowan’s St. Mary Church near Chinook, Wash. appeared authentic.

So much so that passersby pulled off the highway to look around – unaware they were actually wandering onto a set for “The Ring II.”

Large drops of rain drizzled down as the movie crew worked on the first shot, which establishes the characters’ arrival at, depending on who you talk to, a carnival, flea market, antique show or church bazaar.

Makeup artists ready with a queen’s assortment of cosmetics mixed with camera operators, grips and sound technicians.

“You guys come here every week, so remember it’s not a big deal for you,” Brian Steward, second assistant director, told the extras as they gathered around for another take.

Quiet all around. Roll it! Scene 58, take 2.

Cars drove down the road. Rachael Keller (Naomi Watts) and Aidan Keller (David Dorfman) turned into the parking lot in a dark blue Jetta. Watts slung a purse over her shoulder and put her arm around the boy. Extras walked past the camera holding hands, clutching a log chair and carrying a bag of crunchy popcorn.

And cut!

Wednesday was biggest day of production since “The Ring II” cast and crew arrived in Astoria to film the sequel to the scary movie, “The Ring.”

In addition to the church, the two-week filming spree is spreading into Fort Stevens State Park, downtown Astoria and area neighborhoods.

LORI ASSA – The Daily Astorian

Kelly Bennett, right, and Jonathan Coburn hurry to set up a marble booth, one of several vendors from the Astoria Sunday Market who were involved in the movie production Wednesday. The booth was moved for a shot change, and the workers rushed to redisplay the marbles.”It’s a positive experience for everyone,” executive producer Neil Machlis said. “It’s not often that a Hollywood film comes to Astoria.”

Machlis, who has worked on such films as “Birdcage,” “Garfield,” “Grease” and “Primary Colors,” said filming the carnival scene, a project that continues through Friday, involves extensive planning.

“There’s a lot of equipment and people involved in the sequence,” he said. “It takes a lot of coordination and to make sure that when we do shoot we don’t get weather that affects us – like today.”

He grimaced at the sky, which was causing trouble by alternating between rain and clouds.

“If people’s hair is wet and cars are wet, and in the reverse angle they’re dry, it won’t be good,” unit publicist Alex Worman explained.

A chaotic mix of more than 230 local extras is being used to make the carnival appear lively. Additional extras will be used to fill up the streets when “The Ring II” moves to downtown Astoria to film Saturday.

Brenden Ainslie, a 6-year-old extra, has already planned on fame from his cameo appearance, quite certain the movie will travel all around the world.

“We’re making a tape today and we’re supposed to run straight to the stuff and run to three different places and not do what you’re supposed to do,” he said.

While Brenden’s job is to run off, other movie extras get their faces painted and bob for apples.

La Mar Blackner, a local actor, is in the carnival scene. He said he came for “fame, fortune and little bling bling.”

“They film so many movies here I thought it would be good to see what it’s all about,” he said. “It takes a tremendous amount of time.”

The carnival scene will be approximately four to five minutes of the actual movie, and all involved are tight-lipped about the plot points. During the scene, Aidan is rumored to become separated from his mom. At one point he walks by a spin art booth and the paint turns black, alluding to the evil that has followed the characters to their new home.

LORI ASSA – The Daily Astorian

After getting instructions, extras including 6-year-olds Brenden Ainslie, left, and Alexander Hernandez wait to run into the carnival scene.A fake restroom, erected to the left of the church, was created for the scene. At first glance, the structure appears to be stone. In actuality, the rocks are fiberglass sheets. The surrounding wood fence was doctored to make it look like there is moss growing on the posts, and the back is held up by oil drums and plywood.

“Yesterday I had too much coffee and ran in there and saw right out the back,” said local artist Bill Dodge.

Dodge and 20 other vendors from the Astoria Sunday Market signed contracts to appear in the scene.

“It gives (the market) some extra panache that some of us were selected to be in it,” he said.

Dodge, who was born on a movie set, came prepared with books and magazines in case he got bored. But he spent most of his time talking with other vendors and people from the crew, who he said were very welcoming. He said he’s had a good time keeping track of all the action.

“It’s kind of fun to see the rumor and innuendo of what happens, and then what you get on the screen,” he said.