Tisbury selectmen kept in the loop on filming “The Vineyard”

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— Photo by Janet Hefler

Executive producer David Broome of 25/7 Productions updated the Tisbury selectmen Tuesday on production plans for “The Vineyard.” Filming for the docu-soap series starts today in Vineyard Haven. The ABC Family channel, which is owned by the Disney Company, is scheduled to air the first episode on July 23.

Mr. Broome was accompanied by Yong Yam, vice president of 25/7 Productions, Brett Blakeney, the show’s production manager, and Carrie MacFadden, a producer. He said “The Vineyard” focuses on a group of 18- to 25-year-olds that includes a mix of Islanders and summer visitors.

“We’re capturing just an interesting time of their lives, where, when you’re at that age, you’re at a crossroads in your life, and you come to a magical place like Martha’s Vineyard, where you can work for the summer, have fun, but also get some questions answered about what you’re going to do for the rest of your life,” he told the selectmen.

“I have read that this is going to be on the Family channel, and I know you’ll portray our town in a good light — that’s important to us,” selectman Tristan Israel said. “And I’m sure it will, hopefully, in a positive way, bring business to our town, which I think will be great.”

Mr. Broome said most of the filming in Vineyard Haven would be done at and around the Black Dog Tavern. He expects to wrap up filming 33 shoots around the Island over two months, before July 4.

“We’ll be a very small operation,” Mr. Broome said. “I’m quite sure most people on the Island won’t even know where we are.”

In other business, following a public hearing, the selectmen approved the harbor management committee’s recommendation to increase the town’s existing mooring fees by 10 percent across the board, including commercial, leased, and private moorings. The current non-resident rates for privately owned moorings will be adjusted to be equal to resident rates, before adding the increase.

The approved rate changes will appear on bills issued for 2013. Transient mooring fees and dockage fees will not be affected by the new rate schedules.