SHELBURNE FALLS — If you walked through the village on Tuesday afternoon, you may have been fooled — even if only briefly — into thinking the holiday season was once again upon us.
Despite the cool breeze and warmth of the sun, small heaps of faux snow lined sidewalks, holiday lights decorated trees and wreaths hung on the doorways of local businesses, all in preparation for the start of filming for the new 10-episode limited series of “Dexter,” called “Marble.”
“Dexter,” a Showtime production, follows forensic analyst Dexter Morgan (played by Michael C. Hall) who spends his days solving crimes and his nights committing them, according to a synopsis on Showtime’s website. But the character lives by a “strict honor code” — acting as a vigilante serial killer.
The final episode of the original series, which lasted eight seasons, aired in 2013.
Locals and fans of the show lined the sidewalk on the Buckland side of the Iron Bridge on Tuesday afternoon, watching production and technical crews at work. Extras stood in their assigned locations and awaited instructions from production assistants. Police officers directed traffic through town and guided pedestrians in between takes.
Among the onlookers was Pelham resident Pam White, who recently began re-watching the “Dexter” series.
“I just wanted to watch the behind-the-scenes,” said White, who has been to other film sets in the area before, including “The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Bigfoot” with Sam Elliot, which was filmed in Turners Falls. “So much work goes into the production, you don’t really realize how much work goes into it when you’re just watching it.”
Greenfield residents Sandy and Peter Hunsicker also watched from the Buckland side of the Iron Bridge.
“It’s quite a process,” Sandy Hunsicker commented. “It’s kind of fun to watch the transformation. We came up to see what we could see.”
Although they live in Greenfield now, Sandy Hunsicker said she grew up in Shelburne Falls.
“It’s a special town to me,” she said, noting that crews seemed to be enjoying their time there as well.
At one point, a member of the production staff passed by the spectators on the bridge and thanked them for welcoming the production to their town.
Sandy’s husband, Peter, who was an extra on the set of “The Judge,” also filmed in Shelburne Falls, said a lot more outdoor preparation seems to have gone into Showtime’s “Marble” production. He said it’s no surprise how expensive these productions can get between the cast and crews, and all the technical work that goes into each scene.
“It’s not like grabbing your camera and shooting something in your backyard,” he said.
Indeed, several takes were required to capture images of extras walking down the sidewalk, looking out onto the river or exiting McCusker’s Market (disguised as Gigi’s Butcher Shop) with a bag of groceries.
Although the Hunsickers haven’t watched the original series, the show has come with positive reviews from members of their family.
“I haven’t actually seen it but my daughter has, and she keeps saying we’ll have to see it,” Sandy Hunsicker said. “Maybe we’ll start from scratch.”
According to a Facebook post from the Buckland Police Department, filming could potentially impact traffic in the village until April 16. Hours will include late-night shoots scheduled for April 6 to April 9, and April 15 and April 16.
“Traffic will flow when filming allows, but motorists should expect delays and should seek alternate routes around the downtown village area,” the post states.
The post also notes that the state Department of Transportation approved closing the Iron Bridge on April 8 from roughly 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; on April 12 from roughly 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and on April 13 from roughly 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
A film schedule distributed in the village by Assistant Location Manager Jeremy Fiske outlines the dates and times that will most impact State Street. They are: April 7, from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.; April 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; April 9, from 1 to 8 p.m.; and April 12, from 3 to 8 p.m.