Sara Elizabeth Timmins, producer and creative director for lifeOUTloud Films, said the film, "Lake Effects," is scheduled to start shooting on Oct. 4 and wrap up on Oct. 30.

The family film will be shot using a different approach, she told members of the Rocky Mount Rotary Club on Thursday.

"We want the community to be involved," she said, adding that the $1.8 million production can be boosted with local support.

That support may include donation of "sky miles," which would bring down the cost of air travel for the stars and crew, RVs, trailers, trucks, cargo vans, cars, tents and coupons for hospitality baskets for cast and crew.

Timmins said if the company can lower costs, a "name" star may headline the cast.

A well-known talent is needed, she said, to boost the film's chances of seeing wide distribution.

She recently returned from Los Angeles to pitch her script and project to Hollywood talents, and seven actors have expressed interest.

The film, she said, is about searching for and finding "roots." It's about a woman who grew up at SML, moving to Los Angeles and coming home after her father dies to settle his estate.

"It's a real story," she said. "The portrayals are honest."

Timmins said it also has some humor, with a local "character" searching for a lake "monster."

One actress, Rachel Leigh Cook, read the script, she said, and described it to Timmins as a "love letter to your town."

Timmins grew up in Ohio but her parents have retired here in Union Hall, and she visits often.

The film will also be different from others shot in the area, like "What About Bob?" which used fictional location names.

"We're using the real names, like Smith Mountain Lake and Rocky Mount," she said.

Local organizations can help with some of the film's projects, she said, like recreating the Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival.

"We'll need help with that," Timmins said.

Local businesses can become a sponsor of the film as well as provide needed equipment.

Two Franklin County High School graduates are already working with Timmins.

Samantha Robertson, daughter of Rocky Mount Fire Chief Charlie Robertson, and Chinah Helmondollar, former Miss Greater Franklin County and Miss Virginia, are already on board as interns.

Timmins said a casting call for extras will be held on Sept. 8 and 9, one day here and the other in Charlotte.

Anyone wanting more information about the film and the use of extras can visit the company's website, LifeOutLoudFilms.com.

Those who want to make a donation or help out in any way can email Samantha at sam@lifeoutloudfilms.com or Chinah at chinah@lifeoutloudfilms.com/.

Timmins has worked as a producer on several projects, including 2007's "Tattered Angel," which starred Lynda Carter, from the popular TV series "Wonder Woman."

She is also an actress, appearing in several films, including 2005's "Survival of the Fittest," which starred Aida Turturro, who was a regular on "The Sopranos."

Timmins was one of the producers and starred in the short film "Stockholm: Volume I" last year.