Scenes from downtown
By Brandon Davis
Published in News on September 21, 2016 9:57 AM
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Makeup artist Moni Brodie, center, prepares "Lovers Lane" actress Katrina Jeen's makeup while she sits next to the show's director and producer Karlton Clay. Clay listens to actor Nelson Davis read his lines before the show's next scene on Walnut Street Saturday.
Walnut Street received some dramatized love over the weekend.
The fourth season of the "Lovers Lane" web series partially filmed downtown Goldsboro on Saturday, and the show's producer and director, Karlton Clay, couldn't be more proud of the cast and the city.
"I think it's that Goldsboro is a beautiful atmosphere to set up for great filming," Clay said, who has produced shows online for 13 years with his Victory Productions company. "It allows for me to, honestly, to do what I need to do in a timely manner.
"I like the people. I think the people of Goldsboro are very nice, very friendly and very welcoming."
Clay, who is from Augusta, Ga., said Goldsboro was not at the top of his list for filming, originally, but a young actress and her mother changed his mind.
He met Goldsboro native and 6-year-old actress Gianna Singleton last August on the set of the first season in Winston-Salem. Gianna plays Brianna Clark, whose character is the daughter of the secretive Monica Clark in the drama-filled show. But Gianna's real-life mother, Tammi Singleton, gladly allows her daughter, her home and her city to be a part of "Lovers Lane."
Mrs. Singleton spoke with vice president of Weil Enterprises Leslie Weil and the late Betsy Rosemann, who passed away earlier this year, about Clay filming last October for the second season. Season two was dedicated to Mrs. Rosemann. Ms. Weil and Mrs. Rosemann agreed on the filming, and they opened up downtown and certain offices for seasons two and three.
Mrs. Singleton said she opened up her home in Walnut Creek for filming as well. She said crew members and the 15 cast members stay at her home when the show is not being filmed, and though she is happy with the show and the cast, she does not allow her daughter to watch "Lovers Lane."
"It's a soap opera. It's a mature soap opera," Mrs. Singleton said. "It deals with mature situations. Gianna does her filming, but she doesn't watch it because it's too mature for her. She doesn't understand it."
Clay said the show centers on neighbors who live on Lovers Lane. He said each character holds a dark secret, which stirs up drama in the neighborhood.
He said two characters have been added to the fourth season, which will air in December. People can watch the show and scenes from Walnut Street and Walnut Creek on YouTube.
Filming will resume on Oct. 23 in Goldsboro.
"Goldsboro is a hidden gem. It really is," Mrs. Singleton said. "There's so much to tap in here, so much talent, and I think it's just great we can bring this locally. We're just blessed to have a community that just opens their arms to this family and to this web series."