Jocelyn Black is a New Haven resident who is also a filmmaker with the Hudson Brown Production Company, and she has never been quite so excited about anything, she says, as she is about the opening of TRIPEG Studios in Hamden, CT.

Yes. Black effuses, "It's a lovely studio where I can do everything I ever could in California. Everything's in place for production and postproduction. I was very excited. Omigoodness! All the magic of California - sound stage, animation, and edit suites. I highly recommend it!"

From A for Ambience to Z for zeal for the project,Tripeg Studios in now open for business in Hamden, CT offering stage rental, pyrotechnics, set construction, production support, post production and special effects.

Ed Fortin, owner of Fortin Electric Company and George DeMartin, Continental Contracting, Inc., bought the property at 2155 State Street a year ago, planning to rent out individual spaces to varied tenants. Special Effects specialist Phil Gauvin, of the Pyro-FX Group, was among the first to move in, and as a result of Pyro-FX's first project there, Phil initiated a conversation with Ed and George as to how the two groups work together to provide a full production facility for people in New England.

"There aren't nearly enough places where filmmakers can go around here," says Phil Gauvin. "There are so many people making commercials, shooting indies, doing television documentaries and sports; hey this is the state where ESPN lives, and they don't ever have enough places to go to do their stuff."

Gauvin continues. "Think about it. You also have Yale, Quinnipiac, Southern, CCSU and Wesleyan all training filmmakers and videographers; where can they go to work? So we thought, 'well what if we can provide everything anyone could need for putting it all together?' And that's what we've done."

Tripeg is a 20,000 square foot facility, conveniently located so that it is accessible to New England filmmakers as well as to the pros in New York and New Jersey, where space is limited . . . and very expensive.

Tripeg Studios is located at 2155 State Street in Hamden, CT where you'll find a complete production studio, post production and special effects.

Tripeg Studios Professional Make-up and Dressing Room. All photos courtesy of Tripeg Studios.

"Tripeg offers everything that a major studio can provide," asserts George DeMartin. Ed Fortin laughs and says, "Yes. Except the high priced rental fees!"

"This is a cutting edge facility," Phil Gauvin explains. "We have a multi-talented team of scriptwriters, producers, graphic designers, editors, music composers, directors. We even have tools, a woodworking crew, an electrical contractor, and any special effect you can dream of."
The facilities include three sound stages, a special visual effects shop, post-production suites, set construction, make-up/dressing rooms, cafeteria and plenty of parking for cars and trucks.

Unique to Tripeg is its pyrotechnic and special effects capability. They say there is no special effect they cannot create, and they specialize in burning things down and blowing them up. Of course, their on-site Connecticut-licensed pyrotechnician is a huge draw for special events producers as well as for filmmakers.

The Tripeg team can meet the needs of those seeking to make corporate, educational, training videos or films. They can accomplish feature films, short films, commercials, music videos, infomercials, special event and trade show presentations. And they can even rent out the space for theatrical rehearsals and performances.

Says Barbara Lamb, Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of New Haven, "This is a great boon for the greater New Haven area. We all know that having this kind of a facility makes it much easier to do film here, and film creates great benefits for the entire area."

Mimsie Coleman, Ms. Lamb's counterpart from Hamden, agrees. "We are extraordinarily excited. Tripeg will create an explosion of good things for Hamden. The creativity it fosters, the training it provides - it's nonpareil."

Phil Gauvin says that that's the best part of opening Tripeg in Hamden. "We're going to give people from this region an opportunity to develop and hone the skills they've been trained for in Connecticut, and keep them in Connecticut. We're hoping to keep them plenty busy right here. It's a win/win all 'round."

Carla Stockton is an independent film writer/producer, a partner in Bagel Fish Productions, and Associate Publisher of IMAGINE, Southwestern Connecticut.