American Cinematographer - July 1997 - 105

cording to Tim Grafft, deputy director of
the Massachusetts Film Office, the
unions have become "much more flexible
and producer friendly" in the past few

Terms of union agreements are
routinely drafted on a per-picture basis.
Ironically, the surge in inde¬
pendent feature production may be due
in part to the hour-long ABC television
series Spenser for Hire. During its sev¬
eral season run in the late Eighties, this

years.

series (which was drawn from Robert B.
Parker's popular Boston-based detective

Fax: 00(31)347342316

Tel: 00(31)347342382

novels) was filmed entirely in the Boston
area. Says Grafft, "Spenserwas here
working every day for nine months of
each year it was on the air. They spent a
lot of money and formed a great deal of
the basis for our local crew population."

Fie adds that Boston

now

has the capac¬

ity to provide local crews for 2 Vi features
at any given time.
Flowever, Boston is still not in
the same league as New York, Chicago
or Atlanta. None of the national equip¬
ment rental firms or labs are located
there. According to a film industry pro¬
fessional familiar with the Boston scene,

High Output is the only true lighting and
rigging supplier, while Boston Camera
Rental, the town's only professionallevel camera rental house, offers a daily
shuttle

run

DU-ALL CAMERA
Rentals * Sales * Service
16mm, Super 16mm
and 35mm Packages
529 W. 42nd St.
New York, NY 10036

Tel: (212) 643-1042

Fax:(212)643-9355
E-mail: Du-allcamera@juno.com

to and from DuArt in New

York. Another major drawback is the lack
of any real soundstages. Flowever, a new

Where did

facility, to be situated on the campus of
Bunker Flill Community College and par¬
tially funded by the state, is currently in
its final design stages. Plans for other
studios are also in various stages of de¬
velopment.
Perhaps Boston's most impor¬
tant asset is the excitement and dyna¬
mism typical to boom-towns; there is
palpable energy in the Boston indepen¬

MICHAEL MANN, TAK FUJIMOTO, ROGER PRATT,
HOWARD ATHERTON, MARK GOIDBLATT & CURTIS CLARK

and

York, NY 10044.

than 80 countries?

Which FILM SCHOOL is in the heart of Central London?
Which FILM SCHOOL offers work
Which FILM SCHOOL includes
Which FILM SCHOOL is

amazing; everyone had such incredible

Eric Rudolph has succeeded Brooke
Comer as AC's East Coast contributing
editor. Correspondence can be sent to
him at P.O. Box 179, Island Station, New

F||_/y\ SCHOOL is the oldest in the U.K.?

Which FILM SCHOOL has trained students from

dent film scene. Roland Tec comments,
"The entire crew on All the Rage was

morale. There is real excitement in the
air. Independent films are springing up
all over, and there is a feeling that every¬
one is going to do their best to make cer¬
tain Boston succeeds as a film city." ♦

to FILM SCHOOL...

question

least 6 films in

two 35mm

two

years?

films in the Curriculum?

not-for-profit educational charity?

THE LONDON
INTERNATIONAL

FILM SCHOOL

For full details of the two-year,

full-time DIPLOMA COURSE:-

CALL+44 171 836 9642. OR FAX: +44 171 497 3718 OR Email:
OR Write to

lifs@dial.pipex.com

Dept. AC9, The London International Film School, 24, Shelton Street, London WC2H 9HP, U.K.

OR LOG ON TO OUR WEB PAGES AT:

http://www.tecc.co.uk/lifs/index.html

find complete details of the Syllabus, Fees, Application and Enrolment. There is a convenient form for
requesting a Prospectus Pack as well as News Items, details of Graduates Work and an Ex-students' Contact Group.

where you can

GRAND INTERNATIONAL REUNION, WEEK

Alumni

ENDING 12th April 1997

please Log On to http://www.tecc.co.uk/lifs/reunion.html

American Cinematographer - July 1997

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