To say that this has been the best year ever for our New England production industry is the truth and it is to be celebrated. That every year going forward will continue to be the best ever is possible now. The future looks very bright, indeed. Just read our industry leaders predictions in this issue to have your spirits lifted.
So it’s time for us to celebrate and celebrate we will at our annual IMAGINE Industry New Year’s Celebration & “Imaginnaire” Awards Gala. Once again we’ll honor five members of our production community in New England and celebrate their work and our good fortune. This event is a grand networking event so bring your business cards and plan to connect with a future collaborator.
Many important film projects and partnerships have resulted by attending this magical evening. Watch for my emails for all the details, but make your reservations now as this event sells out every year. Go here to make your reservation www.imaginenews.com And remember your reservation automatically begins, renews or extends your subscription to IMAGINE for 2020. You don’t want to miss out on receiving each and every edition of IMAGINE delivered to your home or office.
This special party and a subscription to boot, makes a wonderful stocking stuffer or Christmas Gift. It’s thoughtful, filled with a fun evening and the subscription lasts all year. It doesn’t get any better than that. And you will be supporting the publication that supports your industry and supports and promotes our industry jobs and Film Tax Credits.
We are always so tuned into what’s happening right here in our marketplace, but it’s good to remember that our talent here is hired around the world. Case in point, Alexander E. von Richthofen, CEO and Producer at AARI Productions, has hired Elaine M. Rogers of Sennott Williams & Rogers Boston and New York as agent for their movie production RETURN OF THE GOLEM. The idea, conceptualization and screenplay have been written by Aliana Brodmann, renowned writer of numerous novels and contributing
journalist to several newspapers.
Germany’s largest film studio, the Studio Babelsberg in Berlin, has signed on as co-producer to this commanding mega production. Bringing the illustrious GOLEM, historical arch avenger and forerunner of all later super heroes, into the present turmoil as the charismatic and witty supernatural protector envisioned by the writer of this ingenious story. A prequel, THE GOLEM RISES, based on the 16th Century historical GOLEM Legends is also in the works.Fascinating!
Elaine Rogers is a Boston Entertainment Attorney who also has offices in New York. She has produced, executive produced and provided legal services for many films. Coming directly to my mind is SPIN, which I loved. Shot in Tucson (my home town) and southern Arizona it was a feast for my eyes. The story roped you right in and the acting was superb. Catch it if you can. Also, I remember SEARCHDOG, The story of Matthew Zarrella, a Rhode Island State Police Sergeant who rehabilitates “pound dogs” and turns them into Search & Rescue/Recovery Dogs. Through this fi lm, audiences are exposed to a rare and intimate true story about Matthew, his dogs and his students, and they witness extraordinary moments as he trains them to find missing persons. From Matthew’s video diaries, filmmaker interviews and four
years of real-time searches, we understand his motivation to help others, and his empathic methods of finding the lost and missing. Elaine was theProducer and Executive Producer on these two films respectively.
Another Boston based Entertainment Attorney, Vinca Jarrett, tours the world with films she is attached to and goes to most major film events both here at home and abroad. This week she is off to Paris for a surprise birthday party for a dear friend. Read her story in this IMAGINE as it pertains to CRYPSIS, a film made in Gloucester, Massachusetts, opening this week across the United States.
Sara Archambault has announced her new company Sara Arch + Bow, an independent documentary production company compelled by bold artistic vision and dedicated to uncovering vital, untold stories is working
on projects she is deeply passionate about.
After ten years in philanthropy and programming, She’s committing to the adventure of independent documentary film producing. Sara previously was the Program Director of the LEF Foundation and curator
of the award winning series The DocYard, held seasonally at the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square. Abby Sun will replace her as curator for The DocYard spring series.
The Massachusetts Production Coalition’s MASS EXPO was another success again this year. Held once again at WGBH, I did my best to visit every exhibit and attend the live events. I was particularly attracted to Rethinking and Reinventing Content Creation led by Jeff Rosica, President and CEO of Avid Technology.
No matter where you stand in the creative economy, change is the new normal. Chances are you’re challenged with new ways to think about your work, and how you work, on a regular basis. The volume of quality opportunities available, the way people choose to watch content, and shifts in production technology, mean we’re all working harder and faster than ever.
Soon, I think, half the population will be involved in making content. It may not make sense, but content is in very high demand. And here’s something to thinks about. Avid’s Jeff Rosica foretells that faux and fake news is here to stay. They’re not just words to be bandied about. You simply cannot believe what you see and hear as video and sound is exceptionally susceptible to manipulation with the current technology. So as a media consumer, beware. Avid and other companies are working double time to create a technology to provide guidelines and proofs as to whether or not video and/or sound has been tampered with. Wait for it as it is on its way. For now, though, the legendary days of “Walter Cronkite
News” are in the past.
We have such a packed issue that I didn’t have room for a dedicated photo section remembering 2019. I have included a few photos here, but we will post the rest on our website for your viewing pleasure.
It is in my heart to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year. Thank you for your continued support of IMAGINE and our important ongoing Industry Goals to maintain success.
