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The timeless appeal of the Fuqua Farm homestead makes it an easily adaptable site for filmmaking projects. (Photo by Alexis Courtney)
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Mike and Sherry Seckman on the porch (Photo by Alexis Courtney)
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Mike and Sherry Seckman on the porch swing. (Photo by Alexis Courtney)
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Sherry and Mike Seckman on the porch swing. (Photo by Alexis Courtney)
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The property is filled with an array of objects collected over the years, perfect for use in various films (Photo by Alexis Courtney)
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The property is filled with an array of objects collected over the years, perfect for use in various films (Photo by Alexis Courtney)
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The vintage truck is one of Mike Seckman’s retirement projects (Photo by Alexis Courtney)
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The property is filled with an array of objects collected over the years, perfect for use in various films (Photo by Alexis Courtney)
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The property is filled with an array of objects collected over the years, perfect for use in various films (Photo by Alexis Courtney)
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Projects shot at Fuqua Farms include “Shout,” a PSA for New York City’s Pridefest, filmed by Spring TV. (Photo Courtesy Spang TV)
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Projects shot at Fuqua Farms include “Shout,” a PSA for New York City’s Pridefest, filmed by Spring TV. (Photo Courtesy Spang TV)
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Sherry Seckman holds a photo of her father, Harry T Fuqua Jr., kneeling next to one of the trees in the front yard. (Photo by Alexis Courtney)
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The property is filled with an array of objects collected over the years, perfect for use in various films (Photo by Alexis Courtney)
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The property is filled with an array of objects collected over the years, perfect for use in various films (Photo by Alexis Courtney)
One of Hollywood’s best-kept secrets can be found down a spindly dirt road in Chesterfield County.
It’s Fuqua Farm, Mike and Sherry Seckman’s circa 1790s home in Winterpock that’s been in Sherry’s family for seven generations. It’s also become a hotbed for filmmaking, hosting eight productions in the past year, accounting for 24 days of filming.
Aside from the charming rustic farmhouse with the sweeping front porch, what makes this a special place for movie-making is that the property is filled with an eclectic potpourri of antiques, collectibles and junk from the 1800s up to the 1940s. An assortment of license plates, Coca-Cola bottles, vintage signs and two horse-drawn carriages are just a few of the hidden treasures tucked away in Mike’s workshop. With a chuckle, Mike confesses that they are borderline antique “hoarders.”
The home was originally two one-room residences, with separate sleeping areas in the loft. One of the homes was moved about 50 yards and attached to the other, forming a single structure. Sherry’s grandmother, Bernice Lester Fuqua, lived there until the mid-1970s. Eventually, Bernice moved out and began renting the home to tenants. In 1999, the house was extensively damaged in a fire.
After the fire, the Seckmans spent many weekends at the farm preparing for a major restoration. As they worked, the couple began to realize that this was where they were meant to be. “Something just happened and it captured our hearts,” says Mike. Instead of fixing it up for renters, they packed up their belongings and moved out to the country.
They had known each other since middle school, but it wasn’t until after high school that they became better acquainted. Mike’s exuberance is undeniable when he recalls the story of predicting to a friend, “That’s the girl I’m going to marry!” After six years of dating, Mike did just that, marrying Sherry and launching the couple’s life together.
Over the years, the Seckmans shared their passions for restoration and preservation. Both employees of Chesterfield County (he works in Fleet Services as an automotive technician, and she’s a logistic technician for the Chesterfield Police Department Property Evidence Unit), they renovated an old dairy barn in Amelia that served as home before their move to the Fuqua homestead.
Life was grand at Fuqua Farm until the Seckmans lost Molly, their beloved rescue dog. Mike recalls that this was a pivotal moment. They needed a distraction to temper their grief.
Sherry suggested that they register Fuqua Farm with the Virginia Film Office as a potential location for filming. Mike laughed at the notion and didn’t take her seriously. “Just for fun, let’s do it,” she urged. In March 2015 they “pressed the button” and by April, the phone started ringing.
The first filming there involved Spang TV, a local production company that came to the house to shoot a public service announcement for New York City's Pride Fest. “It was cool, fun and we just hung out and watched the action,” says Mike.
Since then, Fuqua Farm has been the scene of deadly shootouts, battles, romantic encounters and debauchery, all in front of the camera. While it’s exciting to watch what happens behind the scenes, Mike says his most memorable day was when he got to be an extra in one of the productions.
One day, the couple was visited by LionHeart FilmWorks owner Kevin Hershberger, the director of the Fox News series “Legends & Lies.” “When he walked through the door, he said, ‘This is like walking straight onto a movie set,’” Mike says. Scenes for the second season of the show were recently shot at Fuqua.
Weather, scheduling and unexpected delays can always throw the day into a tailspin.
“I have new appreciation for the cast and crew after experiencing behind-the-scenes and in-front-of-the-camera operations,” says Mike. “Not many could comprehend the amount of hard work it takes to pull off a production.”
It can also be an exhausting experience for the Seckmans.
“The most tiring day we ever had was when a crew did not wrap up until 4 a.m. and my wife had to get up the next morning for work. On the flip side, there is nothing more gratifying than preparing a cookout for the cast and crew and watching them light up from excitement after a long day of hard work. We love to hear the feedback that we are accommodating! We want everyone to feel at home when visiting our house.”
The Seckmans are relishing the unique experiences their home affords.
“I just remember how the house was in such disrepair before we started renovating it. Now that we have opened our home to allow filming, I just enjoy seeing it come back to life in a different way,” Sherry says. “Recently, we had several children in their period costumes running around the yard playing. It made me happy just watching them enjoying the outdoors.”
A board member of the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia, Mike states that recent developments will soon result in tighter regulations pertaining to preservation. “The state could benefit immensely by inviting [film] production into the area as a viable alternative to development.”
Mike expresses an interest in traveling as well as maintaining the history of the farm. “My 1934 International pickup truck is my official retirement project — as I always call it — and Sherry’s grandfather's 1922 Ford Model T. I guess you can say that everything is a retirement project.”
For now, the next slated project at Fuqua Farm takes them full circle. It is called “Rescues & Rhymes” and will feature vintage photos re-created with rescued dogs to promote adoption and philanthropy. Molly would be so proud.
(Editor's note: The writer, Amy Hines, is a producer and director on “Rescues & Rhymes.”)
The project’s director of photography, Mary Travis, is elated about filming at Fuqua. “It covers multiple decades offering creative versatility and endless possibilities. The only problem we had after leaving the property was wanting to add more scenes! That is a good problem for a director to have.”
Sherry grins as she ponders how her ancestors might feel about all of the “hoopla” that takes place on the grounds. “I think they would be tickled about it all,” she says. “Who would have ever imagined? Winterpock was just a small community. They would be welcoming and definitely would have offered to make everyone lunch. Meals certainly would include hot rolls made in their wood cook stove.”
If you are interested in scouting Fuqua Farm for a potential wedding, television or film venue, please contact the Virginia Film Office (film.virginia.org) under the “Locations Library” or the Featured Locations page, the Virginia Production Alliance (virginiaproductionalliance.org) or “Like” Fuqua Farm on Facebook.
