Locations

The Smallest’s States Big Incentives

Known primarily for its small stature, many fruitful aspects of Rhode Island seem to be a result of overcompensation; this even holds true for its official name, The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, which is the longest official name of any state in the union. Also larger than it as any right to be is the list of reasons for moviemakers to consider filming in Rhode Island.

Firstly, the state has a variety of diverse locations to choose from, ranging from urban hubs (Providence) and historical sites (Newport Casino, Slater Mill) to universities (Brown, University of Rhode Island) and beaches. It is in this aspect that the state’s small size is an advantage: Each of these distinct locales is within close proximity to one another.

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October 28th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By Andrew Gnerre

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Allentown, PA

In 1762, Pennsylvania Chief Justice William Allen planted roots in the state's Lehigh Valley. He called the place Northamptontown, but as recognition of his devotion to the area and the respect he received from the locals, the acreage came to be known as Allen's Town. What started as a small community centered on the advancements of the Industrial Revolution is today a small community centered on much the same. Over the years the area has modernized but those small-town values remain a constant. Allentown's fame is largely derived from the safe haven it provided the Liberty Bell during Britain's search for the American icon, Billy Joel's popular 1980s single "Allentown," and, if local Zeke Zelker gets his way, for its moviemaking opportunities.

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October 1st, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By Mallory Potosky

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Kangaroo Island, Australia

The system of caverns and sinkholes of Kangaroo Island were stumbled upon (literally) in 1881. Today they remain one of the biggest draws of the large island off South Australia's coastline. In addition to the coves and caves, Kangaroo Island hosts a bizarre combination of roaming wildlife generally seen behind bars. Amongst the kangaroos (naturally), live koalas, seals, echidnas, platypi, goannas, penguins, wallabies and bees. Yes, bees. Those highly allergic might be warned to keep away or prepare as the island serves as a sanctuary for the tiny insects.

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September 17th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By Mallory Potosky

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East Hampton, NY

Each spring as the temperature around the country begins to rise, helicopters can be seen circling the outer reaches of Long Island. Traffic moves at a snail's pace along its Expressway as the rich, famous and aspiring head out to the Hamptons. It's where east coast meets west coast amongst the summery beach breezes of the Atlantic Ocean, where finance meets creativity on Further Lane and, inevitably, where many ideas are developed and deals brokered.

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September 3rd, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By Mallory Potosky

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Baltimore, Maryland

Being located right outside of the Beltway has made Baltimore, Maryland a natural extension of the U.S. capital and the setting for many a movie with a political tint. Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver visited during production of their 1993 comedy Dave, as did Nicolas Cage and Shirley MacLaine for 1994â€(tm)s Guarding Tess.

But it could be said that the people who really put this metropolitan area on the map were Bruce Willis and John McTiernan, who set up shop for Die Hard: With a Vengeance in 1995. Twelve years later the smooth-shaven action star returned with a new crew to film Live Free or Die Hard, released this past week by 20th Century Fox. The new movie finds battered action hero John McClane somewhat reluctantly dragged into yet another adventure when helicopters begin a high-speed chase of his vehicle through Baltimoreâ€(tm)s city streets. When Washington, D.C. is nearly shut down by homegrown cyber-terrorists, McClane and his new partner in crime (Dodgeballâ€(tm)s Justin Long) find themselves back on their way through the Old Line State to Baltimoreâ€(tm)s Woodlawn section, home to the targeted national headquarters of the Social Security Administration.

Usually, filming at government buildings can be a tricky feat, what with permits being a daunting task to tackle. But through the Maryland Film Office thereâ€(tm)s always a helping hand, whether in the form of a much-needed location scout or free shooting and production properties, the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts can help moviemakers find their niche within the borders of The District without actually being within the borders of The District. Register your project with the state for free and even receive a five percent tax rebate on some of your most essential rentals and production services, all while rolling film in one of the nation’s original seaport cities.

The works of John Waters and many others have made use of Baltimore, including:

Diner (1982)
Hairspray (1988)
Cry Baby (1990)
Enemy of the State (1998)
A Dirty Shame (2004)
Syriana (2005)

Sound Off: Baltimore so easily passes for Washington, D.C. on film that you might not even notice the difference. What other popular movies have successfully utilized a substitute location and are worth a moviemakerâ€(tm)s tightly-budgeted money? Share with your fellow independents in our comments section!

July 1st, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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India

While India has long had its own thriving film community in Bollywood, it is often equally appealing to foreign productions looking to set up shop throughout the country. Most recently A Mighty Heart made use of the Asian land in bringing to life the true story of slain journalist Daniel Pearl.

Based on the book of the same name by Pearlâ€™s wife, Mariane, the movie delves into the lives of the Pearls (played by Oscar winner Angelina Jolie and nominee Dan Futterman), leading up to and following the capture and subsequent murder of the former South Asian Bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal. Filmed throughout India and Pakistan, director Michael Winterbottom squeezed every last drop from his inspired setting and followed the storyline through streets of police raids and processions to landmarks such as the Gateway of India and Churchgate Station. Plus, a marked amount of extras and crew were farmed from the local talent pool and sometimes even right off the street. “If a guy on the street looked right for the part, we grabbed him,” explains casting director Wendy Brazington, who also called on well-known Indian faces Irfan Khan and Archie Panjabi for weighty supporting roles.

With borders along the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal and inlands made of sandy deserts, Indiaâ€™s landscape provides the variety needed for productions of many a setting and experience. Through the National Film Development Corporation Limited, productions of any size can submit to receive partial funding and production assistance in the form of photographers, art directors, Steadicams, mikes and booms, computer graphics and lodging, among other filming necessities. Plus, the task of dealing with customs and local/national government falls on the shoulders of the NFDC, leaving moviemakers free to storyboard and dare to dream.

Wondering how you can experience India on film if you havenâ€™t caught many Bollywood movies? Watch the following:
Armageddon
The Bourne Supremacy
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Monsoon Wedding
Passage to India
Salaam Bombay!

For more information on A Mighty Heart, released domestically by Paramount Vantage on June 22, visit www.amightheartmovie.com.

For more information on India and filming in the country, check out www.incredibleindia.org and the National Film Development Corporation Ltd. at www.nfdcindia.com.

SOUND OFF: In the past few years alone there have been at least two biopics per year. Which is your favorite of all time? Sound off in our comments section!

June 17th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Location of the Week: Shreveport, LA

Shreveport is beginning to get a creepy reputation. Located on the banks of the Red River in northwest Louisiana, Shreveport has emerged as a choice location for moviemakers from all over. According to a 2000 census, 12 percent of the city’s area is covered in water in the form of tributaries and wetlands, making it a great place to get that authentic bayou setting on film. So far this year, both The Reaping and Premonition have shown off some of Shreveport’s arresting landscapes. With Frank Darabont’s Steven King adaptation of The Mist arriving in November, we can only assume Shreveport is going to get even spookier.

But there’s another side that moviemakers are exploring. The state’s third-largest city, Shreveport serves as the cultural center for a large area covering parts of Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas. Kevin Costner must have enjoyed his time in Shreveport during the filming of last year’s The Guardian; he returned to the city play the title role in the upcoming Mr. Brooks, about an ironically split-personality businessman.

The city’s Economic Development Coordinator, Arlena Acree, says Shreveport prides itself on its accommodations. “Any buildings owned by the city or parish are free for use as locations and an advanced transportation infrastructure means you can shoot at four or five different places in a single day.” This is a film-friendly city, with special locations (an empty jail cell, for instance) set aside for moviemakers. The best part is Shreveport is very affordable and the State of Louisiana offers incentives to local talent.

For more information, visit www.shreveportfilms.com.

May 30th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Location of the Week: Minnesota

Quick word association: What are the first two words that come to mind when you hear “Minnesota?” If you thought “cold” and “snow,” you’re not alone. Of course, it doesn’t help that some of the best-known Minnesota-shot movies back up those associations. Fargo takes place almost entirely in cold and snow; winter weather figures prominently into the plots of Jingle All the Way, Grumpy Old Men and A Simple Plan; and who can forget Apollonia’s dip into the freezing waters of one of Minnesota’s many lakes (that wasn’t Lake Minnetonka) in Purple Rain.

While those films make use of the frigid Minnesota climate to great effect, the Minnesota Film and TV Board knows the state is more than just freezing temperatures. The state has a lot to offer any moviemaker, says production services manager Christopher Grap. “You can be shooting an industrial site or urban setting in the morning and isolated farm country or river banks in the afternoon,” Grap says. “Something producers have commented on is the close proximity of diverse locations. You don’t have to travel far in Minnesota to get a great range of backdrops.”

Through the board’s new website, www.mnfilmtv.org, and the Minnesota state production incentive, Snowbate, which returns up to 15 percent of production costs to producers on eligible projects, Minnesota certainly has more to offer than snow angels.

Other notable productions from the Land of 1,000 Lakes:
Graffiti Bridge
Beautiful Girls
The Mighty Ducks trilogy
Grumpier Old Men
Pushing Tin
A Prairie Home Companion
North Country
Airport

Sound Off: Like many other states, Minnesota offers a tax incentive program to entice productions into the state. Besides tax breaks, what are some other important economic sweeteners that would entice you, the moviemaker, to a specific location?

â€”Dante A. Ciampaglia

May 6th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Location of the Week: Wyoming

Wyoming might not have a musical celebrating it like Chicago or play host to any renowned film landmarks like Philadelphia, but it can claim a long list of movies that have shot upon its soil. As part of the Rocky Mountain range, Wyoming offers movies of every color and stripe its peaks and valleys, canyons and grasslands. Best of all, it is now less expensive to shoot that dream Chuck Norris western with entire towns already dressed for scenes at the old bank or Broken Wheel saloon. This is the state where John Ford filmed Cheyenne Autumn and Brad Pitt fished the rivers of Jackson in A River Runs Through It.

More than the locations Wyoming provides all moviemakers, the Equality State gives up to 15 percent cash back through its Film Industry Financial Incentive program. A minimum budget of $500,000 must be met, but the benefits are great. There are also additional incentives for a Wyoming-based storyline and behind-the-scenes Wyoming footage.

Join the group of moviemakers who chose this High Plains state, but first visit www.filmwyoming.com.

Other movies from big, wonderful Wyoming include:

Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Dances with Wolves
Rocky IV
Starship Troopers
Rollerball
Flicka

Sound Off: Yellowstone National Park, partially situated in Wyoming, has been the setting on many a film frame. On which is it depicted best?

--Mallory Potosky

April 10th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Location of the Week: New Mexico

With its rose-colored stretches of desert and broad, rocky mesas, the state of New Mexico seems an ideal place to capture the spirit of the American Southwest. From Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to Brokeback Mountain, New Mexico has appeared on screen as the home of that zll-American male archetype: The cowboy. With its long history of Native American, Spanish and American settlers, the state’s intermixing of cultures has made it a perfect locale for moviemakers looking to capture the unique history of this area of the United States. Since 1898, more than 700 films have been shot within New Mexico’s borders.

Only recently, however, has the state started moving toward becoming amenable to moviemakers looking to base their whole productions in the area. To this end, the New Mexico-based Rio Grande Studios has teamed up with British production company Turn of the Century Productions to work on an upcoming film, the action-adventure flick Judgement Day. The first feature to be produced from pre- through post-production entirely in the “Land of Enchantment,” Judgement Day will be directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak (Doom, Cradle 2 the Grave).

For information on shooting in New Mexico, visit www.nmfilm.com.

You can also catch NM’s desert plains in:
Independence Day
Every Which Way But Loose
Traffic
Superman
Natural Born Killers

Sound Off: Do you think it helps the independent film industry to have more films produced outside of Los Angeles and New York? Do you prefer to work outside of one of these bigger cities if you can complete pre- through post-production somewhere else? Weigh in by posting in the comments section!

--Jennifer Straus

March 19th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

Comments: 3

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Tripeg Studios

Connecticut has quietly been positioning itself as the cost-efficient alternative to the favored film scenes of neighboring New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. At the heart of this trend is the burgeoning Tripeg Studios, a 20,000 square foot movie production titan, which opened its doors in Hamden in 2004.

Among the facilities at Tripeg are three soundstages, an on-site production office and a Final Cut HD post-production suite. In addition, thereâ€(tm)s an in-house crew boasting experienced professionals for all a moviemakerâ€(tm)s production needsâ€"from producers and music composers to pyrotechnicians and specialty carpenters. In just two years the studio has established itselfâ€"and its home stateâ€"as â€œa viable destination for heavyweight media producers,â€? says studio manager Andrew Gernhard. Along with films from nearby Yale University students, the studio has recently hosted productions by HBO, ABC News Productions and several music videos and political ad campaigns.

Tripeg has led the self-proclaimed â€œLand of the Sleeping Giantâ€? to become â€œsomewhat of a â€˜hubâ€(tm) for new production services,â€? according to Gernhard. â€œThere is good support from local government and producers can rely on a â€˜can doâ€(tm) response with area businesses.â€? Between the advantages of the state-of-the art fledgling studio and Connecticutâ€(tm)s 30 percent tax credit, you now have no excuse to just pass through.

For more information on how you can utilize all the amenities at Tripeg Studios, visit www.tripegstudios.com.

Sound Off: Tripeg Studios plays host to screenwriting workshops with industry veteran Peter Foxâ€"just another way Tripeg is bringing the moviemaking community to Connecticut. Do you think Connecticut could soon become the next indie moviemaking hotspot?

â€"Mallory Potosky

March 8th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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