COVER STORY

The Unexplored Goldmine
by Carl Hansen

The television series PROVIDENCE was not named after the Rhode Island capital, but "because it was a neat name," says Mike Fresco, one of the show's executive producers and directors. Because the show is about "going home, warm and good feelings," says Fresco, Providence epitomized what they were looking for in a location, even if serendipity played a role in finding a city with that name. Fresco directed the pilot that was partially shot in Providence and had such a good experience the first time, that it's no wonder that "we like to go back there at least once a season," he says.

THE PERFECT STORM, the multimillion-dollar production that rolled its cameras in Gloucester, Massachusetts during September of 1999 was another project with a built-in location. The non-fiction book from which the movie was made documented the people and history of the seafaring community in great detail, so the authenticity that shooting in the fishing town lent to the story was essential to director Wolfgang Petersen. "Not only are Massachusetts and particularly it's coastline absolutely beautiful, but I am also deeply impressed by the generosity and dedication of its people. It was a pleasure to work there," says Petersen.

 

Melina Kanakaredes (Dr. Syd Hansen) and Rob Estes (guest-star from Melrose Place) leads in the NBC show "Providence", rehearsing in Rhode Island. The show is aired Fridays at 8 PM. Photo by Rick Smith.

It is the job of the people in all the New England states' film offices to sell the locations to producers, to show off the states' wares. Tax exemptions and credits, fee-free locations, discounted room rates on hotel stays, these are just some of the perks that the states have to offer. Largely, however, the region sells itself. With locations ranging from colonial towns to modern cities, mountains to valleys, and sandy beaches to cliffs, all within a short drive, filming in New England is truly a unique experience.

  "I don't think we've ever heard 'no'," says Fresco of his experience in Rhode Island. There was one exception, and that was when Production requested that the rain be halted on one particularly wet day. Barring weather conditions beyond even the film office's control, shooting in Providence is usually a pretty simple affair with support through the top levels of the government. "[Mayor] Vincent (Buddy) Cianci, Jr. has been so cooperative," explains Fresco, not only by hosting some of the staff of PROVIDENCE at his home, but also by permitting street closures to shoot certain scenes. The city's dedication to providing a production friendly atmosphere has succeeded in attracting such films as AMISTAD, OUTSIDE PROVIDENCE, and THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY in years past.

Part Hollywood satire, part screwball comedy, Director David Mamet's State and Main explores what happens when a cell-phone wielding movie crew invades a quaint New England town, Massachusetts' very own Manchester-by-the-Sea. The film stars Alec Baldwin, Sarah Jessica Parker, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Rebecca Pidgeon and Julia Stiles. Photo by Tim Grafft

Up in Vermont, the story is similar. Hosting such productions as the Farrellys' ME, MYSELF, AND IRENE, and the suspense/thriller WHAT LIES BENEATH, it's obvious that the state has much to offer. Even the Hidden Valley from the same named famed salad dressing was recently branded in commercials shot in the Green Mountain State. "If we can get [productions] here, we can really show them the value of what Vermont has to offer," explains Loranne Turgeon, executive director of the Vermont Film Commission. The state is mostly permit-free, and exempts productions from hotel tax on stays of 31 days or more. There is also a performer's income tax incentive, which means if you are a performer hired from out of state to work in Vermont, whichever tax rate is lower (your home state's or Vermont's) is what you are required to pay.

"Loranne Turgeon has done an incredible job," says Bruce Perkins, studio manager of Edgewood Studios, of her success in convincing the state's legislature how important and fruitful filmmaking can be to the state. Jay Craven, the acclaimed Vermont filmmaker of WHERE THE RIVERS FLOW NORTH and two other features, says that he's "enjoyed the support of the state film office" on his projects as well. The accolades apply to every film office in the region, as it is difficult to find a discouraging word about them. Guy Ortoleva and Mark Dixon, in the Connecticut Film, Video and Media Office, are "really doing a terrific job," says Charles Miller, a Connecticut-based Production Manager who has worked on JUDGING AMY in Hartford, and is currently working on the New Jersey portions of OCEAN'S ELEVEN. "I was especially pleased with the support THE PERFECT STORM received from the Massachusetts Film Office and its staff," admits Petersen. The same things are heard over and over again. "The [Massachusetts] film office was very helpful," says Sam Weisman, a Newton, Massachusetts resident and director of WHAT'S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN? The praise continues down to the local crew base, as well. "The local crew was really good," says Weisman, mentioning the prop and electrical departments in the Boston area. Even "the teamsters were terrific," he says, which is a breath of fresh air considering the alleged problems with the local union made public last year, and the notorious reputation they have within the industry. "I think you'll find that anywhere in the country, with the teamsters," mentions Weisman. It's the nature of the beast, he says.

above left: One of many First Congregational Churches in Connecticut... Both images are courtesy of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). above right: Harkness Mansion at the Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, Connecticut. The Harkness Mansion has been the location for many commercials and documentaries.

More and more production companies are springing up in the New England area that operate as their own mini studios, offering financing and development, all the way through post-production. Scout Productions (Imagine, December 2000) in Boston is just one example, now in its seventh year and with credits like SIX WAYS TO SUNDAY, MR. DEATH and the recently completed Brad Anderson horror feature SESSION 9. Edgewood Studios (www.edgewoodstudios.com) is another, and is situated in a converted warehouse in Rutland, Vermont, where it has churned out a number of independent films. They are one of the state's only full-service production houses. The 20,000 square foot space has two soundstages, Avids, their very own lighting and grip departments, camera packages, and sound mixing capabilities. The independent film AMERICAN GUN, starring James Coburn and Barbara Bain, recently utilized the company's offerings by buying out Edgewood's entire facility for 20 days. The company has recently started a development program for helping up-and-coming filmmakers get their projects made. Along with the companies comes all the support as well, like crew booking services such as Central Booking in Boston, or The Filmmakers (thefilmmakers@hotmail.com) in Dover, New Hampshire. It's obvious that New England is putting itself more on the map as a production center.

The Fleet Skating Center in the heart of Renaissance Providence has been an important location for the NBC hit prime time drama "Providence." It is also a premier destination for families, and hosts the Official Inline Hockey League Games. Photo by Nanette Goodrich.

Probably the number one feature that the region has to offer, though, is its beautiful and unexploited locations. An "unexplored goldmine," is how Miller describes the differing locations in Connecticut. "You can go to any small town in Connecticut... you're going to find New England." In New York, says Weisman, some of the more picturesque neighborhoods have a moratorium on filming put on them because they are so overused. That's especially important since WHAT'S THE WORST was originally written for the Big Apple. "I think Boston would be a better locale," recalls Weisman of the development process when cost became an issue and Baltimore and Philadelphia were also being considered. Ultimately, Beantown won out, which was a tremendous coup since the entire movie was shot there. "I think a lot of the locations we had were perfect," he explains. "Everything we got worked really well."

It's also the residents in the unexplored locales that make filming in New England such a pleasure. "When we go, we get mobbed," says Fresco of scenes on Providence streets, "but we get mobbed by polite mobs." It's also a matter of being in an area where people are interested in what's going on. People are interested in the process, adds Miller, and locations aren't as expensive. Restaurants in Vermont have been known to shut down to allow a film crew in, says Perkins, noting Luke's Diner and Rutland Buffet as specific examples. Craven agrees. "We have always found enormous cooperation from local officials, local families," he says from experience by producing a summer institute for teenage filmmakers who have completed 15 narrative short films all on location in Vermont.

No matter where one looks in New England, there is something to satisfy every taste. Be it Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont, the draw is their unique beauty, and the fact that the region is a virtually untapped resource. Just ask Wolfgang Petersen. Or Jay Craven. Or Sam Weisman. They'll tell you.

Carl Hansen writes the monthly Film Office Report for Imagine, and is currently working as a location coordinator on the MTV show FEAR. You can send any comments or questions to him at fhansen1@netzero.net