FEATURE

New England Production Resources: A Sampler

by Imagine Staff

When film and television producers plan to bring their productions to a region, it is important for them to know what the available production resources are. Imagine has compiled a sampling of the New England creative and talented companies that enrich the production climate here. Everyday these businesses open their doors to support such visiting opportunities. Needless to say, this is a small cross-section only, designed to be representative of the vast production infrastructures and resources to be found here in New England and in no way begins to tell the whole story.

Element Productions is a full service production company based in Boston, Massachusetts producing commercials, music videos and independent film projects. Since 1998, Element has produced a variety of spots for agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, Hill Holliday, Cronin & Company, RDW and others. Element strives to provide its clients with a balance between creative quality, production value and client service.

Element Production's business to business division produces corporate film and video projects. This division handles all aspects of production from developing a concept through post-production including distribution. Element's strong ties with various freelance designers and new media professionals provides a unique support system for companies wanting to take their product to the next level- interactive CD ROMs, DVD's or streaming web video.

Their in-house directors include Rudi Schwab who spent ten years as a fashion and celebrity photographer in Los Angeles. He now shoots high profile campaigns for clients such as Fidelity Investments, The World Bank, Marshalls, General Mills and The Coalition against Domestic Violence.

Leif Husted-Jensen came to Element in 1999 from the music video and independent film worlds. Leif has shot campaigns for Alperts Furniture, Connecticut Lottery, WFNX and the YMCA and is known for his subtle humor and cinematic film style.

Sam Weisman came to Element in early 2000. The well-known Los Angeles-based director with such films as OUT OF TOWNERS with Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn, D2: THE MIGHTY DUCKS with Emilio Estevez and GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE with Brendan Fraiser. Recently, Sam completed work on WHAT'S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN, which shot for three months entirely on location in Boston. The film stars Danny Devito and Martin Lawrence and is due out summer 2001.

You can contact Element Productions at 617 779-8808 or visit their web site: www.element.cc.

Based in Madison New Hampshire, Tone Entertainment is building what it calls "The Independent Movie Studio". Tone was started in 1993, and has produced both television and film projects. The company's name is an acronym for "Talent Of New England", and offers camera, sound, and grip rentals, as well as production services.

Tone has produced films under the SAG Low Budget Agreement, but as a New Hampshire production company, they have the ability to take advantage of non-union cast and crew for certain projects. New Hampshire is a "Right To Work" state. Tone's advertising campaign is "Got a shooting script and a GOLD CARD? - Shoot 35!"

The company is helmed by actor/director Douglas Kennett, who is working hard to keep producers aware of the pitfalls of shooting in low-end and consumer cameras. Kennett lived in Hollywood during the early 90s, and was a crew member on many Movies Of The Week, as well as large-scale films like TERMINATOR II.

"Shooting on 35 millimeter film puts you on the radar screen. If it is a good story, it will put you on the map," says Kennett. "Digital video and 16 are good for students, and for select TV projects, but they are not good for shooting feature films. 35MM offers five times the quality of video, and has a look and feel that can not be matched in a digital environment. Theatrical feature films should be originated on 35."

The company owns its equipment, and went with Arriflex BL packages and Cooke lenses for camera. "We shot the feature film "Ironman" on an Arri BL2, and we were very happy with what we got," said Kennett. For this film Tone used Tyler mounts on helicopters, Steady-Cam on trucks and on the ground, as well as a Tulip Crane for establishing shots.

Tone maintains its production office in New Hampshire, and a marketing and administrative office in Connecticut. CT: (860) 763-0029, NH: (877) 241-VIDEO • Phone (603) 367-8439 • online at www.movierights.com • e-mail: info@movierights.com

The Boston Connection has been New England's primary supplier of traditional 16mm and 35mm film editing equipment for over twenty years. Owner Dwight Cody, expert in traditional post-production, has provided dependable service to the local and national filmmaking community. He recently supported Ken Burns' project "Jazz" requiring more than a dozen Steenbecks. Another project, entitled "Mark Twain," is currently underway.

Specializing in the rental and sale of 16mm and 35mm Steenbeck editing machines, Boston Connection is capable of installation anywhere throughout the U.S. They also offer an array of support services essential to the editor, including edge coding, sound transferring, film to tape transfers provided by Sid Varma, and 16mm sound mixing orchestrated by Stuart Cody. Along with being the largest raw stock film supplier in the area, they also have a large assortment of recording, gaffing, and editing supplies, conveniently available. Just ask for Jackie Olin.

Dwight's 25 years of experience also makes him one of the most sought after experts when your Steenbeck or splicer demand repair.

The Boston Connection's service department is backed by a well-equipped shop with an extensive parts inventory to assure minimum down-time. Dwight services over 100 machines throughout the country, so if your Steenbeck's begging for service, there is a solution at Boston Connection.

Nearly 50 feature films shot in the Northeast have depended on the Boston Connection, starting long ago with the "Witches of Eastwick" and more recently with "Man without a Face." When it comes to good old traditional filmmaking, Boston Connection offers simply the very best.

Visit www.cutfilm.com for more information.

Part of Context Media, Inc., Context MediaStudios is headed by Curt Worden, who has more than 20 years of experience directing and producing video and film for an international client base. Photo courtesy of Context Media. At Vidiofilm Systems, these are the two submarines we are using for Deep Ocean Odyssey. They can carry two passengers, are air conditioned and have a service depth of 3,500ft. Crush Depth 12,000ft. Dive duration 6 hours. Each has four, high definition cameras, two inside and two outside, switched to one HDW250 high definition recorder. They weigh 5 tons and have two manipulator arms that can use tools. They are very graceful and versatile, offering the passengers a large field of view, as they sit in the 6 inch thick plastic sphere. Toyota finds Finish Editorial at the Crossroads, an 8 Spot Campaign: Agency TCAA; Creative Director, Allen Werneken; Art Director, Jerry Izzo: Production Company, Strader Productions. Larry Boothby directed, Scott Knowlton was on the Avid and Fire On-Line, and the colorist is Greg Dildine.

Bristol Studios is a full-line audio production and recording studio with state of the art audio, computer and video editing equipment. With 12 years experience in the industry, Bristol is known for it's friendly staff, creativity and high quality, which have contributed to its continuous expansion in the industry. Located in the heart of the Back Bay area in Boston, Bristol Studios is headed by a team of experienced audio professionals/musicians and offers a wide range of services from Original Music Composition and Scoring to Sound Effects Design.

Bristol Studios has done audio production for such companies and musicians as Filmline International, HBO, MCI, Meatloaf, Motorola, Moviephone, Paine Webber, United Airlines, Yo Yo Ma and many Boston area musicians and companies. The many services provided by Bristol Studios include 24/48 Track Recording, On-Site Recording and Technical Support, Voiceover Talent Casting and Recording, Script and Copy Writing, Digital Editing and Mastering, Audio Noise Reduction, CD ROM Development, CD/Tape and Video Duplication, full graphic design and much more. One of Bristol's most recent jobs was dialog replacement for the major motion picture, "The Art of War", with Wesley Snipes.

In recent years, Bristol has expanded to be an educational institution as well as a recording studio. Bristol now offers one of the most innovative and successful vocal programs (designed by owner Ric Poulin) for hundreds of students who are eager to become the best singers they can be. Along with voice lessons, Bristol Voice Studio has workshops in performance, songwriting and how to be successful in the music business. Bristol Recording Studios has engineering courses, production courses and courses in ProTools.

For further information on Bristol's services or to contact Bristol Studios, check out their web site at www.bristolstudios.com.

Videofilm Systems, Located in Connecticut, 40 miles from Midtown Manhattan, services the Tri-state area with broadcast equipment rentals, sales, systems integration, installation & exhibit design.

Located in Stage 18, a 60x60 television studio and sound stage, VFS has been providing equipment rentals and crewing services for 21 years. They are experts at single and multi camera location and studio production, with a large inventory of Cameras including High Definition: 1080I and 24P, digital and classic Betacam, DVCAM and other DV formats. VFS has a complete sound department, including racks of RF mic systems, sound processing, and rent they video projectors & screens: 1000-10,000 lumens. They also rent monitors: CRT, plasma & LCD, est and terminal processing equipment including Ultimatte, and they sell & rent camera support equipment, including pedestals, Jimmy jibs, dollies & steadicam.

VIDEOFILM SYSTEMS INC sales handles the complete Sony product line, support systems by Sachtler and Miller and battery systems by Anton Bauer and Aspen. We rent and sell communications equipment by Clear Com and Motorola, to name a few.

In addition to rentals, VIDEOFILM SYSTEMS INC, provides all aspects of production design for meetings and special events, including staging & rigging, special effects and unique video projection.

Owner, Dale Cihi brings 26 years of production experience and technical expertise to every production. Recent projects include underwater high definition camera systems for a new undersea series, automated exhibit design and fabrication for museums, corporations and virtual sets.

They're motto is, "The best things in life aren't free; they're rented" @ VIDEOFILMSYSTEMS.COM. You can call them: 888 728 4600, or email dcihi@discovernet.net

Image. Design. Communications. Multivision has it all and they have been providing corporations, broadcasters and independent producers with the best personnel in the business.

Founded by two network cameramen Multivision has grown into a state of the art facility with twenty-five dedicated professionals. From live "Nightline" remotes to "Barbara Walter's Specials", from war zones to boardrooms, tradeshows to webcasts, Multivision has the expertise and the experience to assist any production.

Their recent projects include: Charleston SC Board of Tourism, 35mm and Hi-def centerpiece-Turn-Key. "Favorite Poem Project", PBS.- Post production, "Hopes on the Horizon", PBS- Post production, "Ennis' Gift", The Cosby Foundation- Post production, and "Streamliners" PBS- Post production

Multivision services include: Internet encoding, file compression/ conversion, streaming, complete turnkey production, Film, Beta, and Hi-Definition camera crews. Their facility contains a 40' x 40' studio. And Multivision provides Ku trucks, TV1 lines, T1 lines, producers and directors. In the post-production department, you'll find on-line, Avid, mix to pix, graphics/animation, audio design/composition, and duplication/replication services. Multivision Inc. located in Cambridge, MA and can be reached at (617) 491-5830 or on the web at www.multivision.com.

Rule Broadcast Systems is more than just New England's best resource for professional, industrial and broadcast video & audio equipment. By bringing to bear over a decade of rental experience in the field of electronic production and post production, Rule Broadcast Systems has become a valued partner for producers creating programs ranging from corporate videos to feature films.

Housing a massive inventory of cameras, camcorders, VTRs and Non-Linear Editing systems including Avid Media/Film Composer systems, Rule is able to deliver a multitude of formats (both NTSC and PAL) such as HDCAM (24P & 1080i), Digital Betacam, Betacam SP, DVCAM, and DV. Choosing the best format can sometimes be a daunting task. Rule's Rental Agents are expert in helping navigate the digital 'format soup'.

Two years ago Rule Broadcast Systems became the first equipment rental house in New England to offer high definition video equipment. The success of this format has prompted them to expand their inventory by offering a full line of high definition production and non-linear editing packages based on the latest Sony HDCAM 24P technology. Rule Broadcast Systems is fully committed to the high definition standard and carries a complete line of products and accessories including the F-series multi-format HDW-F900 camera and HDW-F500 VTR. As New England's best equipped Avid rental facility, Rule Broadcast Systems is also offering the new Avid Media Composer XL version 10 which supports universal editing of 24P material.

Rule Broadcast Systems employs a very diverse group with a wide range of talents and expertise. Many members of their organization have extensive experience in the world of traditional filmmaking and as a result thoroughly understand how 24P can be incorporated into various environments currently shooting 35mm. Contact Rule by email info@rule.com or call 1.800.RULE.COM

Finish Editorial, Boston's premiere editorial facility for commercials, films, and corporate work has just scored another first.

Finish was first in 1994 with Boston's first Sony Digital Beta On-line suite. Finish was first in 1996 with the installation of Discreet Logic's Fire, a non-linear on-line system. (In fact Finish was one of the first 5 installations in the world.) And in 1998 Finish introduced the first new film to tape transfer system in New England in 10 years with the arrival of Cintel's Ursa Diamond with DaVinci color corrector (and the welcome addition of ex-Chicago colorist Greg Dildine).

And now Finish is proud to announce the arrival of a brand new Fire editing system with version 4.0. This is the latest system available from Discreet. With staff editors Scott Knowlton, Tim Kane and Eamonn Conway running it, this software enables Finish to boast that we have THE most powerful non-linear on-line suite in Boston.

The new Fire will feature items like enhanced motion tracking, more layering, advanced keying and color correction. And the speed of rendering will increase by many factors of what it is presently based on the complexity of the tasks that are demanded of it.

At the same time Finish will be upgrading it's existing Smoke system to version 4.0 so that there are no compatibility issues in the exchange or scheduling of post-production. This will afford clients the ability to move seamlessly from one suite to another, or re-book for changes in a different suite without worrying about their events getting confused in the systems. In the end the creative process is simple and starts on one of their two Avids. Film transfers of all the footage or just select scenes can be done on their Diamond. The final work can be completed in either Smoke or Fire with a touch of graphic design by staff designer Adrian Winter.

"All of this enables Finish to say that they are truly a full service post-production house," says Finish Editorial C.O.O., Don Packer. Visit their web site www.finishedit.com.

In 1992, the IRS microscope focused on a growing market segment ­ the Television Commercial Production and Professional Video Communications Industries. This segment spent millions on freelance labor and, in large part, classified workers as independent contractors. The IRS had a different view. With new employment tax procedures issued in 1994, increased paperwork for producers looked certain, which meant less time for the creative aspects of the business.

Coincidently, two veterans of the production and payroll industry hatched an idea. Take this lemon and make lemonade. Create a service that removes the administrative hassle and tax-related risk from finding, hiring and paying freelance crews. And, be the best! Enter, CrewStar, Inc.

Today, CrewStar is the foremost production crew resourcing company offering "employer of record" payroll and search services to video, film, and multimedia production companies, events companies, and corporate media departments across the country. President, Lily Maiella, and her staff have crafted operations to deliver the most accurate, personalized service in the industry - seamlessly managing payroll administration from one to dozens of freelancers on client projects.

Joe Maiella, Sr. VP has leveraged 20+ years of experience in media production, management, and sales to grow the company into the region's largest supplier and a nationally recognized brand. "We have a very specific definition of service," notes Joe. "We do the paperwork that other companies routinely push back to their clients. Plus, our crew booking service is more flexible than other agencies. We'll book a single PA to fully equipped production teams. All together, it's what we call The CrewStar Difference."

For more information, contact Joe Maiella at (508) 481-2212, or visit www.crewstar.com.

Context Media Studios is Rhode Island's only full-service digital facility and production resource. From multi-camera shoots to comprehensive, end-to-end digital production services, Context Media Studios can help with strategic, flexible approaches to crafting and telling a story. Experienced directors of photography acquire film-style images with Sony 700 digital betacam packages, in both 4X3 or 16X9 aspect ratios.

Context Media Studios' virtual edit suites are comprised of Avid digital editing systems, including the Avid Symphony, featuring 1:1 uncompressed video output. Context Media Studios' fully integrated convergence suite is configured for repurposing, encoding, authoring and streaming rich media for the Internet.

Context Media Studios is headed by Curt Worden, and a staff of other broadcast professionals. Worden is an Executive Producer and two-time Emmy Award winning Director with more than 20 years of experience in video and film production for an international client base. His career has encompassed work with multiple media companies including NBC, ABC, PBS, CBS, MSNBC, Turner Broadcasting, Discovery Communications, Martha Stewart Living and Oprah. He has directed more than 20 broadcast documentaries and specials.

Context Media Studios is part of Context Media, Inc., a leader in providing infrastructure solutions for sharing, managing, distributing and syndicating digital media assets. This visionary approach to understanding the challenges of rich media content puts Context Media Studios in a unique production space, enabling clients to seamlessly produce, integrate, position and design their content assets for traditional or digital distribution.

For more on Context Media, Inc. please visit http://www.contextmedia.com.

WRS Motion Picture and Video Laboratory now offers it's diverse menu of film, audio, video and multimedia services to Boston clients through it's Interlock Media drop off. The film is forwarded to WRS' lab in Pittsburgh for processing and dailies, audio work, titling, digital effects or almost any other post production need, whether B/W or color, S16, 35, or 16mm, video transfer, or digital transfers to film.

WRS is uniquely "user-friendly" to independent and student filmmakers, and students with current ID are eligible for a student discount.

WRS also has a Burlington, MA facility which does video and audio duplication and multimedia services., in addition to convenient faciliities in Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles. Additional film vaults are located in Kearney, New Jersey.

This year's Sundance star is Tom Megalis, who has two shorts competing at this years Film Festival which WRS digitally transferred to 35. Last year, WRS client Marc Singer won the Best Documentary Award for DARK DAYS also at Sundance.

The Boston drop-off center for WRS film clients is located at Interlock Media, The Greenworks Bldg., 160 Second St, Cambridge. 617 864-LOCK Email, INTLOCK@IX.netcom.com

The WRS Burlington duplication facility is located at 13 Ray Avenue. Tel: (718) 229-7500, email: kerrys@wrslabs.com. Visit the WRS web site: www.wrslabs.com.