Hollywood on the Housatonic

by Bess J. M. Hochstein
Rural Intelligence

Cultural correspondent Bess J. M. Hochstein reports from Lenox: When it comes to luring film productions to the area, the Berkshire Film and Media Commission (BFMC) takes its cue from real estate agents in citing the three most important factors: location, location, location. 

  That was the message delivered to the crowd of more than 100 directors, actors, producers, crew members, film festival organizers, cineastes (including filmmaker John Whalan and BFMC executive director Diane Pearlman, left) and other interested parties who gathered in the lobby of the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre at Shakespeare & Company as the curtains rose on the BFMC. The launch party reinforced the image of the Berkshires as a potential center for filmmaking, rich in scenic landscapes, diverse architecture ranging from Gilded-Age mansions to falling-down barns, and experienced film professionals suitable for any role behind or in front of a camera. Add to these resources a soon-to-be developed soundstage conveniently located in the very building where the launch party was held—about 35,000 square feet of raw space in Shakespeare & Company’s Production and Performing Arts Center—and it’s clear that the Berkshires has the potential to be Hollywood on the Housatonic.  Read More on Rural Intelligence...