TRAVERSE CITY -- Mark Thompson has logged thousands of miles navigating boats through Michigan waterways.
But he's never steered a ship while posing as a movie star.
That will change next week when production crews begin shooting "A Year in Mooring," a film about a successful businessman who escapes tragedy by moving aboard a sailing vessel in a remote waterfront town.
Thompson will serve as a stand-in for star Josh Lucas, an actor who's gained celebrity for his roles in "A Beautiful Mind" and "Sweet Home Alabama."
"I'm sure they'll place the camera far enough away," said Thompson, executive director of the Maritime Heritage Alliance in Traverse City.
Production crews arrived this week in Traverse City, and will shoot into early December at various locations around Grand Traverse County.
The film's director, Chris Eyre, gained notoriety for directing three episodes of "We Shall Remain," a PBS miniseries that traced American Indian history back to the 17th Century.
Eyre was particularly impressed with Bowers Harbor Yacht Club, which will serve as one of the film's main locations.
"It had to be somewhere that had character," said Rich Brauer, Maritime Heritage board president and local filmmaker.
Eyre contacted Brauer a couple months ago regarding possible shoot locations.
Traverse City's waterfront provides an ideal locale for water-themed films, and state tax credits also serve as an inducement.
Films produced in Michigan receive a 40 percent refundable tax credit on state expenditures, said a Michigan Film Office spokeswoman. And because Traverse City is considered one of Michigan's 103 "core communities," producers can claim an additional 2 percent tax credit.
To add to the film's local flavor, production crews recently held local auditions for film extras.
Thompson's only scenes will occur when the main character is behind the wheel of Champion, a 39-foot cutter selected from the MHA fleet as the film's "hero boat."
Sean Clouser, the film's construction coordinator, applied a "faux finish" to Champion this week at the MHA restoration shop, which will give the 18-ton ship an older look.
As the film's boat coordinator, Brauer is in charge of filling the Bowers Harbor Yacht Club with various sailing vessels and motor boats.
Production crews will reside in Traverse City throughout the shoot, which Brauer said could impact the local economy.
"Those of us that live here get to show off what we have," Brauer said.
Production crews will stage a car crash scene Sunday in downtown Traverse City, prompting the closure of the 100 and 200 blocks of Front Street from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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