Spotlight on New England

by Robert Basile | Published November 1, 1999

On the Amistad set in Rhode Island

When one thinks of New England with regard to moviemaking, the first word that comes to mind is usually “Boston.” There really hasn’t been another dominant production locale in the region—at least not until “Providence” entered the Hollywood lexicon this past year. Providence, Rhode Island, that is. Little “Rhody,” that miniscule state with but 37 by 48 miles to its name and a population of just over a million, is a Hollywood hot spot right now, and it’s dragging the rest of New England—including Massachusetts, also featured this issue—into the spotlight along with it. (More of New England next issue.)

Providence has been the big gun in Rhody’s arsenal this past year, with the NBC primetime show “Providence” starring former “M*A*S*H” medic Mike Farrell, putting up some great Nielson numbers and Michael Corrente’s hit feature, Outside Providence, having recently filmed here. Direct expenditures by production companies jumped from $5.6 million in 1996 to an astounding $34 million a year later.

Providence Mayor Vincent A. Cianci, Jr., who likes to call himself “Buddy,” hasn’t stopped being just that to the film community here. Since establishing the Providence Film Commission in 1995 (401-273-FILM), he (along with the state’s film office) has spearheaded the city’s production push to the tune of 10 features in 1997 alone. The most notable projects shot here since 19

Cast and crew of Laura Coletta's Tax Day in and around Providence, Rhode Island

95 have been James Cameron’s True Lies (Newport), with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis; Dumb and Dumber (Providence), starring Jim Carey; American Buffalo (Pawtucket), with Dustin Hoffman; Code of Ethics (Providence, including scenes in Buddy’s office!); the Farrelly Brothers’ There’s Something About Mary (Providence), starring Cameron Diaz, and Ben Stiller; Meet Joe Black (Warwick), with Brad Pitt, Claire Forlani, and Anthony Hopkins; Stephen Spielberg’s Amistad (Providence and Newport); local Steve Feinberg’s forthcoming Peter York (New Brunswick), A Wake in Providence, which recently screened at the Boston Film Festival, and the new feature from the Farrellys, Me, Myself and Irene (Jamestown and Newport).

These, in addition to two documentaries for the History Channel, a PBS special, the Discovery Channel’s “Discover Magazine,” and four television commercials, have kept the state’s slate full.

With 384 miles of scenic coastline, Rhode Island lives up to its nick-name “the Ocean State.”

“We have a magnificent coastline with water that’s accessible to almost anywhere,” says DeLia McDermott, Marketing and Sales Director for Aldridge Mansion in Warwick, which was prominently featured in Universal/City Lights’ Meet Joe Black, directed by Martin Brest.

“We’re one of the last utopias, population-wise, that lets you get around without hitting major traffic tie-ups. Our airport (Green Airport, Providence) has recently been renovated, so you can get in and out without the whole “LaGuardia/Logan-style” experience. The whole State can be accessed in a half-hour in any direction, and it’s part of New England, where you have that quaintness but also the sophistication of a town like Newport.”

“We have a film forum through the State, and several other forums and organizations exist to assist filmmakers. It’s four or five years coming, but we’re finally being discovered,” McDermott says, adding that with each feature the community has become more adept at dealing with the demands of Hollywood production comp

Tax Day

anies. “The local communities want to work with producers and experience the excitement of bringing Hollywood East,” she says unabashedly. “Back east,” may be more correct, considering moviemaking has been going on here since 1914 and shows like ABC’s daytime serial “Dark Shadows,” shot scenes here 30 years ago.

Regarding the Mansion’s role in Joe Black, McDermott explains, “We were contacted by a photo scout from Universal to look at and photograph the property. It was a ‘Don’t call us, we’ll call you’ situation.” Finally, months later, they got the “green light” in typically dramatic Hollywood fashion. “On the lawn of the 70-acre estate a helicopter landed and out walked the location manager, director and set designer,” says McDermott. “The Mansion was selected because of its opulent architecture, but also due to its privacy and the exclusivity of its location. It has magnificent stone wall borders that made it a perfect security point for a closed-set situation. And the panoramic landscape was the clincher. All the pieces seemed to fit, McDermott said.”

The Mansion was also chosen over more obvious 1930s icons like The Breakers and The Elms, each dramatically situated on the cliffs of Newport, RI, due to its relative location away from tourist centers. “Because the regional tourism is so seasonal, film production would have caused a traffic hazard, so I’m sure that was a consideration,” says McDermott, noting the “one road in, one road out” smaller neighborhood community situation at the Mansion.

With Meet Joe Black being the first big-budget film shot at the Mansion, everyone involved had a thing or two to learn. “We went from infancy to major production adulthood. Construction alone took several months, principal filming several more, and deconstruction m

Tennis Hall of Fame

ore still. Total commitment for the Mansion was over a year.

“It was a real education. Besides the production people, we had to deal with the local unions, community representatives, and people from out of state. We had a virtual city here on the property; much of the set construction was done along the shoreline, most every state agency was involved and the permitting required was extensive because they had to make sure that none of the constructed sets would remain. It was a shame to see all this magnificent architecture and then see it all go away, but we took a lot of pictures so we could prove to everyone they really were here,” said McDermott, who stresses that a majority of the set crew were local hires. From electrical, hardware, landscaping to set construction, local unions were tapped. Craft and food services were all locals, as was medical personnel. The hotel/housing budget alone came to over a million dollars.

The Mansion supplied local merchant lists for the crew so they could, for instance, have gourmet meals delivered to the set, or have local take out sent to their hotels or apartments. “It had an incredible impact on the local community, and Warwick City Hall, the mayor and the governor all played a part,” says McDermott.

Craig Richardson, writer/director/independent filmmaker and president of Tangent Films, based in Jamestown, shot By a Thread in locations throughout the state, and Anima, which was shot in Jamestown and Foster, Rhode Island, took the best film award at the Newport Film Festival. Anima is a strange story about a mysterious couple who’ve been living in isolation since World War II. A documentary filmmaker discovers them and pries into their lives, digging up an intriguing mystery in the process. “We’re only an hour from Boston and two from New York,” Richardson said, “so we did use crew from those two cities but we were able to get at least half the crew from Rhode Island.”

Richardson is currently working on a new script set in Europe, but is considering shooting in Rhode Island. “A first-time filmmaker could hardly find a better state to shoot in,” says Richardson, who’s compiled a huge data base of potential locations by traipsing up and down the state. “Everybody bends over backward to help out and it’s just plain less expensive than New York or Boston.”

Mark Kemble, who cut his teeth as a playwright, says “There’s a real Renaissance going on in Providence right now. And since we only have one ‘pope,’ Vincent Cianci, Jr., to deal with, and he’s so welcoming and suppor

Aldrich Mansion in Warwick, Rhode Island, one of the Meet Joe Black locations

tive, we can all be on the same game plan. Also, since everything’s so close, you can set up your central compound downtown and when you have to move sets it doesn’t cost nearly as much.” He adds that on a recent production in Puerto Rico his crew spent $100,000 each time it had to move between sets due to the topography.

Kemble and his partner, Tony Musca (Stand and Deliver, Money for Nothing) recently co-produced Race, a political satire that will air on HBO in November, and are now getting funding to shoot Finding Providence, a film set in Providence about angels gone wrong who are exiled but given a second chance.

Yet another Rhode Island-based independent moviemaker is Laura Colella, who made a film called Tax Day that was shot in and around Providence. The film takes place on April 15th, and involves two women who intend to pay their taxes but end up getting involved in an odd set of circumstances. Tax Day recently won “Best Narrative” at the Rhode Island International Film Festival in Providence. Colella, who studied film at Harvard, also made another film called Statuary which was shot in Smithfield, RI. Both films garnered several awards on the independent film festival circuit.

“The film commission here is very helpful to independent filmmakers and there’s enough skilled crew here to shoot anything. I recruited a lot of crew from Brown University Film School and The Rhode Island School of Design for Tax Day, which involved a month-long shoot. A l

Newport Harbor

ot of people still think Rhode Island is Long Island, but hopefully with Providence making a name for us, that will begin to diminish,” says Colella.

There is a real mish-mash of architectural styles in Rhode Island, ranging from wooden farm shack to Cape Cod style, to Colonial and Victorian. The full wealth of Rhode Island hasn’t nearly been exploited. For example, three gorgeous, quaint areas—Westerly, a small city with a beautiful downtown circa early 1800s to mid 1940s, has the potential to become the next Mystic (a la Mystic Pizza); Ashaway is a classic 19th Century mill town with a water-powered line and twine factory still in operation today, and Block Island, an idyllic summer tourist destination 12 miles off the coast, could double for Ireland in a leprechaun’s wink. Quonset Point, a former Naval Base now being used by the National Guard, also presents some interesting possibilities.

Providence-based director Michael Corrente started

Providence, Rhode Island

out here by shooting the film Federal Hill; the relative success of that project enabled him to shoot American Buffalo, starring Dustin Hoffman. Corrente is in the process of working out a deal with the state to develop the Cranston Street Armory in Cranston into a huge soundstage/production facility which will eventually house art galleries and production support services. His company, Eagle Beach, used the facility for many interior shots on Outside Providence and saw The Armory as a potentially excellent permanent production base. The Armory has a massive 165,000 square feet to work with. Its huge wooden floor is about an acre large and is rumored to be able to support armored tanks if necessary.

Another area in Rhode Island to consider is Bristol, established in 1680. The town has a plethora of early 19th Century architecture and Mount Hope Farm, the 127-acre shoreline homestead that was featured in Amistad. Steven Spielberg, by the way, said he would come back to Rhode Island to film again “in a heartbeat.” Cianci, Jr. is hoping to announce new legislation soon that will provide a 25 percent tax credit for local investors who help fund independent films that shoot here with budgets

Providence, Rhode Island

of $5 million or less. And the city now has its own International Film Festival (401-861-4445) which is held each August, as well as the New England Screenwriter’s Conference (401-751-9300), which offers invaluable advice and networking for local talent. Rhode Island is a union-driven state, and also has child protection laws for anyone under age 18, so it’s a good idea to check with the Dept. of Labor (401-457-1800) before hiring crew and talent. Contact Rick Smith, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Film & Television Office (401-277-3456) for referrals. The Office can also hook you up with suppliers for anything in period props from sailing sloops with firing canon, to militiamen in colonial garb.
Rhode Island is becoming known as a good place to shoot particularly if you’re on a tight budget, because not only are the salaries not as high as in Los Angeles, the locals are not yet jaded by production overkill, and producers are still able to cut “deals” here with vendors who will often make concessions for low-budget features.

There’s also a surprising amount of talent here to tap because there are several theaters and drama groups, and while you’ll have to venture to Boston for processing, there’s been enough shooting going on for High Output, a large Boston-based rental/film house, to open a branch here.

Rhode Island may be small in size, but if 1999 is any indicator of what’s to come, it may be looming quite large on the film production map in coming years.

The Perfect Storm, shot on the fishing wharves in Gloucester, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

Like the Red Sox in September, Massachusetts is hot these days, but Massachusetts Film Commission Executive Director Robin Dawson is betting that the state won’t be out of the running come October.

“I believe Massachusetts locations are unparalleled in the United States,” says Dawson. “We’re able to provide centuries of architecture, diverse locations such as coastal towns, farms, mountains, and metropolitan areas.” If that’s not enough incentive to come here, the state has come up with a program called “Fee-free Locations” which can be instrumental in lowering below-the-line costs. The program, which was begun in order to address run-away production to Canada—which often doubles for Boston—provides an inventory of over 100 state properties which can be utilized for production, stage, or office space. If you need anything from schools to oceanfront properties, farms or National Guard Armories, Massachusetts will provide them free of charge. The governor and legislature have also done their part to cut red tape.

Massachusetts is known as a university state, and Boston is of course known as a university town, which is an excellent thing for the independent film industry. Boston University, Emerson College and Boston College all have, or are developing, strong film programs that have begun to sprout talent—talent that is New England born and bred and prefers to keep it that way. So instead of “film flight” to New York and L.A., Massachusetts. is starting to hold its own.

According to Dawson, the state can accommodate two-and-one-half to three crews simultaneously, though a portion of the “keys” usually come from other areas. The film commission has forged numerous relationships with local crew, including independents who only five years ago didn’t exist. “Now we’re seeing a lot of independent production companies sprouting up,” says Dawson. “It’s been nice to be able to foster that growth. We’ve known about independent talent here for a long time, as evidenced by how long Ben Affleck and Matt Damon worked to get Good Will Hunting made.”

“The Commonwealth,” as Massachusetts is commonly known within the state, boasts four centuries of diverse architecture, including warehouses, churches, cottages, farms and forts. Everything from Victorian, Gothic, and Colonial Revival can be found throughout the state. Logistically, most locations are accessable, but in Boston proper, getting around isn’t always easy due to the relative congestion and infamous “no lanes, no rules” driving style of many Bostonians.

Massachusetts is serviced by two major aiports, Springfield Airport in Springfield, and Logan in Boston. And geographically, there’s plenty of just about everything, including the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, the beaches of Cape Cod, the Berkshire Mountains, and some gorgeous colonial homesteads built before the American Revolution.

The Perfect Storm, set in Gloucester, just wrapped before returning to LA. The film stars George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. One major consideration and perhaps a detriment to filming in New England is the notorious weather, which spawned the famous saying: “If you don’t like the weather, wait a minute.” But some productions like

The Perfect Storm can actually use that fact to their advantage, capturing dramatic footage of a hurricane which had been downgraded to a tropical storm. The storm scenes leant some incredible accuracy to the footage.

David Mamet’s new project, State and Main, about a big town Hollywood production that comes to a small town to shoot a period film, was shot through October in Manchester, Beverly, and Deham. It stars Sara Jessica Parker, Alec Baldwin, Charles Derning, and William H. Macy, says Dawson, adding, “Both productions were fortunate to have top-notch crews—among the best I’ve ever worked with. They received complete support from the communities.”

Other recent in-state productions include Disney’s A Civil Action; Gentleman from Boston, and independents The Blue D

David Mamet's State and Main shot in Manchester, Massachusetts.

iner, directed by Jan Eagleson, (“Spencer for Hire”) which starred Miriam Colon (Lone Star); Bye Bye America, with John Corbett (“Northern Exposure”) and Twentieth Century Fox’s coming of age film, Here on Earth. Penny Marshall and Drew Barrymore are also reportedly scouting the state for their upcoming feature Riding in Cars with Boys.

The theory that you must go to Los Angeles to make movies is becoming an antiquated one because of cities like Boston, where a lot of independent film activity is going on, much of it fueled by institutions such as Boston University, Emerson College and the Museum of Fine Arts School, which are cranking out a lot of film majors who are sticking around to make movies. Organizations like The Massachusetts Media Alliance have provided forums for independents to network with each other, and the community is growing each year.

“With the advent of DV, there are a lot of men and women who are able to make good pictures for a low budget,” says Frank Kerr, president of Boston Pictures, who adds, “there’s a good talent pool of crew here to staff those pictures, who have for large part honed their skills on commercial or industrial work, so that helps a lot.”

As with Rhode Island, labor here is heavily unionized, so you’ll want to check in with the Labor Board (617-565-6710) before hiring crew, and then with the film office for referrals at (617) 973-8800. The Boston Film Bureau (617-635-3245) is also a good resource to start with.

Kerr says the skill level here is rising rapidly, as are pay scales for those with experience, but there are still a lot crew available for low budget films who are looking for their first credits. “Boston is a good entry into the industry for those looking to move on, as opposed to staying independent and poor,” he says.

And “move on” is exactly what Kerr plans to do—while staying put in Boston. A product of NYU Film School, he was signed by William Morris after winning a national Focus Award (the “Oscar” for student filmmakers). He worked for Morris in LA for eight years writing screenplays and directing for such notables as Chuck Gordon and Jerry Weintraub. “Call me a ‘softy,’ but I wanted to be with my family, so I sacrificed the volume of projects I had in LA to come back here.” Now Kerr wants to move up to the big leagues and make films with known actors. “If you want to survive, you’ve got to move your budgets up and fill some of the leads with known actors, because the reality of it is when you’re trying to get a distributor, the first question they always ask is ‘Who’s in it?’ It’s hard to overcome that hurdle.”

The East Coast presents some additional funding problems for indies, admits Kerr. “It’s not like LA where everybody knows what the game is. First, you can’t get banks to loan money for motion pictures because they don’t understand the concept of lending on film. You’ve got to find individual financiers.” According to the Film Office (617-973-8800), forums are being developed to school bankers on the finer points of film financing, though, so hopefully that’s about to change.

Thus far, Kerr’s company has made two films here. Patriots, about a young woman who becomes involved in gun-running to the IRA, was picked up by Motion Picture Corp. and later, Orion. The other, Last Night at Eddie’s, a “twenty-something” comedy, is currently being shopped around.

“It’s a fertile ground out here,” says Kerr. It’s so un-LA and NY that it sets itself apart—it’s Boston and it’s got its own look, feel and perspective that comes through on film. You can’t get a lot of these ‘looks’ anywhere else in the world,” he says, adding that the weather is actually an asset for those who are after that sort of ‘look’ for their picture. While he admits much of the attention being paid to the area is due to its trendiness, he also believes there is good reason to think the trend will develop into a burgeoning film scene. Kerr is now considering two projects in the $2 to 3 million range, one of which has a New England feel and is about a lobster fishing colony set in Maine.

Bostonians may fret about hurricane season, pahkin’ the cah’ in Hahvahd Yahd, the Cheers set having actually been located in Hollywood and, of course, the heartbreaking Red Sox plan to rebuild Fenway Park, but there’s no fretting about the growing film scene here. It’s a sure bet to go all the way. MM