Have you noticed that exciting things have been happening in Perryville lately? There's been a flood of new businesses, people, and construction in the area. Is there a pile of millionaires living there—not really. Big federal government programs out to put Perryville on the map—nope, nothing like that. I know exactly what it is. The big secret to Perryville's success is that they are open to new ideas. They actively seek out people and ideas and bring them home to Perryville, and most importantly, they focus on helping people win. This open and honest approach does one thing very well—it attracts quality management, employees, doctors, teachers, small businesses, and entertainment to keep all the newfound friends and family happy and proud of their town. We are very thankful to Perryville for their continued support with the 573 and, through the years, many other endeavors...
We are gearing up to shoot a new feature film in Perryville. Their Film Friendly Perryville program is terrific, and we at Image Maker Marketing are proud to have been a part of its development. Perryville has so much to offer, and the cave system underground was too great a temptation not to write a screenplay using the caves as a location for the film. Resurgence, produced by Motion Dog Films, is scheduled to begin filming in Perryville in 2025. We are very excited about this new drama. We have been busy auditioning and testing new equipment underground, and things are going great with the help of Perryville and great allies such as Brent Buerck, Trish Erzfeld …, and so many others.
Melissa Meyers and Justin Duncan.
On this excursion, we met two interesting cavers who will be helping the production as extras and body doubles… They are the grooviest young couple. Meet our new friends Melissa Meyers and Justin Duncan. So, our film crew goes into the cave to do some lighting tests.
My name is Melissa, and I was born and raised in St. Louis. I'm a 25-year-old college student currently studying for an art degree. My passions are art (as you could guess), exploring the outdoors, and caving! My current profession is running my own cleaning business, Mini Maids.
In the middle of a farm field behind some bushes is the most wonderful wild cave—Tom Moore Cave.
Melissa and Justin checking each others gear.
Down we go to do some light tests.
Justin and I got married at Bridal Cave in September 2024. He and I met in an art class at college. Justin shares my passion for art and plans to be a professional 2-D animator. He was also born and raised in St. Louis and is 25 years old. (I'm still older than him by two months, ha!) Sometimes, Justin joins my crazy caving adventures. He says Crevice Cave is his favorite one so far!
Being married to a Marine is not for everyone. It's challenging and unpredictable at times. Justin and I only dated for two months before he went off to boot camp. For the next nine months, we were apart. Talk about a challenging way to start a relationship! There were times when it didn't work out. However, we figured out a way to overcome the challenges. Those challenges strengthened our bond, and now we are happily married.
As a kid, I always loved caves. My favorite documentary is Planet Earth: Caves, and I remember always wanting to explore the fantastic underworld as I watched. A few years ago, I had the sudden urge to find a way to get into exploring caves. I searched online and found a video of some old guy talking about caving in Perryville. My father's hometown is Perryville, and I've been down there many times, but I never knew how many caves there were! I reached out to the Perryville Park Center, and that old guy turned out to be Gerry! My youngest brother and I did our first trip with him and a few others during the intro trip to caving. After that, I was hooked!
Here's Johnny!
Balancing enough light to get a good exposure without making it look too unreal is quite a job in a cave.
Film tests complete—let's get out of here.
I met Gerry when I signed up for the intro trip through the Perryville Park Center. He's been a great guide and good friend! He has taught me how to lead people through caves and what to look out for. Without his guidance, I wouldn't have been the caver I am today. I am more confident in helping lead trips and keeping new or inexperienced cavers safe. Caving with Gerry is always good since he has a unique sense of humor and an unmistakable laugh!
Assistant Director Keely Hawkins, Producer Gerry Keene, Mellisa and Justin made it back safe—that's me holding the camera.
Justin says thanks for bringing him to this wonderful cave.
Two tired pups!
Time to pack up and then one last look.
Anyone can learn to cave through the programs at the Perry Park Center. Caving is the art of safely moving through a natural cave to a destination and returning to the surface without hurting yourself or the cave. In order to explore safely, you will need the right equipment, the right skills, and the proper guides. Mark Brewer and Gerry Keene are expert guides with the SEMO Grotto Club. Join them for an educational session on the do's and don'ts of caving, and then explore one of the many caves of Perryville! It's like 15 dollars and open to ages seven and up. GET OUT THERE!
Special Thanks to:
Producer & Cave Expert Gerry Keene
First Assistant Director Keely Hawkins
Executive Producer Denelle Smugala
City Administrator Brent Buerck
Tourism Director Trish Erzfeld
Perryville Mayor Larry Riney
The City of Perryville
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