It’s times like these that I wish IMAGINE were a much larger magazine so that we wouldn’t run out of space every month before we include, consider, and say everything that we want. As always, there is much to discuss, acknowledge, note, anticipate, celebrate, and ponder.

This month, I don’t want to consider how difficult the economy is, that talented people are drifting away or working elsewhere, that many industry businesses are struggling, or that last year the Mass Film Office and the Providence Film Office closed (both involving politics and legal wrangling). I need a respite.

I’m looking forward to the summer film festivals and relishing the opportunities they afford. I will look at and organize the work that our industry needs to do before September. But, right now, I want to communicate with others in our industry, get into watching good films, and celebrate the work. Enormous preparation goes into these festivals and I’m going to enjoy them.

Today, I’m searching for all the good things that are happening. At the top of my list is Andrew Mudge, a one of a kind and one of the five finalists for the CHRYSLER MILLION DOLLAR FILM FESTIVAL (his CHICKEN POX PAL first noticed at the Woods Hole Film Festival). Can you believe it? Together last year we screened THE PERFECT GOOSEYS in the Gaslight Theatre at NNF7. Along with the famous (Peter and Bobby Farrelly, Lynne and Brook Adams, Tony Shaloub, James Schamus) Andrew attended the IMAGINE Champagne Brunch. We had all seen his movie. Will there be a happy ending for the tortured Janitor and son? You bet! And here it is according to Andrew Mudge:

“A company called Hypnotic picked up the distribution rights to THE PERFECT GOOSEYS. They were putting out a call for entries for this thing called "The Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival.” I recall reading something about the filmmakers living in the "Chrysler Mansion" in L.A. and I thought, "Oh Shit, the last thing I want to do is be on a reality TV show.” But it wasn't that. So I applied and was accepted. And then they brought me and 24 other filmmakers out to Sundance and gave us tickets to screenings and threw us parties and stuff. I thought, ‘so far so good’."

So good, in fact, that the field has been narrowed down to five and Andrew gets to live in the Chrysler Mansion where he gets to drive a Chrysler and doesn’t have to bake a pie (private joke) for the summer and compete for the “big prize.” The winner gets to produce the script he’s working on now and will finalize and polish this summer (at the mansion). We’re placing our bets on Andrew. He has demonstrated during his tenure in the Boston area that he can step out there and deliver his vision. I believe in him. It’s apparent others (the list is endless) do as well.

Andrew always wanted to make movies. He told me “I made piles of home movies when I was a kid. I am the kind of person who can be deeply affected by a movie, like it changes my life in someway or another. I still want to be Jimmy Stewart in IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE.” And so it is. Andrew IMAGINE is watching you. THE PERFECT GOOSEYS has been picked up by HBO. That’s a good thing.

In my own backyard I found a great story, a discovery for me really. Someone (Tom Sprague, National Boston) suggested I check out the work of the Frame Shop in Newton, MA. So for me, I have just discovered it, although Ed Joyce has been around and working in this industry (camera service) for quite some time. Most of his work camera moves (16mm, super 16, 35mm) on a film stand, AV and computer assisted.

Ed told me that a while ago, in that last recession, he got a call from New Hampshire asking, “do you do photographs?” Joyce’s reply was, “come down, see if you like my work, if not don’t pay me.” The call was from Ken Burns. Burns has used him ever since. As have others, including Tim Curran in ADRIFT,
and Mary Mazzio of 50 Eggs (you guess). She says, “Ed’s fabulous, works hard,
shoots photo to film, the emotion is divine.” Mary did the great piece that aired on HBO on Mother’s Day last year that interviewed great athletes about their Mothers!

Ed, his long time sidekick shooter, Ed Searles, and trusty dog Mitch (named after the famed Mitchell Camera), are now hard at work shooting for Ken Burns piece “Jack Johnson,” a turn-of-the-century, Black prize fighter. And soon starts work on the 8th part of “New York” for Ric Burns.

Those going to NFF8 will see his work in Vermont based filmmaker John O’Brien’s NOSEY PARKER. Frame Shop did the stills, titles, and promos. Ed Joyce also told me that John O’Brien is brilliant, or did he say bright? It doesn’t matter; it does mean I’ll be seeing NOSEY PARKER in Nantucket.

For 2 and ½ decades Frame Shop, Inc. has been making New England filmmakers and animators look great, one frame at a time. Let’s celebrate.

Let’s celebrate this too: Needham filmmaker, Dean Huh and his team were in Los Angeles this first week in June attending the 18th Annual Imagen Awards - for positive portrayal of Latin American characters in film and television. BY THE SEA, which Huh wrote and executive produced was filmed last year in Rhode Island, and was nominated for three Imagen Awards, including Best Picture. The mystical romance drama tied the Salma Hayek film, FRIDA for most nominations. I screened it for the first time at the Boston Comedy & Movie Festival at the Hatch Shell. I was impressed. Salute!

Huh and his wife, Luciana, were joined in LA by Tony Bennis of Jamaica Plain, MA, he served as producer on the film, along with Aaron, Rivaro, and Dean Barnes of Los Angeles who directed the film and is the co-writer and co-executive producer.

THE NEWCOMERS, an Edgewood Studios’ family film favorite finally hit the U.S. on VHS and DVD from MTI Home Video! The long-anticipated release is
a relief to staffers at Edgewood where everyone is tired of answering queries from fans demanding to know when the film will be out on video. This heartwarming story of a family who has troubles adjusting to life after they move from Boston to the Vermont Countryside stars KATE BOSWORTH, JEFF FAHEY, MATT MC COY, BILLY KAY, and ELIZABETH DUFF. Look for it at your local video store. And read FILMMAKING ON THE EDGE AT EDGEWOOD STUDIOS in this issue. It’s about films that get financed, made and seen! I like that.

I’m watching Ziad Hamseh’s THE LETTER. We’ve posted a bit about it in WWW. In postproduction now, we’ll have more about this gripping piece next issue.

I’m also watching the development of Brian Wallace’s novel, now screenplay by Scott Marshall Smith. Titled Criminally Minded, it is schedule for casting next month. Go Brian!

And I want to honor IMAGINE cover girl/actor/screenwriter/producer Christy Scott-Cashman who has given birth to her second son, Quinn Scott, last month and moved into her new offices on Boylston Street in Boston. Her script Dixie Storms is set to go into production 2004. Read FADE IN: A Script for Success in this issue.

All good things, and summer hasn’t started yet. I’m looking forward to seeing you at the New England Summer Film Festivals. Check our web site for all the details! Enjoy this issue!

Carol Patton