2008 Woodie Awards
Hollywood moves east
Alana Cádiz
Issue date: 7/2/08 Section: Focus
It was 5:30 on a March morning and tons of actors were swarming a tent in the Burlington Mall parking lot. It was the beginning of their long work day - at least 12 hours, possibly 16.
For some, there was nothing novel about the scene. The regulars were catching up with old friends. But for many actors in the Northeast, being on a movie set is a new experience.
The crowd was waiting to hear an announcement from one of five production assistants. To pass the time, actors continued helping themselves to hot servings of eggs, hash browns, bacon and sausage and dropping them on their paper plates.
Nick Crimaldi, 21, of Belmont sat with a Harry Potter-esque scarf wrapped around his neck. He was one of the 250 people waiting to be an extra for the Boston-made feature film, "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," starring Kevin James.
Crimaldi said he was amazed - not by the amount of extras, but by the film buzz surrounding Boston and the outlying area. A native of Belmont, Crimaldi said he had recently moved back to the Massachusetts after living in San Diego to attend college.
"I can't believe it. I feel like there are a lot more films being filmed here in Boston compared to where I was last year in California," Crimaldi said. "Boston is definitely making its mark. ... I can't believe I'm so close to home and experiencing this whole process."
Boston's transformation from a city rarely used for filming to an entertainment hub has attracted many in the movie business within the past year.
A Nov. 17, 2007 New York Times article referred to Boston as "the new Toronto of the film industry," and with plans to build a $200 million production facility in South Weymouth, a Feb. 24 Boston Herald article said the city is taking "a major step toward becoming Hollywood East."
"This is a great time to be in New England," said Neal Thomassen, a movie producer and editor based in Hartford, Conn. "It's great to say that Massachusetts, as well as Connecticut and Rhode Island, are becoming this 'Hollywood East.'"
For some, there was nothing novel about the scene. The regulars were catching up with old friends. But for many actors in the Northeast, being on a movie set is a new experience.
The crowd was waiting to hear an announcement from one of five production assistants. To pass the time, actors continued helping themselves to hot servings of eggs, hash browns, bacon and sausage and dropping them on their paper plates.
Nick Crimaldi, 21, of Belmont sat with a Harry Potter-esque scarf wrapped around his neck. He was one of the 250 people waiting to be an extra for the Boston-made feature film, "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," starring Kevin James.
Crimaldi said he was amazed - not by the amount of extras, but by the film buzz surrounding Boston and the outlying area. A native of Belmont, Crimaldi said he had recently moved back to the Massachusetts after living in San Diego to attend college.
"I can't believe it. I feel like there are a lot more films being filmed here in Boston compared to where I was last year in California," Crimaldi said. "Boston is definitely making its mark. ... I can't believe I'm so close to home and experiencing this whole process."
Boston's transformation from a city rarely used for filming to an entertainment hub has attracted many in the movie business within the past year.
A Nov. 17, 2007 New York Times article referred to Boston as "the new Toronto of the film industry," and with plans to build a $200 million production facility in South Weymouth, a Feb. 24 Boston Herald article said the city is taking "a major step toward becoming Hollywood East."
"This is a great time to be in New England," said Neal Thomassen, a movie producer and editor based in Hartford, Conn. "It's great to say that Massachusetts, as well as Connecticut and Rhode Island, are becoming this 'Hollywood East.'"
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