ORANGE — For residents hoping their town’s transformation into fictional Castle Rock was a success, there’s some good news.
The writers of Hulu’s original series, “Castle Rock,” which was principally filmed in Orange throughout the summer of 2017 and into January of last year, took home the “Outstanding Original Long Form” Writers Guild Award over the weekend.
Credited writers include Marc Bernardin, Scott Brown, Lila Byock, Mark Lafferty, Sam Shaw, Dustin Thomason, Gina Welch and Vinnie Wilhelm. The Writers Guild Awards have been presented each year since 1949 by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West. This year the ceremony was at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
“This is wild,” Shaw said. “We have to thank our two benevolent overlords, first of all Stephen King, who gave us the keys to this super weirdo car, and also J.J. Abrams without whom we would have driven it into a lake.” Abrams was executive producer.
“Castle Rock” is a series centered in the eponymous town from the mythos of horror novelist Stephen King. In 2017, downtown Orange was transformed into Castle Rock while actors Sissy Spacek, Melanie Lynskey and André Holland shot their scenes.
According to Thomason, it was “strange” receiving an award for originality, since Castle Rock figures in famous King books like “Cujo” and “The Dark Half.”
“It is very strange to be in a long-form original category when your work is based on the collective works of Stephen King,” Thomason said. “But we’ll take it.”
Castle Rock has been renewed by Hulu, the online streaming service, for a second season. It is unclear whether and when crews will be back in Orange, but the showrunners have made an effort to build a relationship with the town. Since filming for Season 1 wrapped up, the production team donated $3,500 to the town’s Fire Department and Trustees of Soldiers’ Memorials and $10,000 to beautify the parks and cemeteries in town.
Some local businesses, like Trail Head Outfitters and General Store, have sold Castle Rock-themed merchandise like T-shirts. According to Trail Head Co-owner Paul Anderson, the cast and crew became close with the Orange residents and business owners while filming.
“We very much appreciate all the cooperation and help the town and its residents provided us while filming Season 1 of ‘Castle Rock,’” Alex Berard, “Castle Rock” location manager, wrote in a letter to the town in March last year.
And from some of the writers’ comments, it seems they are hard at work on Season 2.
“Eventually this show will get canceled and we will go on vacation immediately, I promise,” Thomason told his wife in the crowd as he accepted the award.
Reach David McLellan at dmclellan@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 268.