A couple of months ago, a Niles family got a surprising phone call from a film crew in  Los Angeles.

Goshen native Jordon Hodges co-wrote and stars in the movie “The Shade Shepherd.” Cindy and Ben West were told the film crew wanted to shoot part of the movie at the property the couple own, at 60777 Wood Road, in Pokagon Township.

“I was in disbelief,” Cindy said. “It did not seem all that real, until it started.”

Cindy and her husband Ben agreed, but asked if their granddaughter, Allyssa Carmichael, could be in a scene.

Hodges agreed.

Film crews shot the scenes over the course of two days on June 3 and 4.  The movie is anticipated to debut at the end of 2018.

For 13-year-old Carmichael, the experience is one that she said could boost her budding acting career.

The Clay Intermediate Academy student said earlier this year one of her teachers, Tom Mailloux, predicted that Carmichael would one day be famous. Little did he know her first big break would start this summer.

Carmichael got the message while in school that she would get a chance to be in a scene.

Hodges produced another locally shot film called “Sand Castles,” which premiered in May 2014. The director told the Wests he was drawn to the property because of the house and nearby creek.

“They were so excited when they saw the house,” West said. “We walked down to the crick. He said ‘this is almost exactly like I imagined.’”

Additionally, Hodges saw an opportunity to work with the friendly people of the Michiana area.

Hodge’s “The Shade Shepherd” follows the lives of two brothers.  One is a soon-to-be father, who is helping his sibling to escape the clutches of police custody by crossing the border to Canada.

Along the way, the brothers stumble upon their old childhood home, the location of the West property.

The film crew shot several scenes inside the white brick home, which was built in 1860. The Wests live in Niles and planned to put a modular unit at the site of the home, but decided to postpone their plans to tear down the building until after the shoot.

The crew also shot several scenes outside, including the one that Carmichael got to participate in.

In the movie the two brothers are hiding along the roadside and fearful of being spotted, when suddenly the drumming of horse hooves sends them diving for cover along the road side.

This is where Carmichael comes riding in, passing along the road with her horse, Beauty.

“I was like ‘OK’ this is so much fun,” Carmichael said.

Carmichael said her scene required about 70 takes to get the right shot and to provide multiple angles for each camera.

It was an opportunity that Carmichael said she had never experienced before and, as an aspiring actress, she is always looking for a chance to act.

“If I ever get that far, I am sure that it would help [that I have been in a movie],” Carmichael said.

At school, Carmichael leads the morning news team in the announcements, often showing up early to get the program rolling.

When a local TV station picked up Carmichael’s story, Mailloux had the story printed out and pasted to the front door of the classroom.

He also showed the clip to each of his classes.

For the members of the West family, getting to the chance to feature the property and their talent in the movie was a rewarding experience.

Since seeing the story in the news, residents in Dowagiac and Niles have expressed curiosity.

“The talk has gotten around,” Cindy said.