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Lights, Camera - Connecticut?
Film office hopes to make state a minor movie mecca, maybe more
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Business New Haven
11/27/2000
By: Michael C. Bingham
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Though it's been three years now since the cast and crew of Steven Spielberg's Amistad set up shop in Mystic, the nascent Connecticut Film, Video & Media Office has a few modest successes it would like to crow about.
A division of the state's Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD), the film office works to attract, movie, video, electronic and digital media production to the state as well as help to promote industry-related companies located here.
Given the state's remoteness from Hollywood and high costs, it's an uphill climb. But film office officials say their momentum is growing.
Currently in production in the state is Cut and Dried, a feature-length film penned by Fairfield native actress Carrie Pittu and directed by Gerry Wenner. The story of a Hollywood actress who rediscovers herself in her small Connecticut hometown, Cut and Dried is presently shooting in New Haven.
Another independent film, A Little Bit of Lipstick, was scheduled to wrap shooting in Hartford the day after Thanksgiving. Starring Mia Tyler, daughter of Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler and sister of Liv, A Little Bit of Lipstick was written and directed by J.T. Foster, formerly of WFSB-TV, and also features legendary comic Soupy Sales.
Guy Ortoleva, managing director of the film office, and assistant director Mark Dixon also aided producers of two television series in their efforts to capture local footage. Both CBS' Judging Amy and the WB's Gilmore Girls are set in Connecticut. Film office staff also connected producers of the new UPN drama Arrest & Trial with a local studio, and worked with the crew of a Japanese music video on location in New Haven.
The film and media business can be of growing importance to the state's economy, said Gov. John G. Rowland in a cover story in Imagine, a regional film-industry trade magazine. Its potential impact especially benefits service industries, such as hotels and catering, which could grow apace if the film office can persuade more producers to shoot here.
In addition, the film office's Ortoleva and Dixon have been working with Connecticut municipalities to streamline their permitting processes.
“Some towns have their own permits; others don't have any,” explains Ortoleva. “But if producers can't get approval for shoots quickly, they will take their productions - and their money - elsewhere. We work with municipalities to attract and manage this clean, lucrative industry in the state.”
In addition to the film office, Connecticut also has a Film Commission, a group of industry professionals that serves as an advisory group to the film office.
“We're very pleased with the work of the film office,” says Doug McAward, who chairs the Film Commission. “We are all working very hard to take advantage of Connecticut's opportunity to be the next breakout state in the film industry.”
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