Industry News
A report of news & happenings in the local industry for April 2004.

By Melinda Green

Email news to news@newenglandfilm.com. 

"Beyond Dreamland" plans to wrap production August 2004.   [Click to enlarge]

Spring is in the air in New England. Smell the fresh grass, spilled beer, and sausage on the grill. Some would tell you that this is the smell of hope, but it is just the beginning of another season of heated Red Sox and Yankees action.

But Spring in the Northeast isn't just about baseball. The change in temperatures also brings new opportunities to showcase the region's diverse beauty on film and television. Expect the number of projects in the region to continue to grow, especially after an exceptional 2003. Boston was recently ranked 3^rd in MovieMaker Magazine’s Best Places to Film.

Aspiring filmmakers -- take advantage of New Hampshire. The Film Office recently underwent severe budget cuts so they are no longer actively promoting. However, they are still fielding inquiries and would be happy to help out any production in the state. Live Free and Film!

Connecticut is becoming quite popular in the world of reality television. An upcoming series on Bravo focusing on relationships, "Things I Hate About You," has already wrapped a couple of episodes in the state and has announced plans to return. China will be filming their first reality show, "Quest USA," at either Mohegan Sun or at Mystic Seaport. The show chronicles a scavenger hunt extending from Boston to Miami.

Callbacks are now taking place (for both people and canines) for "The Twelve Dogs of Christmas" in the Maine area. The movie is the tale of a depression-era boy who teaches others the spirit of Christmas with the aid of 12 dogs. Filmmakers are casting 84 dogs for the feature. No word yet on any of the human stars of the film, but production will soon be underway. The film, directed by 1973 Academy Award winner Keith Merrill ("The Great American Cowboy"), is slated for a Christmas 2004 release.

The Greater-Boston area will be the site for principle photography in April for a new television show, "Numbers." During Marathon weekend, the Tom Arnold Masterpiece Theater, better known as "The Best Damn Sports Show Ever," will be shooting in Boston. It will air subsequently on the Fox Sports Network. Will Mr. Arnold be running in the running world’s most prestigious race?

Production on the Connecticut feature-length documentary, "Beyond Dreamland," commenced last summer and will wrap in August 2004. The film, produced by Alex Fuller and staring Brian Weapon, tells story of a world-class rock drummer's ongoing battle with cancer. For more information about the film, visit www.spectreusa.com.  

"Breaking the Mold: The Kee Malesky Story," an entirely fictional coming of age comedy about the real-life Kee Malesky (staff librarian at National Public Radio), will have a Boston-area debut at the Coolidge Corner Theater on April 6th. The film, directed by Boston-area filmmaker Joshua Seftel and shot entirely in Lowell, Massachusetts, has screened at film festivals across the country and will air on PBS in the coming months. The half-hour comedy tells the story of a teenage librarian who uncovers the toxic truth about a popular reality television show. The film is narrated by Scott Simon of National Public Radio.

"Crossing Jordan" has returned to NBC (Fridays, 10pm). Of course, it’s filmed in California, but the Irish-sounding surnames and Boston Police cruisers give an aura of authenticity, even if the outside shots are reminiscent of "Dawson' s 'Boston' Creek." "The Practice" is also back on ABC (Sundays, 10pm). This David Kelley standby is also filmed on the West Coast, but it now features Newton’s James Spader in a lead role.

On April 21, CourtTV premiers the "Psychic Detectives" installment regarding the Penny Serra murder case. This episode was shot in the New Haven and Norwalk areas. Also this month, "Trace Evidence: From the Files of Dr. Henry Lee" will be debuting on the network. Dr. Henry Lee is the Connecticut forensic expert who has testified at some of the most talked-about trials of the last decade -- including that one with the football player who starred in "Capricorn 1." "Trace Evidence" has been filmed in Meridian and Easton and is a new series for the network.

No date yet on a "Mystic River" DVD (but it’s still playing in several theaters), but the Wellsley-filmed "Mona Lisa Smile" is now in video stores everywhere.

Red Sox fans will rejoice to know that a documentary feature on the 2003 season will be released in Boston on May 7th before wider distribution throughout the Northeast. Distributed by New York (Blasphemous!) indie distributor THINKFilm, a vote was held on the internet during the final weeks of March to decide on the title between four possible choices ("Another Season," "Red Sox Blues," "Fenway Blues", or "This Is The Year"). Perhaps an alternate ending will be available on DVD.

The Coolidge Corner Theatre announced Zhang Yimou, the internationally acclaimed Chinese director, would be the first recipient of its annual Coolidge Award, including a $10,000 prize. Zhang will visit Boston this coming May to accept the award and participate in a ceremony and festivities at the Coolidge on May 26-27, 2004.

Boston is the site for the new reality game show produced by both David E. Kelley and Regis Philbin for ABC’s fall lineup. "Who Wants to be James Spader’s Secretary?" will begin shooting once Spader completes the shooting for "The Practice." Ha, April Fool’s.

Listings of screenings, festivals, meetings and other events at www.NewEnglandFilm.com/events/

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