Hollywood to Hartford
- John Fitts
- Aug 1
- 4 min read
Local director looks to increase state’s visibility for film and media projects
By John Fitts
Editor
By John Fitts
Editor
The 1920 silent film classic Way Down East starring Lillian Gish, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1951 production of Strangers on a Train and the popular 2000s era drama Judging Amy all feature scenes shot in Connecticut.
Way Down East included scenes from the Farmington River and since that time, Hartford’s Pratt Street, Old Wethersfield, New Milford, Mystic and other locations have become quite familiar to film and television buffs everywhere. It’s also no secret that countless celebrities have called the state home and that Connecticut scenes have inspired numerous projects.
But Collinsville resident Stephen Emirzian believes that many might not be fully aware of the full extent of Connecticut’s ties to the film and media industry and just how much this small state has to offer when it comes to infrastructure, economics, talent, small town charm, industrial heritage and easy access to a variety of nature’s bounty.
Approximately nine months ago, Emirzian, an experienced filmmaker, producer and journalist came up with the concept for “Hollywood to Hartford,” to showcase the state’s film locations, while touching on its rich history, readily available talent pool and continuing production-friendly initiatives.
“We have everything here in this small state, from the beautiful shores, to the mountains, to heavily wooded areas and waterfalls, and everything in between,” said Emirzian, director and executive producer of the project. “And that’s the thing that maybe outsiders don’t know about.”
Along the way, several others stepped up to assist with the project.
Jim Robinson, president of the CSB Media Arts Center, which includes the Connecticut School of Broadcasting, quickly jumped in as an executive producer. CSB’s Farmington location gave the project a home base with access to studios, cameras and editing equipment, and student talent. And CSB is the perfect example of how organizations in the state are preparing talent for the ever-changing media landscape.
Robinson noted that the organization is thrilled to help a graduate, especially in a project that deepens connections and experiences for current students, who helped with many aspects of the production.
“We just want to be a part of it because it’s a part of our business,” Robinson said. “It’s a part of our fabric.”
Additionally, The CT Film and TV Alliance signed on as the project’s third executiveproducer.
“[Connecticut] is a beautiful place to shoot,” said Donn “Q” Quijada, owner of Crooked Smile Agency in Meriden and president of the Connecticut film and TV Alliance. “There’s a lot of different locations and because it’s all within driving distance of each other, you can create different worlds on the same film pretty easily. … I can get a beach location, and I can get a college campus location or a football field all within 15 minutes of driving and it just makes the process easier. When you can move from one side of the state and the other side of the state and get a lot of different worlds created, it just allows you to get more done in your day, which then allows for less days of production. This then allows for your budget to go further, which then allows for those people who are spending the money to want to come back – all of that stuff that just causes an easier pathway to finishing a successful film. And that’s the ultimate goal here.”
And it doesn’t end there as many others – from photographers to caterers – were eager to help along the way.
The project features industry folks with strong connections to the state and each one helps tell the story about the past, present and potential future of filming in Connecticut.
While that list includes luminous actress Melissa Brooke Ward and veteran actress and “Connecticut in the Movies” author Illeana Douglas, the executive producers made a concerted effort to include people from various aspects of the industry including filmmakers, producers, actors and caterers. In all about 30 people were interviewed for the production. Many of those conversations took place at the CSB Studio or other local venues, while a few were filmed elsewhere and submitted.
Along the way, Emirzian was able to tap into other talented artists. Collinsville photographer Tom Kutz, for example, now specializes in drone photography and video and provided some local footage for the project.
Emirzian himself also traveled to many scenic places in the state to showcase the state’s diversity of locales. Also featured in the project will be several posters and other memorabilia to showcase projects with state connections.
Amazingly the documentary, which will be approximately an hour long and is nearly done, was a volunteer effort. While Emirzian spent some money to help people cover costs, appearances are all volunteer and he estimates the project cost at less than $500.
The documentary will first stream on YouTube, but Emirzian hopes to get it on to services such as Amazon prime and Tubi.
With the imminent release of the documentary, people can receive updates on streaming availability through several channels, including the CSB Media Arts Center and Connecticut Film and Connecticut Film and TV Alliance social media sites. There’s also a Hollywood to Hartford Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1348111190718997, which is an especially good resource for more background on the project, photos and updates on the documentary’s release and related special events. VL
