Friday, January 1, 2010
PITTSFIELD – A juried exhibition of photography at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts is not just an art show.
These are photographs that focus on Pittsfield, from its gritty industrial side all the way through a variety of neighborhoods and setting to some of the soaring architectural beauty that graces the downtown area. And while the show was launched to highlight local artists, it was also a way to give new perspectives to film industry location scouts seeking exciting settings for scenes in upcoming movie projects.
According to Megan Whilden, Pittsfield’s director of cultural development, the idea formed more than a year ago when she was touring the city with a location scout prepping for Martin Scorcese’s upcoming film, “Shutter Island.” It grew further in a meeting with Nick Paleologos, executive director of the Massachusetts Film Office.
The goal, she said, is to give a boost to the creative economy by increasing film industry activity in Berkshire County. The challenge is that the stereotypical image of Berkshire County among many filmmakers is its old mansions, rolling hills, bucolic farmland and pastoral forests. By posting these photos on the Web, film professionals will have new views of the Berkshires to choose from.
“The very first point of sale for movie settings is the location scout, and our best tool to show them what we offer is the Web site (for the Berkshire Film and Media Commission, www. berkshirefilm. Whilden said. “So this show is a great way to celebrate the talent, the neighborhoods and the urban landscape while encouraging a new source of income for the Berkshires.”
The exhibition, which begins today, consists of about 40 photographs submitted by 26 photographers. The jury of three, without knowing the name of the photographers, selected the pieces from about 200 entries submitted by 36 artists. But many more of the 200 entries might still be chosen to appear on the Berkshire Film and Media Commission’s Web site for viewing by location scouts, directors and producers.
The Internet is usually the first step in finding potential filming locations, Whilden said.
The chosen photographs will start appearing there within the next couple of weeks, said Diane Pearlman, executive director of the commission.
“One of the purposes of the Berkshire Film and Media Commission is to facilitate and promote film and television production here,” Pearlman said. “So we want to show the back alleys, the railroad tracks, the whole urban setting we have here.”
Producers and directors are always looking for more locations, she noted, so offering realistic and artistic views of the Berkshires’ urban areas increases the odds that a filmmaker will want to see more.
And the photo exhibition, which they are considering as an annual event, capitalizes on the “many talented photographers we have here, and it allows more people to see many more perspectives of Pittsfield,” Pearlman said.
“Berkshire City: Pittsfield on Film” will run through March 6 at the Lichtenstein Center, at 28 Renne St., just east of North Street. The exhibition is free and open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.
Photographers featured in the show include Kevin Sprague, Kay Canavino, Karl Volkman, Mary Garnish, Joseph Wilk, Timothy Kushi, Scott Barrow, Scott Edward Cole, and Nicole Garzino.
