I had been talking in the past about a possible studio that might go in at the Weymouth Naval base. But recently I have been hearing rumors that it might not happen. But all is not lost! It looks like another one is going to be made in Plymouth. The same deal too: Sound Stages, Back Lots, film post-production technology of all kinds. They have a website here. And the coolest thing is that I think this one was green-lighted. There is a really cool map of what the place will be like here. I have only skimmed the website, so don’t know to much about the details. I will post more as I learn more. I can’t say enough how much this could mean to local actors and film production professionals. This Rocks!

‘Tis all for now!

Hey, great news for local new england actors. Brotherhood got picked up for another season. Filming is slated to begin late spring 2008. I am excited because my character did not die, so maybe I can come back in another episode this year. Wish me luck! Also for the local actors it is great because TV shows hire many more day-player actors than the big movies. Brotherhood is a brilliantly written and acted show so I highly suggest checking out! And I am not just saying that because I am in it!

Speaking of local actors here is a picture from the LDI Casting open house earlier this year. In the picture (left to right) is Patrick Pitu, myself, and William Decoff. William also managed to get a Day Player role last year as a cop. I wish Pat the best of luck on landing a role this year, and I hope that William and I can come back on as recurring characters seeing that we both lived.

‘Tis all for now!

Today, I got called in for an audition for one of the new movies coming to Boston. The movie is called “Shutter Island” and is based on author Dennis Lehane’s 2004 novel by the same name. Dennis Lehane is also the man behind “Mystic River” and “Gone, Baby, Gone”. Both these books have already been made into big budget movies. I was auditioning for a small role comprising of 1 line. The role is for an inmate at the Ashecliffe Mental Hospital — this patient is far gone.

Getting this role would rock because I am a big fan of Martin Scorsese, and to be directed by him in a film is a dream of mine — no matter how small the role. Wish me luck! It will probably be a few weeks before I find out anything since the movie does not start filming till March. For myself I think I did ok. It was definitely not my best audition, but not my worst either.

I found this Synopsis of the book on-line.

Synopsis
In 1954 on a remote island in Massachusetts Bay, a mental patient has escaped from Ashecliffe Hospital. Since there is no way off the island, logic dictates that she must be hiding somewhere, and the hospital calls in US Marshalls Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) to flush her out. But when they arrive, they find that there is more going on than a simple escape, and a lot of it is in their own heads–and an approaching storm isn’t going to make things easier….

‘Tis all for now!

I noticed a happy thing. I am in one of the promotional pictures from the film. I found this picture on the Cinemavault website, which is the films foreign distributor. The film will be distributed in the US by Fox to theaters nation-wide this spring. I have about 3 lines in the movie and I was lucky enough to share a scene with TV legend David Carradine.

Production Still from “The Golden Boys”

Unfortunately the image resolution is pretty low so you cannot see the scene that well. I am the guy in the front as the wagon approaches. I am wearing a white shirt that shows off my big belly wonderfully! David Carradine is driving the wagon. In the scene he gets out to talk to myself and they guy next to me. The guy next to me is Stephen Mailer one of the many children of literary legend Norman Mailer.

‘Tis all for now!

There was an article in the Boston Globe last month that said that at least 8 new movies are on the way to Boston. Here is an excerpt describing what may be coming to town.

Next year’s action
By Carol Beggy and Mark Shanahan
Globe Staff / December 27, 2007

“The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past”
When: Production crews are already here, setting up shop in South Boston’s Seaport District.
Director: Mark Waters
Stars: Jennifer Garner and Matthew McConaughey
Story: While attending his younger brother’s wedding, a bachelor is haunted by the ghost of - you guessed it - his girlfriends past.
Release date: February 2009

“Shutter Island”
When: It’s hard to say, but location scouts have been scouring the area looking for suitable locales that could sub for a 1950s hospital for the criminally insane.
Director: Martin Scorsese
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Michelle Williams, Ben Kingsley, and Mark Ruffalo
Story: A drama based on the Dennis Lehane novel of the same name. US Marshal Teddy Daniels is investigating the disappearance of an escaped murderer who’s believed to be hiding on Shutter Island.
Release date: 2009

“The Surrogates”
When: Scouts already have picked a few locations and producers are telling local crews to be ready to go by the spring.
Director: Jonathan Mostow
Stars: Bruce Willis and Michael Jai White
Story: Based on the popular graphic novels of Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele, the futuristic action flick imagines a world where humans live in isolation but interact through surrogate robots. A cop, played by Willis, investigates the murder of surrogates.
Release date: 2010

“Against All Enemies”
When: Word is scouts have been in town, but it’s unknown yet when or where filming will take place.
Director: Robert Redford
Stars: Bruce Willis (Sean Penn and Vince Vaughn were initially attached, but have reportedly dropped out)
Story: Based on the memoir by former counterterrorism adviser Richard Clarke, the story centers on the government’s failure to heed warnings about a planned attack on the United States.
Release date: 2008

“Bride Wars”
When: Word is Kate Hudson, who stars and produces, had such a good time in Boston shooting “My Best Friend’s Girl” last summer that she wants to return. Timetable unknown.
Director: Gary Winick
Stars: Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway
Story: A comedy about best friends who become rivals when they schedule their weddings for the same day.

“The Town”
When: “The Departed” producer Graham King has scouted here, but the writers’ strike may hold things up.
Director: Adrian Lyne
Stars: Unknown
Story: Based on Chuck Hogan’s award-winning novel “Prince of Thieves” about a band of robbers who are hunted in Boston by a tenacious FBI agent and a woman who could destroy them.
Release date: 2008

“The Fighter”
When: With any luck, the production, which could end up being the largest ever filmed in the state, is expected to begin filming in Lowell next fall.
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Stars: Mark Wahlberg and Brad Pitt, who signed after Matt Damon dropped out
Story: A biopic based on the life of former champ “Irish” Micky Ward and the brother who helped train him.
Scheduled release: 2009

“Hickory Nation”
When: Filming on the North Shore could begin as soon as next month.
Director: Rebecca Cook, who’ll also get a writing and producing credit.
Stars: Aimee Teegarden
Story: A drama about life after a mysterious hit-and-run in a small Maine town.
Release date: 2009

Between these and what comes to Rhode Island during the year we may have like 12 big budget productions in the area, that is great for local New England Actors.

‘Tis all for now!