The Barnyard and Carriage House stands on land that originally served as a dairy farm from the late 1800s until about 1933, when it was converted into a local bar. In 1999, Michael Holland and his father purchased the property and built the Carriage House ballrooms to provide event space to accompany the bar and restaurant. Little did they know that in the years to come, the Barnyard would soon play host several television productions.

It all began about eight years ago when Michael received to a note in his mailbox left by a location scout interested in using his space for an upcoming production. Responding to that inquiry led to a long relationship with television production company Red Marble Media. They filmed several shows at the Barnyard, including “Evil Lives Here,” “Evil Talks,” “True Crimes,” and “Shattered” for Discovery ID and History Channel.

Michael enjoyed hosting these productions and wanted to welcome more production activity. Soon after, Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” inquired about filming at the Barnyard. It turned out that one of the cast members happened to be from Totowa and was a customer. “Whenever I was traveling and mentioned that I was from northern New Jersey,” explains Michael, “people automatically connected Jersey with ‘The Sopranos’ or ‘The Real Housewives of New Jersey.’ When the scouts from ‘RHONJ’ approached us, I decided to join in on the excitement!”

The Barnyard was later used to film scenes for the long-running VH1 series “Love and Hip Hop: New York.” “The production team needed a last-minute outdoor shot,” Michael explains, “and the location scouts found us while searching the area for restaurants with outdoor seating. I spoke to the scout in the morning and by afternoon they were filming a scene on our patio.”

Michael sees many benefits to hosting productions, not least of which is the excitement that comes with each experience. “In some cases, our customers would stay to watch the process unfold. They loved it. A few actually appeared in the background of certain shots and were excited to be seen on the show. Our customers wanted to know the name of the show and when the episode would air. It was great publicity and a lot of fun.”

The customers aren’t the only ones having fun. Michael also enjoys watching the process and the energy that goes into each shot. “I was amazed at how a few minutes of screen time can take hours and hours to set up and film.” This was evident in the latest production to shoot at the Barnyard, History Channel’s “The Food that Built America.” “I literally watched an actor brush oil on dough over and over for more than 20 minutes!” recalls Michael with a smile.

Despite appearances, the producers at “The Food That Built America” were in fact very busy. “The Barnyard and Carriage House was an incredible location,” explains Lucky 8 unit production manager Thomas Mumme. “They have multiple kitchens, bars, restaurants and ballrooms, so we were able to shoot a diverse range of sets and post up there for several days at a time. It became a one-stop shop where we could recreate and shoot a Hooters Restaurant set at the outdoor bar while the art department could be prepping Buffalo Wild Wings at the inside bar at the same time. We also had the ability to utilize their three kitchens for other sets and use the ballrooms and bridal suite as a staging area for all departments. Michael was great, and the amount of time and energy that was saved was imperative for our tight schedule.”

Michael does have some advice for those interested in hosting a production: “If a scout is out looking for places and asks to see your location, it never hurts to let them visit. You never know where it will lead. That’s exactly how I got my start.”

However, there are some realities that need to be accepted. “Firstly, always work out the shooting schedule in advance so there are no conflicts with any of your activities.” While by and large, productions are very careful, and the NJMPTVC requires that they carry insurance before availing themselves of our services, the experience of the property owner is not always a tranquil one.

“You must accept the fact it will be momentarily chaotic. There are people everywhere asking questions and moving furniture around. I am OCD, which made it extra challenging!” jokes Michael. “However, at the end of the day, everything was returned to its original place. I’ve hosted productions many times, and I would do it again.”

The Barnyard and Carriage House is open for business, and Michael is always available to talk about his production experience or about hosting future shoots. You can email him at: michael@barnyardandcarriagehouse.com.

To learn more about the Barnyard and Carriage House visit their website: www.barnyardandcarriagehouse.com.

 

 

 

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