An old, abandoned bank in downtown Gainesville makes the perfect location for a well-timed and carefully orchestrated robbery.
A bank robbery scene for the PlayStation Network show “Powers” is being filmed this week at the old Regions Bank building in downtown Gainesville.
The Mesquite Productions show depicts two homicide detectives who are assigned to investigate cases involving people with superhuman abilities, or “Powers,” according to the show’s website.
Starring Sharlto Copley as Christian Walker and Susan Heyward as Deena Pilgrim, the show paints a world of superheroes who “aren’t actually heroic at all.”
The cast and crew have been on the property all week to set up and film, according to Heather Taylor, listing agent and property manager for the bank managed by 111 Green Street LLC.
Green Street is closed intermittently between Spring and Washington streets, and crews moved equipment in and out of the building Wednesday to film both exterior and interior scenes. But Taylor said the crews will finish, pack up and move out Thursday.
Gainesville spokeswoman Catiel Felts said filming was expected to cause “extremely minor disruptions.”
The building’s co-owner Jimmy Adams said Mesquite Productions is one of three production companies interested in filming in the building this winter.
“In the next two months, I think there are one or two more that will be filmed in it,” Adams said. “That bank lobby is valuable for shooting.”
Adams said representatives from the Georgia Film Association came to Gainesville about three years ago to look at Gainesville Mill as a possible film location. While in town, they looked at other locations, as well, and discovered the bank.
“They like to have a wide-open space to shoot in,” he said. “Very fortunately, the mill is occupied.”
But the old bank is not. Taylor said a vacant bank of this size is hard to find in Georgia, and it’s generated interest from the television and film industry.
“It’s exciting, because it’s a very visible location, and it’s amazing how many people it takes,” Taylor said. “They’ve got about 100 extras for this one scene.”