UPDATED: Crowds Swarm Danford's as James Franco, Jonah Hill Movie Films in Village

Dozens of star-struck locals gathered outside Danford's Hotel and Marina on Thursday afternoon, hoping to catch a glimpse of the actors James Franco and Jonah Hill on the set of The True Story.

Filming was taking place near the lobby of the picturesque hotel, back by the docks overlooking the harbor.

RELATED GALLERY: Actor Jonah Hill Causes Port Jefferson Frenzy

Publicist Eric Myers told Patch that Franco was not actually in the scene being filmed on Thursday, and that the set is supposed to represent someplace in Oregon in the movie. It does not appear that Franco was in town shooting any scenes.

Myers said the studio looked at a host of locations across the Tri-State area and settled on Port Jefferson because it was close to New York City. Directors planned to shoot two scenes on Thursday and will then leave the area. They also filmd scenes in Bayville, in Nassau County, Myers said.

Myers, who called Thursday's overcast weather perfect, said filming wraps in two weeks. 

According to IMDB, The True Story centers around "the relationship between journalist Michael Finkel and Christian Longo, an FBI Most Wanted List murderer who for years lived outside the U.S. under Finkel's name."

While the film's subject is serious, the mood in Port Jefferson was anything but, as many excited locals took to Twitter to share their excitement.

Here were a few tweets, including one from actor Jonah Hill himself:

Jonah Hill @JonahHill32mMuch love to Port Jefferson Long Island for waiting all day to see me on set of True Story pic.twitter.com/BSFYGwN10r

Jennifer Klang @JenKlang271h@JamesFrancoTV I hear you're in port Jefferson come say hello to me at the graceful rose !! With @JonahHill

@JonahHill Thanks for coming to port jefferson it meant so much to us!!

Aye Lap @lalapalooza623mI go to port Jefferson today and everyone comes up to me yelling "OMG ITS JAMES FRANCO!!!" Sometimes its hard being this

kyle fiske ™ @FiskeKyle52mThanks @JamesFrancoTV and @JonahHill for putting the town of port Jefferson in a state of panic

@JonahHill acknowledge my existence im at ur set in port jefferson #ILoveYou @chriscrandle @conman267 pic.twitter.com/rvoO6rkhWw

Filming True Story in Port Jefferson, New York pic.twitter.com/c8QquJ9EOw

Stay tuned for updates.

With reporting by Lon Cohen.