Who are the people in your neighborhood?

Our neighborhood became "One Tree Hill" earlier this week. A few of my neighbors and I speculated what that meant, when we learned that they would film on our block. (Apparently an episode to air in December, 6th season.)

Some neighbors were rather grumpy about the anticipated noise. Others ignored the resident letters we received...which were distributed and amended a total of three or four times. Others were simply impressed when the equipment started to arrive. And arrive. And arrive.

Between the four enormous trailers, the large circus tent for the canteen, and the half-dozen portable potties, it was quite entertaining to watch from my fishbowl vantage point.

Admittedly, I haven't watched OTH. But I now know that some of those who work for OTH are my neighbors or friends of neighbors. One of the hairstylists has a 15-month old son. One of the shuttle drivers lives around the corner from my brother-in-law. The caterer lives on my BIL's block.

I've been involved with Cucalorus 14 Film Festival, which spotlights filmmaking, local, national and international. But watching the nearly 100 people descend on a house for sale on Audubon Boulevard for nearly four days, was the biggest lesson I've had in the local impact of the film industry.

Sure there were flashing lights at time and increased traffic. But, compared to the inconvenience of Military Cutoff for, what was it, 500 years, this was peanuts.

And the street cred will probably be immense, once I can start hanging with the OTH demographic. Right now I'm relegated to hanging with the Thomas the Train crowd. And, boy, they know I'm cool.