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Call goes out for movie scene extras
Filming in Riverbank
Extras
It was a busy day of film production in Riverbank on Thursday, Jan. 15 as crews worked on a holiday movie, shooting scenes in the Plaza del Rio Park. Residents from throughout the area are being encouraged to attend a nighttime tree lighting scene on Friday, Jan. 16 at 6 p.m. in the plaza, wearing cold weather hats, scarves, red jackets, even ugly Christmas sweaters, to serve as extras in the film. Photo By Marg Jackson

A Christmas movie with scenes being filmed this week in Riverbank is in need of some extras.

The production company on scene at the Plaza del Rio Park on Third Street right across from Riverbank City Hall will be shooting a Christmas tree lighting scene in the plaza on Friday evening, Jan. 16. All in the area interested in being a part of the production as an extra is encouraged to be there for the 6 p.m. filming on Friday.

“Downtown Riverbank, Third and Santa Fe, wear ugly Christmas sweaters, scarves, hats, red jackets, everything you guys just put away you need to drag back out,” said Robin Bjerke. “We’re just making Riverbank a winter wonderland.”

The basic premise of the movie is having to rebuild the city’s Christmas nativity scene and town square that has been destroyed by a storm, added Bjerke, who oversees the production team.

“We’re fixing Christmas,” she said.

Riverbank’s Plaza del Rio Park was abuzz with activity as scenes were being blocked out and the cameras rolling on Thursday, Jan. 15, complete with lots of snow in the plaza.

The movie – “The Ornament” – is expected to be out for the 2026 holiday season and the lead actors are Tom Maden and Hannah Brantley, who previously worked together during the filming of scenes for a movie last May in Escalon and the surrounding areas.

It’s anticipated the movie now filming in Riverbank will show either on The Hallmark Channel or GAC, Great American Media, to be released through Nicely Entertainment, in cooperation with locally based Sprocketless Entertainment out of Modesto.