Cedartown residents can expect to see their city’s starring role in the finished version of “Jayne Mansfield’s Car” sometime next year, according to the film’s executive producer, Bob Teitel.

While Teitel said it is always hard to tell so early in the shooting when the finished product will be released, he said he is confident it will be released in 2012.

The film crew wrapped up the three day shoot in Cedartown last Friday, and Teitel had nothing but great things to say about the time spent here.

“I’ve never been out in this part of the country before, but it has been terrific,” he said.

“The people have been terrific.”

Even though it was Teitel’s first trip to Cedartown, he said the city stands up well against the more well known locations in which he has worked.

“I’ve shot everywhere, New York, Chicago, L.A., but there’s something about the south that feels genuine and special,” he said.

Although it is early in the shooting of the film, Teitel said everything is going well so far and that the people of Cedartown have helped to start things off well.

“It’s been going really well,” Teitel said. “Today (Friday) is only our third day of shooting, and after this we have 30 days more. It’s a great way to start off. Cedartown has been terrific.

“Everyone came out and supported the film,” he said. “Their enthusiasm kept everybody up, and it’s been a good experience.”

Cedartown will stand in for the fictional city of Morrison, Ala. in 1969, and it will serve as the town scenes for the film, which is one of two primary locations utilized by the movie.

Teitel said that Cedartown will play a key role in film, and it will do a lot to set up the tone and era of the movie.

“(Cedartown) is kind of the heart of the film in a lot of ways because it’s the opening sequence of the film where we establish Mr. (Robert) Duvall’s family,” Teital said.

“It’s a great way to set up the film. It captures this (late sixties) period and time that the film is supposed to feel like. It’s a great way to start off a film.”

Cedartown will mainly be seen in the beginning of the film, but Teitel said film will probably continue to revisit the footage shot in the city.

“Quite frankly (shooting in Cedartown) gives off production value and a big look to the film,” Teitel said. “So, I know these are shots we will stay on throughout (the film) just to open it up.”

The other primary location will be at two plantation style houses that will serve as Duvall’s character’s home.

“We play a couple of houses that are on the outskirts of the (fictional) town,” Teitel said. “In the film, the house will be a couple miles out (of town).”

Teitel said they are using one of the houses strictly for the exterior scenes at the home, and the other will serve as the interior of the house.

Production designer Clark Hunter said the scenes at the homes will be filmed in Griffin, south of Atlanta.

Regarding Hunter, Teitel had nothing but great things to say about the job the production design crew did to transform downtown Cedartown into the 1969 setting.

“I came here the night before we started shooting, which I rarely do because usually it’s a runaway train and you’re just trying to catch up,” Teitel said. “But I came down here the night before, and I just walked around. I was so amazed at how it looked and I called Clark and told him how pleased I was and that he did a terrific job. I told him how much this is going to add to the film. I’m still floored by it. It’s unbelievable.”

Hunter said he has worked on every movie that Thornton has directed including, “Slingblade,” “All the Pretty Horses,” and “Daddy and Them.” Hunter has also worked on such movies as “Road Trip,” “Old School,” “Beerfest” and “The Prophecy.”

Teitel said this is his third time working with Thornton, with the previous two being “Faster,” starring Duane “The Rock” Johnson and “The Baytown Disco,” which should also hit theaters in 2012.

For “Jayne Mansfield’s Car,” Teitel said the film is an independent production, which means there is no studio financing the film.

This situation is perfectly fine with Teitel.

“That’s good because then we’ll see who’s the best person to release a film like this, and who’s going to get behind it in the right way.”

Teitel added that happens a lot now in the movie business where a production company will finance a movie independently to complete the project before seeking a studio to distribute it.

The route the film will probably take, Teitel said, is to enter it into various film festivals to see what studios are interested in purchasing the rights. He added the film is the kind of movie that should draw interest.

“It’s that kind of movie,” Teitel said. “It’s so well written by Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson, his writing partner. They’ve been writing together forever.

“It’s terrific; it’s a great story. They don’t make films like this anymore. So it’s a complete pleasure for me to be on it.”

Teitel added that the cast is also a drawing point.

“With Billy on board and his great writing, he brought everyone else on board: John Hurt, Duvall, Kevin Bacon, Ray Stevenson, Frances O’Connor. It’s a great cast.”