The director and writer of a new half-hour situational comedy, the pilot of which was filmed in Huntsville in December, is confident he has a winner on his hands. “I’ve had a chance to look at what we filmed and loved it,” said Stephen Wallis.

That being the case, he is now ready to come back at the end of the month and film five more episodes of what is currently being called Muskoka Falls. Filming will re-commence Jan. 30 and end around Feb. 22, weather permitting, said Wallis.

Muskoka Falls tells the story of a Canadian actor who  returns to his rural home town with a couple of American buddies with the purpose of shooting a sitcom. Suddenly and inexplicably the show becomes  a cultural phenomenon and the actor finds he has to deal with the craziness of a small town that has become as famous as himself.

Wallis is no stranger to Muskoka. “My mother is from the area and I always loved the feel and look of Huntsville. We thought Huntsville was perfect for the series. It’s a resort town but there is a considerable difference between the very rich and very poor. It was the perfect snapshot.”

Both the town and its people have been very friendly and helpful. “Surprisingly so,” given his experience with other areas, Wallis said. “Huntsville is probably the nicest place I have ever shot in.”

That’s quite the compliment coming from a film director who has two full-length feature films to his credit. One, titled A Christmas Too Many, stars Mickey Rooney and was released Dec. 4, 2007 through Lionsgate Entertainment.

“That was a big deal for us. We had a very small movie and Lionsgate is a very big company,” said Wallis.

To Kill a Mockumentary was Wallis’ other movie. “I was a big fan of mockumentaries (a  fiction film that parodies the conventions of documentary style) and began to see how pretentious they were, so I thought I’d take a shot at them.”

Released in February 2006, and again starring Mickey Rooney, the film is a hilarious mockumentary following a group of mockumentary film makers as they shoot their first studio film.

Both of Wallis’ films featured Greg Joelson, who plays the part of Manny in the new sitcom series, while Terry Scannell (Johnny) also had a part in To Kill a Mockumentary.

Meanwhile, Wallis and the series’ producers are looking for volunteer extras, assistants and experienced crew to help out. “We need all shapes and sizes and you are never too young or too old. However, it’s a tough gig and long hours, so (would suit) those aged 18 to 30 who are looking to see what a film set is all about,” said Wallis.

Those interested in learning more are asked to contact abovetheline@live.ca.

If the new series clicks with the networks and viewers, Huntsville could very well become as famous as Dog River, the fictional Saskatchewan town in Corner Gas.

“A lot of the time the name of a town is changed, but we intend to keep the name Huntsville in the series. If the show takes off and people like it, the town will see lots more people coming in,” said Wallis.

It would also mean a larger production for subsequent episodes. This time around the town will play host to 10 actors and about 20 crew for the month of February. If the company returns in the summer to shoot, and Wallis is confident that it will, there will be more cast and crew members involved. “You’ll see a lot of celebrities walking around.”

When the next five episodes are ‘in the can,’ the series will be offered to the networks for syndication. “I have a following in a few countries and hopefully the Canadian guys will be interested,” said Wallis.