Even Ethan Hunt, the secret agent played by Tom Cruise in the “Mission: Impossible”
movie series, might find it a challenge to solve the financial woes facing the town of
Bridgewater these days.
But when the Hollywood actor steps onto a cornfield off Curve Street later this month
to begin filming a new movie, “Wichita,” with co-star Cameron Diaz, a lot of people are
going to feel good anyway.
Having famous people come to town is fun, as Taunton residents discovered last year
when Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley and Martin Scorcese filmed “Shutter Island,”
originally titled “Ashecliffe,” at Whittenton Mills. That movie is due out in February.
And it’s good for business, too, according to the state Department of Revenue.
Attracted by a tax credit of 25 percent on qualifying expenses and an exemption from
the state sales tax, movie companies have been coming to the state in increasing
numbers since 2006.
It’s paying off, according to the DOR, which estimates that 13 movie projects filmed in
2008 resulted in $452 million in direct spending in Massachusetts — and not just in
Boston, either.
“One of the best things, and perhaps unexpected things, that happened as a result of
the film business boom, since the governor and the Legislature lifted the cap on the
tax credit back in 2007, has been the migration of business outside greater Boston,”
said Nick Paleologos, executive director of the Massachusetts Film Office.
“When you look around and ask yourself, ‘Where is Hollywood spending its money,’ it’s
Worcester, Gloucester, Woburn, Taunton, Medfield, Hull. It’s really been great,” said
Paleologos. Paleologos said filmmakers who originally came to Boston to make their
movies were “tripping over themselves” in the city’s neighborhoods, so they began
looking around and discovering “film-friendly communities” outside Boston.
“They find labor, materials, infrastructure,” said Paleologos. “If they can get their
creative needs met, they love coming to Massachusetts.”
Two proposals for sound stages that would further serve the movie industry are moving
through the local permitting process south of Boston. Plymouth Rock Studios in
Plymouth would be a $282 million production complex with 14 sound stages, two back
lots and a pair of production buildings. It would feature a performing arts school,
vocational classrooms, cultural and visitors centers and a screening theater.
International Studio Corp. would be located on 30 acres of the former South Weymouth
Naval Air Station. The $147-million, 600,000-square-foot motion picture complex would
be able to produce television shows and video games as well as movies. “If they get
up and running, it will generate more movies and TV series,” said Paleologos. “We don’
t have state-of-the-art sound stages in Massachusetts. If one or two are built, we’ll go
from a seasonal business to a year-round business, and be able to produce the kinds of
movies that require these kinds of facilities — those with computer-animated special
effects.”
Meanwhile, the Bridgewater movie, tentatively titled “Wichita,” will be “the biggest we’
ve ever had by whatever means you measure,” said Paleologos. “The amount of money
they will be spending in the state is very large, as you would expect in a Tom Cruise
movie,” Paleologos said. “It’s going to be a big, challenging film for us to host with
lots of big action scenes.”
The movie is described as “an action-oriented romantic comedy.”
Diaz will play an “upbeat Midwestern woman” who goes on a blind date with Cruise, a
federal agent. She is pulled into “a violent world journey to protect a powerful battery
that holds the key to an infinite power source,” according to a description on the movie’
s Web site.
The Boeing 727 carrying Cruise and Diaz will seem to crash into the 263-acre
Bridgewater field, though it is actually arriving in three separate pieces next Friday.
Filming is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sept. 24 and 25. Fireworks will simulate the
plane crash.
Other parts of the movie — chase scenes, cars overturning — will be shot elsewhere,
including Woburn and Boston. “Congratulations. We’re happier than heck that it’s
happening there for you guys,” said Paleologos of Bridgewater.
movie series, might find it a challenge to solve the financial woes facing the town of
Bridgewater these days.
But when the Hollywood actor steps onto a cornfield off Curve Street later this month
to begin filming a new movie, “Wichita,” with co-star Cameron Diaz, a lot of people are
going to feel good anyway.
Having famous people come to town is fun, as Taunton residents discovered last year
when Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley and Martin Scorcese filmed “Shutter Island,”
originally titled “Ashecliffe,” at Whittenton Mills. That movie is due out in February.
And it’s good for business, too, according to the state Department of Revenue.
Attracted by a tax credit of 25 percent on qualifying expenses and an exemption from
the state sales tax, movie companies have been coming to the state in increasing
numbers since 2006.
It’s paying off, according to the DOR, which estimates that 13 movie projects filmed in
2008 resulted in $452 million in direct spending in Massachusetts — and not just in
Boston, either.
“One of the best things, and perhaps unexpected things, that happened as a result of
the film business boom, since the governor and the Legislature lifted the cap on the
tax credit back in 2007, has been the migration of business outside greater Boston,”
said Nick Paleologos, executive director of the Massachusetts Film Office.
“When you look around and ask yourself, ‘Where is Hollywood spending its money,’ it’s
Worcester, Gloucester, Woburn, Taunton, Medfield, Hull. It’s really been great,” said
Paleologos. Paleologos said filmmakers who originally came to Boston to make their
movies were “tripping over themselves” in the city’s neighborhoods, so they began
looking around and discovering “film-friendly communities” outside Boston.
“They find labor, materials, infrastructure,” said Paleologos. “If they can get their
creative needs met, they love coming to Massachusetts.”
Two proposals for sound stages that would further serve the movie industry are moving
through the local permitting process south of Boston. Plymouth Rock Studios in
Plymouth would be a $282 million production complex with 14 sound stages, two back
lots and a pair of production buildings. It would feature a performing arts school,
vocational classrooms, cultural and visitors centers and a screening theater.
International Studio Corp. would be located on 30 acres of the former South Weymouth
Naval Air Station. The $147-million, 600,000-square-foot motion picture complex would
be able to produce television shows and video games as well as movies. “If they get
up and running, it will generate more movies and TV series,” said Paleologos. “We don’
t have state-of-the-art sound stages in Massachusetts. If one or two are built, we’ll go
from a seasonal business to a year-round business, and be able to produce the kinds of
movies that require these kinds of facilities — those with computer-animated special
effects.”
Meanwhile, the Bridgewater movie, tentatively titled “Wichita,” will be “the biggest we’
ve ever had by whatever means you measure,” said Paleologos. “The amount of money
they will be spending in the state is very large, as you would expect in a Tom Cruise
movie,” Paleologos said. “It’s going to be a big, challenging film for us to host with
lots of big action scenes.”
The movie is described as “an action-oriented romantic comedy.”
Diaz will play an “upbeat Midwestern woman” who goes on a blind date with Cruise, a
federal agent. She is pulled into “a violent world journey to protect a powerful battery
that holds the key to an infinite power source,” according to a description on the movie’
s Web site.
The Boeing 727 carrying Cruise and Diaz will seem to crash into the 263-acre
Bridgewater field, though it is actually arriving in three separate pieces next Friday.
Filming is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sept. 24 and 25. Fireworks will simulate the
plane crash.
Other parts of the movie — chase scenes, cars overturning — will be shot elsewhere,
including Woburn and Boston. “Congratulations. We’re happier than heck that it’s
happening there for you guys,” said Paleologos of Bridgewater.
 |  |  |
South Shore region turning into Hollywood hotbed
by Roland Hansen
by Roland Hansen
Send comments to editor@deltafilms.net
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