Scenes from new movie filmed in Folsom

To many, Hollywood is a magical land of larger-than-life stars and their even larger addictions.And given the number of celebrity biopics and superhero movies that are churned out each month, it's easy to think there is no place for the common man with his everyday problems in this fantasy world.Well, at least one director is still looking out for the average Joe."Somewhere along the way, Hollywood decided stories about ordinary people's lives aren't interesting," said Jon Cring, director of the movie "Has Been." "But every single person out there has a story to tell."The plot for this movie is tailor-made for reality TV - a publisher invites a group of former celebrities to a resort in Montana to tell their stories of fortune and folly in order to make a quick buck. "I was at a book seller's convention and I was standing in line," said Jonathan Cring, scriptwriter and father of the director. "I was looking around and I realized everybody was a former something - a former rock singer, a former porn star, a former something.""It's sort of the anti-reality show in this movie," Jon said. "What we have today are a lot of former stars trying to reach that moment again. In America, we build people up to tear them down."It might seem strange that a director making a movie about celebrities would object to Hollywood forgetting about the common man, but Jon insists nobody in the movie is given the star treatment."This comedy is based on the relationships of the characters," he said. "These are just ordinary people who were given way too much money and fame." "Has Been" was shot in 10 days throughout Northern California, including stops in San Francisco, Sacramento, Napa Valley and even here in Folsom."We've been (in Folsom) for about two months," said Jon. "We're having a great time. This is a great market for us. It's been absolutely amazing."Although the cast list of "Has Been" doesn't include any familiar names, the director isn't worried."I really believe in making the story the star of the film," Jon said. "If you put Tom Cruise in a film, people will see him and always think of him as the guy from 'Days of Thunder.'"In honor of his latest achievement, Jon will screen "Has Been" at the Colonial Theater in Sacramento. "We always try to have one premiere in an area to celebrate and allow people to come out and be a part of this," he said.In the meantime, Jon will sojourn on as a crusader against our unhealthy fascination with self-styled and so-called celebrities."Just because you know (a star's) story better than your own doesn't mean yours is any less interesting," he said."Has Been" will premiere 7 p.m. May 1 at the Colonial Theater in Sacramento. For more information, visit extraordinaryfilmproject.com or call (615) 715-1578.