I think the goal of developing these movie studios is to turn Boston into the next Vancouver or Toronto, NOT the next Hollywood. I also believe that Boston could easily become a more desired shooting location with the addition of several sound stages and support space, and ultimately surpass those other locations as well as places like Michigan that have also passed film related tax credits.
Movie Studios: Boston is the new Hollywood.
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Vancouver seems pretty dead as a major studio destination these last 7-8 years as they no longer really offer any sort of unique tax incentives while not being a city that is plot integrative with its films...though maybe I just havent been paying enough attention.
Meanwhile, Boston is continuing to build some momentum...
Tom Cruise casts his eye on Boston
Email|Link|Comments (0) Posted by Mark Shanahan June 18, 2009 08:41 PM
http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/more_names/blog/2009/06/tom_cruise_casts_his_eye_on_bo.html
Hollywood's infatuation with the Hub is getting serious. Very serious.
A slew of screen idols are about to descend on Boston to shoot new movies, including, we're told, Tom Cruise. That's right, the world's most famous movie star is nearly certain to shoot his latest flick here starting in September.
Called "Wichita," the action comedy would be the biggest budget movie ever to film here, and Cruise and co-star Cameron Diaz could be hanging around the Hub for up to three months. The film, one of several high-profile projects Cruise has been considering, will be directed by James Mangold, whose credits include "Walk the Line" and "Girl, Interrupted."
Not much is known about the script, which is being burnished now by Mangold and "Shutter Island" scribe Laeta Kalogridis, but Variety previously reported that the story centers on a single woman who meets a mysterious man on a blind date, and he turns out to be a handsome secret agent.
Since the prospective blockbuster stars Cruise, it will, of course, have several high-octane action sequences, and we're told producers have already approached city and state officials about securing permits to close select roads and bridges during shooting. We're also told that a location scout has been in the city for a few weeks checking out various neighborhoods.
It remains to be seen if Greater Boston has enough tradespeople to satisfy the demands of the many movies set to shoot here.
In addition to the Cruise pic, there's "The Fighter," director David O. Russell's biopic of Lowell-bred brawler "Irish" Micky Ward, which starts shooting in the Mill City July 6. The movie stars Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale.
Then there's "Furry Vengeance," a family comedy starring Brendan Fraser and "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" co-star Matt Prokop, who plays a city kid forced to move to rural Oregon with his dad. The movie rolls early next month.
Later in July, Kevin James and Rosario Dawson will take up temporary residence at the Franklin Park Zoo to shoot "The Zookeeper." The movie stars James as a likeable zookeeper who's unlucky with the ladies, so consults with the critters. Yes, the animals talk in the film, which makes us wonder if Little Joe is busy learning English. (By the way, Franklin Park Zoo will be called Franklin Park Zoo in the movie.)
Finally, in August, Ben Affleck gets behind the camera again, following up "Gone Baby Gone" with "The Town," a movie based on Chuck Hogan's book "Prince of Thieves." The award-winning novel is about a Charlestown thief, played by Affleck, who falls hard for the bank manager whose branch he and his crew just robbed. Word is Rebecca Hall, who was in "Frost/Nixon," will play the pretty bank manager.
Of course, a few movies are already shooting. "Grown Ups," which is filming in Essex, stars Adam Sandler, David Spade, Chris Rock, Kevin James, Rob Schneider, and Salma Hayek, among others, and "Valediction," starring Eliza Dushku, Ben Barnes, and Danny Glover, will be in filming north of Boston for a few days before wrapping July 3. "The Company of Men," starring Affleck, Kevin Costner, and Tommy Lee Jones, finished shooting a couple of weeks ago.
Meanwhile, Boston is continuing to build some momentum...
Tom Cruise casts his eye on Boston
Email|Link|Comments (0) Posted by Mark Shanahan June 18, 2009 08:41 PM
http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/more_names/blog/2009/06/tom_cruise_casts_his_eye_on_bo.html
Hollywood's infatuation with the Hub is getting serious. Very serious.
A slew of screen idols are about to descend on Boston to shoot new movies, including, we're told, Tom Cruise. That's right, the world's most famous movie star is nearly certain to shoot his latest flick here starting in September.
Called "Wichita," the action comedy would be the biggest budget movie ever to film here, and Cruise and co-star Cameron Diaz could be hanging around the Hub for up to three months. The film, one of several high-profile projects Cruise has been considering, will be directed by James Mangold, whose credits include "Walk the Line" and "Girl, Interrupted."
Not much is known about the script, which is being burnished now by Mangold and "Shutter Island" scribe Laeta Kalogridis, but Variety previously reported that the story centers on a single woman who meets a mysterious man on a blind date, and he turns out to be a handsome secret agent.
Since the prospective blockbuster stars Cruise, it will, of course, have several high-octane action sequences, and we're told producers have already approached city and state officials about securing permits to close select roads and bridges during shooting. We're also told that a location scout has been in the city for a few weeks checking out various neighborhoods.
It remains to be seen if Greater Boston has enough tradespeople to satisfy the demands of the many movies set to shoot here.
In addition to the Cruise pic, there's "The Fighter," director David O. Russell's biopic of Lowell-bred brawler "Irish" Micky Ward, which starts shooting in the Mill City July 6. The movie stars Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale.
Then there's "Furry Vengeance," a family comedy starring Brendan Fraser and "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" co-star Matt Prokop, who plays a city kid forced to move to rural Oregon with his dad. The movie rolls early next month.
Later in July, Kevin James and Rosario Dawson will take up temporary residence at the Franklin Park Zoo to shoot "The Zookeeper." The movie stars James as a likeable zookeeper who's unlucky with the ladies, so consults with the critters. Yes, the animals talk in the film, which makes us wonder if Little Joe is busy learning English. (By the way, Franklin Park Zoo will be called Franklin Park Zoo in the movie.)
Finally, in August, Ben Affleck gets behind the camera again, following up "Gone Baby Gone" with "The Town," a movie based on Chuck Hogan's book "Prince of Thieves." The award-winning novel is about a Charlestown thief, played by Affleck, who falls hard for the bank manager whose branch he and his crew just robbed. Word is Rebecca Hall, who was in "Frost/Nixon," will play the pretty bank manager.
Of course, a few movies are already shooting. "Grown Ups," which is filming in Essex, stars Adam Sandler, David Spade, Chris Rock, Kevin James, Rob Schneider, and Salma Hayek, among others, and "Valediction," starring Eliza Dushku, Ben Barnes, and Danny Glover, will be in filming north of Boston for a few days before wrapping July 3. "The Company of Men," starring Affleck, Kevin Costner, and Tommy Lee Jones, finished shooting a couple of weeks ago.
type001
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Oh wow, are we ever so lucky that such a God (i.e. mentally-deranged movie star) will be gracing our humble little area. Gee, who do I thank?
It's the kind of America-infatuated-with-Hollywood mentality that I can't stand. However, I still haven't decided if any of this is a good idea or not for Massachusetts. I don't even want to know how many more streets and areas will be closed, even more frequently, so that overblown production companies can keep churning out easy-to-swallow crap.
KentXie
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pelhamhall
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Here's an over-riding, fundamental concept that I cannot understand:
Mass lowers the cost of doing business for movies = more movie revenue
Mass lowers cost of BioTech business = more Biotech revenue
Yet, especially in the new budget unveiled yesterday, Mass increases the cost of all other business, all the time, on everything. To... try to get more revenue?
Why don't we lower the cost of doing business for... say insurance firms, and high tech firms, and law firms, and PR firms, and construction firms, etc, etc, etc. in order to get more revenue from those industries?
Conceptually, the Mass government is a paradox. They lower the cost to do business for movie studios, and reap more movie business. We all celebrate. Tom Cruise is coming, we get to tax him, yay!
Yet these same politicians, increase the cost of doing business on other industries and in press releases say it is necessary to "increase revenues to the Commonwealth".
Well which is it? Do you lower the cost of doing business to get more business and more revenue, or do you increase the cost of doing business to get more revenue? The Mass legislature does both, depending not on economics, but on how sexy the industry is.
Trying to explain this to a sweaty, ill-fitted suit-wearing, glad-hander on Beacon Hill will literally cause your head to explode.
Mass lowers the cost of doing business for movies = more movie revenue
Mass lowers cost of BioTech business = more Biotech revenue
Yet, especially in the new budget unveiled yesterday, Mass increases the cost of all other business, all the time, on everything. To... try to get more revenue?
Why don't we lower the cost of doing business for... say insurance firms, and high tech firms, and law firms, and PR firms, and construction firms, etc, etc, etc. in order to get more revenue from those industries?
Conceptually, the Mass government is a paradox. They lower the cost to do business for movie studios, and reap more movie business. We all celebrate. Tom Cruise is coming, we get to tax him, yay!
Yet these same politicians, increase the cost of doing business on other industries and in press releases say it is necessary to "increase revenues to the Commonwealth".
Well which is it? Do you lower the cost of doing business to get more business and more revenue, or do you increase the cost of doing business to get more revenue? The Mass legislature does both, depending not on economics, but on how sexy the industry is.
Trying to explain this to a sweaty, ill-fitted suit-wearing, glad-hander on Beacon Hill will literally cause your head to explode.
Patriots_1228
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Boston is perfect for hollywood stars because none of us really give a shit about them so it will bring them back down to earth.
I am looking forward to the fighter however. The Warriors Code by the dropkick murphys is about that guy, correct?
I am looking forward to the fighter however. The Warriors Code by the dropkick murphys is about that guy, correct?
Ron Newman
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I don't see a problem with calling the street 'Rock Studios Drive' if it in fact leads to a destination whose name is (partially) 'Rock Studios'.
Suffolk 83
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YEA!! We don't give a FU.. about them stars, we're tough New Englanders!!!
Come on man, When they're filming downtown, the office girls are a chatter about what's going on and they go take their lunch break early to go check it out and come back and talk about IT and the stars they saw.
It's probably more hype here because we don't see it too often. Don't talk for an entire city and say "Aw we're too hardnose with that nose to the grindstone type to give a fuck about Hollywood."
Suffolk 83
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I'm not trying to alienate people, but come on. Is this a forum or is a censored bulletin board? I never know which.
Patriots_1228
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I meant in comparison to other cities. Most bostonians would pick seeing there favorite athlete in public than a celebrity. Of course, personally, i would rather see clay bucholz's penthouse pet of the year girlfriend [celebrity] instead of him [athelete].....
I was excited for a bit about this whole movies thing, until I was accidentally in the burlington mall when they shot mall cop, and realized how incredibly boring it was. Having said that I still think its nice to have some movies shot in boston, the only reason I was able to tolerate that horrible movie knowing was because it was filmed around here.
I was excited for a bit about this whole movies thing, until I was accidentally in the burlington mall when they shot mall cop, and realized how incredibly boring it was. Having said that I still think its nice to have some movies shot in boston, the only reason I was able to tolerate that horrible movie knowing was because it was filmed around here.
tobyjug
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I like Suffolk's gritty style. (And to his great credit, he is man enough to say "sorry" if he crosses the line.)
It's remarkable how much silliness is revealed when people talk about Hollywood. Me thinks some of you prtest too much.
Whatever your personal inclinations, movie and tv production in Vancouver changed the dynamics of that city - and the locals were grateful. Ask them how they feel now that production there has ebbed due to competition.
It provides high paying jobs, promotes the area, does not polute and drops a lot cash before it moves on. Okay, so a few streets get closed. Seems like a fair trade.
Whatever your personal inclinations, movie and tv production in Vancouver changed the dynamics of that city - and the locals were grateful. Ask them how they feel now that production there has ebbed due to competition.
It provides high paying jobs, promotes the area, does not polute and drops a lot cash before it moves on. Okay, so a few streets get closed. Seems like a fair trade.
JohnAKeith
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I've yet to see any independent results released showing that the film tax credit has had any net increase in financial activity. Yes, people get employed, but what were they doing before?? Sitting on their asses at home? No, they had other jobs. The money the state gives to the production companies (and movie stars) is not returned in tax revenues.
So, why have the giveaways exist, at all?
Check out Commonwealth magazine's coverage of this and other tax credit programs, then we can talk facts.
So, why have the giveaways exist, at all?
Check out Commonwealth magazine's coverage of this and other tax credit programs, then we can talk facts.
The tax incentives for the film and television industry is basically a marketing expense for the state. The more exposure MA and Boston get in via the movies, the more people will want to come here and spend their money here. You're not going to get that same exposure via the insurance industry or many others.
Well just exposure doesn't really do much, and it can paint a negative image, as it often does for LA heh - a shoot alone doesn't generate much more than a new temporary revenue source for any location, not jobs. Production, marketing, development, creative, graphics, editing, photography, representation, mixing, etc etc, are all back here. So none of the jobs get exported in filming. Even the great majority of people involved in a shoot come from a studio in LA.
Plymouth Rock - a subsidiary of paramount I think - will of course provide jobs, and Boston does have talent that presently gets shipped out to LA or NY (there are clusters of people here from Harvard and Emerson). The thing is about these subsidiaries is that they often last only as long as their original promoters before they're shelved by their parent companies - they're like brands - many turn out genre films that generally don't make that much money, maybe one or two big money makers over the course of so many years and then they're over. Then somebody else moves in or you have a fun adaptive reuse project on your hands.
I do LOVE the 'Hollywood East' sign I've seen pictures of. A much better shoice than 'East Hollywood' - which people usually associate with mexican gangs.
Plymouth Rock - a subsidiary of paramount I think - will of course provide jobs, and Boston does have talent that presently gets shipped out to LA or NY (there are clusters of people here from Harvard and Emerson). The thing is about these subsidiaries is that they often last only as long as their original promoters before they're shelved by their parent companies - they're like brands - many turn out genre films that generally don't make that much money, maybe one or two big money makers over the course of so many years and then they're over. Then somebody else moves in or you have a fun adaptive reuse project on your hands.
I do LOVE the 'Hollywood East' sign I've seen pictures of. A much better shoice than 'East Hollywood' - which people usually associate with mexican gangs.
JohnAKeith
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In other states?
weymouth can have the tweaker midget dressed up as chucky, the hollywood/highland center, and even some palm trees. send some shade trees this way. Do you think Hollywood East will generate a large concentration of transvestite apparrel stores or is that a pipedream?