CONNECTICUT

Guy Orteleva, of the Connecticut Film, Video, and Media Office hopes to increase the number of film offices in different regions of the state in order to expedite the process when a request comes in for something like photos of a certain location. It’s a matter of developing the regional film community, Orteleva says, and "improving our ability to compete on a world-class basis – and it’s a long term process."

More seminars on Copyright and Trademark, and Copyright and Trade Secrets are next scheduled for June. The seminars are designed to inform writers about how to write something and not have it stolen, especially when it comes to unsolicited works. Orteleva thinks that with all the writers living in Connecticut, it influences their work. "If you write it for your state or region—it will be easier to justify shooting it here," he says.

I’d like to extend a warm Film Office Report welcome to the New Milford Film Commission. Chairman Frank Weller is not only interested in "bringing green commerce to the area," he says, but also wants to "raise a civic awareness" of the film production process. New Milford’s sixty-four square miles of scenery and its proximity to New York make it an ideal setting, and as Weller mentions, "Sixty-four square miles times four for four seasons" equals a distinctly different look per season.

Director of the Southeastern Connecticut Film Commission, Philip Hanson, has seen a number of scouts for features, television and still shoots. CONNECTICUT IMPRESSIONISTS, a documentary on the art trail by the same name has been shooting near Greenwich and using The Florence Griswald Museum as their main location. Gerardo Puglia is directing.

RHODE ISLAND

THIRTEEN DAYS had a successful shoot off of the coast of Rhode Island, says Rick Smith, director of the Rhode Island Film & TV Office. Using Newport Harbor as the docking area, the Kevin Costner starrer utilized a crew of 180 and extras that numbered around 200 (care of Kevin Fennessy Casting). Several scouts have also come through the state: 2 studio pics and five independents—in case you’re keeping track.

On June 6th the Newport International Film Festival begins. Opening with the premiere of Kenneth Branagh’s update of LOVE’S LABOR’S LOST, the fest runs through the 11th of the month. The film office is the official sponsor of the fest’s "First Call" series in the morning.

VERMONT

"We have a lot of writers here in Vermont," says Loranne Turgeon, executive director of the Vermont Film Commission. The commission involves themselves by assisting writers with scouting and researching locations to help the visualization process. They probably have more writers "per capita then any other state in the union," she adds. John Irving resides in Dorset, Vermont, which most likely had a major influence on him (as well as New Hampshire) while writing THE CIDERHOUSE RULES. David Mamet also has a house in Vermont. He based his upcoming film STATE AND MAIN on the state capital’s cross streets in the center of the "all-american home town," with a population of around 8,000. An actor in STATE AND MAIN, Clark Gregg, is also a resident of Vermont who wrote WHAT LIES BENEATH, the Michelle Pfeiffer/Harrison Ford drama that was shot in the Daughters of the American Revolution State Park last Summer and is being released in the coming months.

ME, MYSELF AND IRENE opens nationwide at the end of June, but Vermont hopes to have a June 22nd state premiere as a thank you to the local community, cast and crew, that helped put the film together, says Turgeon.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Filming was recently completed on a segment of NO BOUNDARIES, an extreme sports television program, says Margaret Joyce, director of the New Hampshire Film and Television office. Footage for the segment "Sports Trek Challenge—Snow and Rock" was shot of skiing in Tuckerman’s Ravine, Kayaking at Scenic Lower Falls along the Kancamangus Highway and rock climbing at Cathedral Ledge. The hour-long program will be broadcast June 11 on Fox, (check local listings) according to Joyce.

Nymbus Productions, a New York production company shot their low budget, 35 mm independent feature in the town of Fitzwilliam from April 24 through May 28. And the summer is just beginning!

MASSACHUSETTS

There was no one available for comment due to busy production schedules in the Film Office this month. And with good reason.

THE PRACTICE had its days in the Bay State last month. And the MGM film WHAT COULD BE WORSE, is gearing up for the long haul this summer (also with Fennessy attached for extras casting).

The writer friendly Nantucket Film Festival is almost upon us, and a little bird tells me that a few Massachusetts projects will be included this year (at press time, the films had not been selected officially). Christy Scott-Cashman’s starring turn in Monika Mitchell’s NIGHT DEPOSIT will be seen as well as the David Kleiler supported SWIMMING in the shorts category. Mitchell will be returning with her film after having been to Cannes in the Slamdance on the Road series (and numerous other festivals on the circuit). And a few words about Robert Seigel’s SWIMMING. Last month’s interview with John Leuba neglected to mention that he was the D.P. on SWIMMING and that it is his favorite film that he’s worked on, to date. "It has a great deal of resonance to it," Leuba said. Check out http://www.nantucketfilmfestival.org/ for more information and the list of films.

And don’t forget about the annual screenwriting competition sponsored by the film office. For guidelines, call the office at (617) 973-8800, or visit http://www.magnet.state.ma.us/film/film.html

Carl Hansen lives in Burbank, CA. If you know of anything going on in New England, or have any questions and/or comments, e-mail him at fhansen1@netzero.net