monarchmedia100
By Jessica Kenley
Monarch Media
NOTE: FOR TICKETS, CLICK HERE: https://plots.events/event/s0e4 There’s only nine days left!
The rolling hills of Potter County are better known for elk, trout streams, scenic overlooks and quiet mountain mornings than movie cameras and red carpets.
But just west of Coudersport, tucked into nearly 20 acres bordering the Susquehannock State Forest, stands a home that seems almost tailor-made for filmmaking.
Built in 1979 as a custom contemporary estate, the sprawling white residence combines the scale of a country manor with the warmth of a mountain lodge. It has more than 4,100 square feet of living space, and includes an impressive 1,077-square-foot primary suite.
Inside, slate floors warmed by radiant heat, rich hardwood accents, soaring ceilings and expansive windows create an atmosphere that feels both elegant and inviting, while the surrounding property—with two stocked ponds and sweeping views of the forest—offers scenery worthy of the silver screen.
It is easy to understand why INTERDEPENDENT Studios selected the property as its headquarters. The gorgeous estate is expected to serve not only as the company’s production offices, but also as the home of outdoor filming locations, with plans for a future soundstage and a post-production facility housed in the basement.
It was an unexpected reminder that while Potter County may seem worlds away from Hollywood, pieces of the film industry have already found their way to the Pennsylvania Wilds.
Now, INTERDEPENDENT Studios hopes to build something even larger: a place where nationally recognized filmmakers, aspiring local talent, and the natural beauty of Potter County come together to tell stories without sacrificing the character that has made this region so beloved.
Even inside the home, Hollywood has already left its mark.
Walking through the front door feels less like entering an office and more like stepping onto a movie set. Rich woodwork, towering ceilings, antiques around every corner and decades of history give the home an unmistakable character. During Monarch Media’s recent visit, one surprise stood out immediately.
The chairs used for the interview weren’t ordinary antiques.
“They’re actually from The Hunger Games,” production coordinator Macie Meredith explained with a smile, noting they were used during the famous scene in which Katniss Everdeen is chosen at the Reaping.
A Long Journey to Coudersport
Meredith’s own journey to Potter County began nearly 3,000 miles away in Vacaville, California.
After studying abroad in Italy, she was searching online for a summer internship when she came across an opportunity with the new Pennsylvania studio.
“I saw it the day the applications were due,” Meredith said. “I applied, and two weeks later Chris called me. Within five minutes he said, ‘I want you here.'”
She describes arriving in Potter County as something that felt strangely meant to be.
“I had a vision about coming here and working here,” she said. “Whenever I thought about an internship this summer, I kept seeing myself here.”
Today, Meredith serves as a production coordinator, helping with everything from organizing productions to scouting filming locations throughout Coudersport, Port Allegany, Bradford and the surrounding communities.
The Pennsylvania Wilds Through a Filmmaker’s Eyes
For several weeks, Meredith and fellow production coordinator Veronica Chan have traveled throughout the region searching for locations for Interdependent Studios’ first feature film, The Carrier.
“It’s been very fun location scouting,” Meredith said. “People have been very open to filming in this area.”
She said the studio isn’t simply checking locations off a list.
“We want to be very intentional with our locations,” she explained. “We want them to be visually stunning and fit the script.”
That script belongs to The Carrier, a dark corporate satire centered on an insurance executive whose increasingly unethical decisions are driven by profits and shareholder expectations.
While the story is fictional, Meredith said the filmmakers hope to balance humor with meaningful social commentary.
Why Potter County?
The answer begins with studio founder Chris Amell – the Port Allegany native who purchased the property, and now has returned to the area after years working in the film industry.
He grew up admiring the historic home that now serves as INTERDEPENDENT Studios’ headquarters.
Also interesting is that Amell is building the studio with some help from none other than our local optometrist, Dr. Dan Schott, as well as many others.
After studying film in Paris and living and working in Italy, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Malibu, Amell eventually had the opportunity to purchase the property.
Rather than leave Potter County behind, he brought decades of filmmaking experience back with him.
The project has benefited immensely from the seasoned leadership of Mark A. Burley, a producer and director revered for his ability to translate bold creative visions into seamless physical productions.
With a career spanning from classic broadcast television to contemporary streaming, Burley’s guiding hand has shaped beloved staples ranging from the multi-season cozy mystery Murder, She Wrote to modern, envelope-pushing dramedies like Weeds and Orange Is the New Black.
A four-time Emmy nominee and Producers Guild Award winner, Burley’s vast experience as a line producer and director ensured that the complex logistics of the production never compromised its artistic integrity.
It is important to note that vision extends beyond a single movie.
Plans include constructing a soundstage on the property following completion of the studio’s first feature, and allowing additional productions to be filmed locally while creating opportunities for future growth.
Building Opportunity Instead of Leaving Home
Throughout the interview, Meredith returned repeatedly to one theme: opportunity.
“The audience is the star,” she said, describing Interdependent Studios’ philosophy of breaking down barriers that often prevent talented people from entering the film industry.
“We’re trying to eliminate roadblocks like nepotism. If you have talent and you’re willing to prove it, we want to give you a chance,” she said with purpose.
That philosophy is already taking shape.
Meredith spoke enthusiastically about Cameron, a 17-year-old aspiring filmmaker from Coudersport who attended one of the studio’s first public meetings.
“He kind of represented everything that we’re trying to do,” she said. “He’s written a teleplay script. He’s so well-spoken for his age. That’s exactly who we want to find—young people with talent and a big dream.”
For communities where many young adults feel they must leave to pursue creative careers, the studio hopes to offer a different possibility.
Respecting a Small Town
The idea of filmmaking coming to Potter County naturally raises questions among longtime residents.
During one community event, Veronica Chan recalled an attendee saying, “Don’t make this place like Hollywood.”
She understands the concern.
Rather than changing the character of the area, she said the studio hopes to celebrate it.
The Pennsylvania Wilds—the forests, historic homes, quiet streets and welcoming communities—are exactly what drew the filmmakers here.
Those landscapes become part of the story rather than something to replace.
Meredith believes successful films could even encourage visitors to experience Potter County for themselves by exploring filming locations, staying in local lodging and supporting area businesses, much like film tourism has done elsewhere across the country.
Rolling Out the Red Carpet
INTERDEPENDENT Studios will officially introduce itself to the community during its Red Carpet Movie Night on Aug. 1.
The evening will feature a screening of the Oscar-winning 1976 film Network, one of the creative inspirations behind The Carrier.
The event is designed not only as a celebration of classic filmmaking but also as an invitation for the community to become part of the studio’s future.
Meredith said proceeds from ticket sales will help fund construction of the studio’s filmmaking facilities, although free opportunities are also available for community members willing to engage with the project by reading and sharing the script.
“We just want to have a really good turnout,” she said.
Meredith is simply brimming with the optimistic hope that people will be excited about movie production coming to Coudersport, with the hopes of improving, adding to, and being a part of the community.
You can see it in her eyes, which become even brighter when she talks about the event.
To prove that hopeful excitement, anybody can get a ticket–and read the script (!)–by going to: plots.events/s0e4
Todd Restler, who wrote The Carrier will be there too, joining him for the red carpet and a Q&A with the audience.
Guests will enjoy a welcome reception, get a first look at the production and the local filming locations under consideration, and settle in for the feature presentation — outdoors under the stars for general admission, or indoors with Burley and Restler for VIP guests.
The following is a quote from their press release, which can be read here on Monarch Media:
“Bringing a filmmaker like Mark to Coudersport is a milestone for this community,” said Chris Amell, founder of INTERDEPENDENT. “But the bigger idea is that our neighbors don’t have to just watch movies get made somewhere else — they can help make them, right here. Aug. 1 is our invitation to come play a part.”
As the interview concluded inside the historic home overlooking Route 6, it became clear that INTERDEPENDENT Studios is offering more than a movie.
It is offering the possibility that a young filmmaker from Potter County might someday discover that they don’t have to move across the country to chase their dream.
Sometimes, the dream comes home first.
To contact Macie Meredith:
Call: 707-689-4396
Email:
Macie@interdependent.studio
