'Boston's Finest' pilot crews take over Chinatown

Crews with the made-in-Massachusetts TV pilot for ABC called "Boston's Finest," starring Katee Sackhoff from "Battlestar Galactica" and "ER" alum Goran Visnjic, are slotted to film a scene in Boston's Chinatown beginning 7 a.m. on Wednesday, March 31 leading into 3 a.m. Thursday, April 1 with production setting up on the Kneeland side of Harrison Ave. and Tyler St. near a line of Chinese restaurants including Pearl Villa Boston and China Pearl.

For the scene, Boston Casting is on the prowl for Asian females (21-50) to work as extras on the pilot all day Wednesday. Click here for the details.

The project stars Sackhoff as a detective who teams with a disgraced ex-cop (Visnjic) to solve crimes and untangle the conspiracy that sent him underground. Nia Long ("Alfie") has also joined the cast, as her friend, mentor and partner.

Also, actors Treat Williams, Jason Wiles and celeb offspring Kate Burton have joined the cast.

Filming began last weekend when "Boston's Finest" crews set up shop outside of the South End Buttery located at 314 Shamut Ave. Filming continued in the wee hours on Monday, March 22 at a brownstone on the tree-lined street in Union Park.

On Tuesday, March 23, crews shot scenes at The Grand Canal pub located at 57 Canal Street in Boston's Haymarket area. And on Wednesday, March 24, they filmed a scene with actors Visnjic and Adam Rothenberg and Goran at the fictional Silver Slipper in Roxbury’s Dudley Square.

On Sunday, March 28, production filmed in front of the Marriott's Custom House hotel near the Aquarium and Quincy Market located at 3 McKinley Square.

On Monday, March 29, crews set up shop at 17 Fairmount St. in nearby Everett. And on Tuesday, March 30, they filmed at North Point Park in Cambridge.

On Saturday, April 3, crews with "Boston's Finest" are setting up shop near the Orange Line Back Bay T stop on Stuart and Clarendon. Also, production crews appear to be setting up at the Boston Public Library, with filming continuing until Tuesday, April 6.

Click here for the latest on "Boston's Finest."--China Peal, Sackhoff and Williams photos courtesy of Mike Giannattasio

IFFBoston unveils 2010 lineup and special guest list

A new documentary called "Saturday Night" by actor James Franco, known for his work as Harry Osborn in the "Spider-Man" trilogy and Harvard's Hasty Pudding Theatrical's Man of the Year in 2009, will close the Independent Film Festival of Boston (IFFBoston) on Wednesday, April 28 at the Coolidge Corner Theatre.

The film is an in-depth look behind the scenes of one week creating an episode of "Saturday Night Live." This marks Franco’s documentary feature directorial debut.

Other notable films screening at the festival include:

• Mark and Jay Duplass’s "Cyrus" starring John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Catherine Keener and Marisa Tomei
• "I Am Love" starring Tilda Swinton
• Michael Winterbottom’s controversial "The Killer Inside Me" starring Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson and Bill Pullman
• Todd Solondz’s "Life During Wartime" starring Alison Janney, Paul Reubens and Ally Sheedy
• Amber Benson and Adam Busch’s from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" stars in the sci-fi comedy "Drones"
• Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s documentary "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work."
• Adrien Grenier’s ("Entourage") documentary directorial debut, "Teenage Paparazzo"
• Debra Granik’s Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize-winner, "Winter's Bone"
• Hometown filmmakers Robert Patton Spruill and Geoff Edgers’ documentary "Do It Again," chronicling Edger’s three year quest to reunite his favorite band, The Kinks
• Boston filmmakers Chico Colvard ("Family Affair"), Garth Donovan ("Phillip the Fossil") and Linas Phillips ("Bass Ackwards") will have their hometown debuts

Actor Kevin Kline, slotted to unveil Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini's "The Extra Man" starring Kline, Paul Dano, Katie Holmes and John C. Reilly, will receive a career achievement award on opening night of the IFFBoston on Wednesday, April 21 at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square.

As part of the opening night festivities, Kline will be in attendance to receive the IFFBoston Career Achievement Award to recognize his impressive overall body of work as an actor.

Other special guests expected to attend the festival this year include Amber Benson "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," John Hawkes from "Deadwood" and "Lost," director Todd Solondz and many others to be announced over the coming weeks.

The dates of the 8th annual festival will be Wednesday, April 21 to Wednesday, April 28. The IFFBoston, complete with over 150 film screenings, filmmaker Q&A sessions, panel discussions, visiting filmmakers, parties and events will showcase the works of filmmakers who seek to create films that are life changing, thought provoking and expose aspects of life in new and revealing manners.

Loaded Gun Boston served up extensive coverage of the IFFBoston in 2009. Click here for the lowdown.

Also, click here for more information on Boston's Independent Film Festival.

Candid shots of Katee Sackhoff in 'Boston's Finest'

Mike Giannattasio, a Suffolk University student, stopped by the set of the locally shot TV pilot for ABC called "Boston's Finest," starring Katee Sackhoff from "Battlestar Galactica" and "ER" alum Goran Visnjic, and shot a few photos while crews filmed in front of the Marriott's Custom House hotel near the Aquarium and Quincy Market located at 3 McKinley Square on Sunday, March 28.

Giannattasio, a Loaded Gun Boston regular and fan of the made-in-Boston film action, snapped several candid pics of Sackhoff and veteran actor Treat Williams who's playing a cop. In the photo below, Sackhoff is sporting a BPD badge, donning a teal shirt and holding a Starbucks coffee cup.

Who knew Boston's finest looked this stunning?

The project stars Sackhoff as a detective who teams with a disgraced ex-cop (Visnjic) to solve crimes and untangle the conspiracy that sent him underground. Nia Long ("Alfie") has also joined the cast, as her friend, mentor and partner.

Filming began last weekend when "Boston's Finest" crews set up shop outside of the South End Buttery located at 314 Shamut Ave. Filming continued in the wee hours on Monday, March 22 at a brownstone on the tree-lined street in Union Park.

On Tuesday, March 23, crews shot scenes at The Grand Canal pub located at 57 Canal Street in Boston's Haymarket area. And on Wednesday, March 24, they filmed a scene with actors Visnjic and Adam Rothenberg and Goran at the fictional Silver Slipper in Roxbury’s Dudley Square.

On Monday, March 29, crews are setting up shop at 17 Fairmount St. in nearby Everett.

Click here for the latest on "Boston's Finest."

--Photos courtesy of Mike Giannattasio

The week in quotes from Hollywood in the Hub

"As predicted, Katee and Goran have amazing chemistry. And once again I realize that no matter how many times you rewrite a script, it all comes down to whether or not you love watching the people saying the lines."

--Producer Richard Hatem, the man behind the locally shot TV pilot for ABC called "Boston's Finest" starring Katee Sackhoff from "Battlestar Galactica" and "ER" alum Goran Visnjic, says he's smitten with the dailies shot in Boston.

“I am thrilled at the significant vote in the House today in support of the film tax credit program. As other sectors continue to struggle, the film and television production industry in Massachusetts has been a bright spot."

--Assistant Majority Leader Ronald Mariano (D–Quincy) successfully rallies to reject an amendment from Gov. Deval Patrick that would limit the tax credit to $50 million per year on made-in-Massachusetts films and an additional amendment that would limit the credit to $7 million on all productions.

“It is not what consumers look at, it is what they look for."

--Viacom honcho Philippe Dauman says at the Boston College chief executives' club of Boston bash that the future is bright for TV, but innovators need to embrace the three waves of change which are "global, technological and millennial." He also gives thumbs up to Massachusetts' film tax credits.

“But my first movie that I had a line in was in ‘Bride Wars’ with Anne Hathaway. I got to talk to her and everything! It was awesome!”

--Robert Capron, an 11-year-old from Scituate who landed a role in the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" movie, says he got his break in the made-in-Boston flick "Bride Wars."

'Boston's Finest' crews take over Grand Canal pub

Crews with the made-in-Massachusetts TV pilot for ABC called "Boston's Finest," starring Katee Sackhoff from "Battlestar Galactica" and "ER" alum Goran Visnjic, has taken over The Grand Canal pub located at 57 Canal Street in Boston's Haymarket area on Tuesday, March 23.

The project stars Sackhoff as a detective who teams with a disgraced ex-cop (Visnjic) to solve crimes and untangle the conspiracy that sent him underground. Nia Long ("Alfie") has also joined the cast, as her friend, mentor and partner.

Also, actors Treat Williams and celeb offspring Kate Burton have joined the cast.

On Monday, March 22, "Boston's Finest" crews set up shop outside of the South End Buttery located at 314 Shamut Ave. Filming continued in the wee hours on Monday at a brownstone on the tree-lined street.

In other made-in-Boston TV pilot news, production was postponed for the CBS show called "The Quinn-Tuplets," a drama centering around the personal and professional lives of the fictional Quinn quintuplets.

Crews are now setting up shop in Lowell on Thursday, March 25, in front of the Holden Center formerly St. Joseph's Hospital, on Pawtucket St. near the UMass-Lowell campus.

Production was originally slotted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, but was delayed because of the rain. During filming, traffic will be stopped for five-minute intervals so they can film the scene. Production trailers will set up shop on UMass-Lowell's Salem Street parking lot B here.

Starring Amber Tamblyn, Anna Chlumsky, Sam Witwer, Kenneth Mitchell and David Giuntoli, the "Quinn-Tuplets" series is based on the Israeli show "The Ran Quartet" and follows a crew of five adults whose lives had been documented and broadcast since childbirth.

Click here for the latest on "Boston's Finest" and here for "The Quinn-Tuplets."

--Production photos by Ryan Miner, Beantown Photo

'Boston's Finest' TV pilot filming in the South End

The locally shot TV pilot for ABC called "Boston's Finest," starring Katee Sackhoff from "Battlestar Galactica" and "ER" alum Goran Visnjic, has taken over the picturesque Union Park area in the South End today between Tremont and Shawmut Ave.

Crews set up shop outside of the South End Buttery located at 314 Shamut Ave. Filming is slotted for late on Monday, March 22 at a brownstone on the tree-lined street.

According to On Location Vacations here, filming will move Tuesday, March 23 to The Grand Canal pub located at 57 Canal Street in Boston near Haymarket.

The project stars Sackhoff as a detective who teams with a disgraced ex-cop (Visnjic) to solve crimes and untangle the conspiracy that sent him underground. Nia Long ("Alfie") has also joined the cast, as her friend, mentor and partner.

The TV pilot's code name indicated by the yellow production signs is "BF." Yep, using the initials of "Boston's Finest" as its production moniker is a no-brainer.

The South End's Union Park area has become a hotbed of made-in-Boston filming action.

Back in April 2009, crews from the defunct ABC-TV pilot "See Kate Run," starring Amy Smart in the main role, transformed Joe V's located at 315 Shawmut Ave., an Italian eatery across the street from the South End Buttery, into an upscale lobster restaurant called the "Bean Town Lobster Company" or "B.T.L.C."

In May 2009, crews with the corporate downsizing drama "The Company Men" filmed inside of a three-story brownstone located at 5 Union Park with veteran actor and Harvard alum Tommy Lee Jones.

Click here for the latest on "Boston's Finest."

--Production photos by Ryan Miner, Beantown Photo

'The Quinn-Tuplets' CBS pilot filming in Lowell

Crews with the locally shot TV pilot for CBS called "The Quinn-Tuplets," a drama centering around the personal and professional lives of the fictional Quinn quintuplets, are setting up shop in Lowell on Wednesday, March 24 and Thursday, March 25 on Pawtucket St. near the UMass-Lowell campus.

In fact, casting scouts are on the prowl here for non-union background extras with transportation to the set in Lowell and available both days this week.

Production was originally slotted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, but was postponed because of the rain. During filming, traffic will be stopped for five-minute intervals so they can film the scene. Production trailers will set up shop on UMass-Lowell's Salem Street parking lot B here.

Starring Amber Tamblyn, Sam Witwer, Kenneth Mitchell and David Giuntoli, the series is based on the Israeli show "The Ran Quartet" and follows a crew of five adults whose lives had been documented and broadcast since childbirth.

Also, former child actress Anna Chlumsky, who first rose to fame as Macaulay Culkin's best friend in the 1991 flick "My Girl," will play also play one of the quints, a bright and ambitious local sportscaster.

For the record, Lowell has been a hotbed for made-in-Massachusetts filming action.

Crews filmed a majority of the Mark Wahlberg flick "The Fighter ," the biopic following Boston fighter "Irish" Micky Ward (Wahlberg) and how he was helped to the world lightweight championship by half-brother Dickie Eklund, played by Christian Bale, throughout Lowell last July. Amy Adams is Charlene, a gritty bartender from Massachusetts who ends up dating Wahlberg's character.

Hundreds of extras gathered for the film's fighting scenes in Lowell at Paul Tsongas Arena located at 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. "The Fighter" also filmed scenes at the Lowell Superior Court located at 360 Gorham Street.

In 2008, "The Office" creator Ricky Gervais shot scenes for his hilarious flick "The Invention of Lying" in downtown Lowell. Gervais also had location shoots in Quincy, North Andover and Boston.

And speaking of Lowell, director James Cameron whose sci-fi epic "Avatar" continues to dominate the box office is slotted to speak at the Middlesex Community College's celebrity forum on Wednesday, June 16 at 8 p.m. at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. The event called "An Evening with James Cameron" includes a candid chat with the filmmaker discussing his life and career.

Click here for the latest on the "The Quinn-Tuplets" TV pilot.

'Dollhouse' diva Eliza Dushku auctions off TV goods

Want a piece of Watertown-bred actress Eliza Dushku? The "Dollhouse" actress is auctioning off a bevy of items from her closet to benefit Camp Hale, a local non-profit group responsible for sending low-income kids from Boston to camp at Squam Lake in New Hampshire.

Items include Dushku's "Buffy" crew jacket signed by show creator Joss Whedon and her director's chair used during the filming of the Fox TV show "Dollhouse."

"Someone's waiting 'til the lasssst minute to dive into my bathrobe on eBay, no doubt," she tweets here. "Keep on shoppin', I'll keep checking in."

Dushku was in Boston last June filming the indie flick "Valediction" with "Prince Caspian" hottie Ben Barnes and veteran actress Brenda Fricke.

The premise of the film? When a car accident leaves a father fighting for his daughter’s life, his journey for the pieces of the puzzle that will save her lead him to discover it's actually his life that he is fighting for. In the film, Dushku plays Ben Barnes' lover. The father is married and cheats on his wife with Dushku.

Up next for Dushku is the biopic called "The Perfect Moment" on iconic photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who died of AIDS in 1989 at age 42 before posthumously snagging national headlines in the '90s for his highly stylized black-and-white portraits of naked men and oddly erotic flowers.

Mapplethorpe's collection, which featured homoerotic shots of naked men performing various S&M acts involving whips and leather, was supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and sparked a national debate on public funding for the arts.

Click here for Dushku's eBay auction.

'The Quinn-Tuplets' TV pilot shooting in Boston

A new TV pilot for CBS called "The Quinn-Tuplets," a drama centering around the personal and professional lives of the fictional Quinn quintuplets, is slotted to film in Boston on Tuesday, March 23 until Wednesday, March 31.

Starring Amber Tamblyn, Sam Witwer, Kenneth Mitchell and David Giuntoli, the series is based on the Israeli show "The Ran Quartet" and follows a crew of five adults whose lives had been documented and broadcast since childbirth.

The latest word is that former child actress Anna Chlumsky, who first rose to fame as Macaulay Culkin's best friend in the 1991 flick "My Girl," will play also play one of the quints, a bright and ambitious local sportscaster.

The pilot for "The Quinn-Tuplets" was written by Mike Kelley and Chris Kelley of "The Beautiful Life" and "Swingtown."

CP Casting is on the hunt for paid-up members of AFTRA for background work on the shoot. Click here for the lowdown.

Also, click here for the latest on the "The Quinn-Tuplets" TV pilot.

--Photo of Anna Chlumsky as Liz from "In The Loop"

'The Boondock Saints' director heading to Boston

Troy Duffy, the writer and director behind the set-in-Boston 2000 indie flick "The Boondock Saints," is making a pit stop in Boston on Wednesday, March 17 ... yes, it's St. Patrick's Day ... to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the cult classic and the Blu-Ray/DVD release of the sequel "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day."

Bob Marley, who plays detective Greenly in the flick, is accompanying Duffy in a cross-country bus tour and will be making appearances and hosting a concert on March 17 at the Paradise Rock Club located at 967 Commonwealth Ave.

In the "Boondock Saints" sequel, the stars of the movie--Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus--return as the McManus brothers, fraternal twins on a mission to clean up the Boston underworld while being tracked down by a FBI agent.

For the record, the flick filmed a majority of its scenes in Toronto and unfortunately didn't film in Boston.

While in hiding with their father, played by Billy Connolly, the brothers learn a beloved priest has been killed by sinister forces from deep within the mob and return to Boston to mount a violent and bloody crusade to bring justice to those responsible.

Click here for the latest on "Boondock Saints II."

Actor Kevin Kline kicks off IFFBoston in Somerville

Actor Kevin Kline, slotted to unveil Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini's "The Extra Man" starring Kline, Paul Dano, Katie Holmes and John C. Reilly, will receive a career achievement award on opening night of the Independent Film Festival of Boston (IFFBoston)on Wednesday, April 21 at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square.

The dates of the 8th annual festival will be Wednesday, April 21 to Wednesday, April 28. The IFFBoston, complete with over 150 film screenings, filmmaker Q&A sessions, panel discussions, visiting filmmakers, parties and events will showcase the works of filmmakers who seek to create films that are life changing, thought provoking and expose aspects of life in new and revealing manners.

The complete IFFBoston lineup will be announced later this month.

As part of the opening night festivities, Kline will be in attendance to receive the IFFBoston Career Achievement Award to recognize his impressive overall body of work as an actor.

Loaded Gun Boston served up extensive coverage of the IFFBoston in 2009. Click here for the lowdown.

Also, click here for more information on Boston's Independent Film Festival.

The week in quotes from Hollywood in the Hub

“We wouldn't be here with this show if it were not for the tax incentives. It will leave in a heartbeat if we don't get this tax credit.”

--Michael Maschio, a TV producer shooting an ABC pilot in Boston called "Boston's Finest" to star Katee Sackhoff from "Battlestar Galactica" as a detective who teams up with a disgraced former cop to solve crimes, insists that his production group wouldn't film here without the state's tax incentives.

“We, in effect, issue Hollywood a blank check. It’s time for us to impose that same level of budgetary discipline to film tax credits.”

--Seekonk Democrat Rep. Steven D'Amico pushes the Commonwealth to support a bill (H3854) that will revert to incentive caps imposed in 2006 which puts a $7 million limit on made-in-Massachusetts film productions.

“Let me state right up front that the Massachusetts current film and tax credit has functioned as miracle grow for our business."

--Tug Yourgrau, president of the Somerville-based Powderhouse Productions, begs Massachusetts lawmakers not to eliminate the state's tax credits.

“It’s a major thing for Emerson and a major thing for Boston."

--Alan Steinberg, project executive responsible for restoring the Paramount Theatre and spearheading the $88 million construction project, says it's a big deal that the Washington Street landmark built in 1932 is opening its doors after 30 years of disrepair.

Filmmaker James Ivory heading to Brattle Theatre

Legendary film director James Ivory, known for his stylish costume dramas ranging from "A Room with a View" to "Howards End," is heading to the Brattle Theatre, located at 40 Brattle Street in Harvard Square, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 6.

A $20 combo ticket includes admission to his drama "Howards End" at 4 p.m. as well as access to the filmmaker at a special meet and greet at 7 p.m. where he'll discuss his body of work.

Ivory, who teamed up with partner and producer Ishmail Merchant and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala to form Merchant Ivory Productions, churned out some of the silver screen's more emotionally charged and poetically crafted romances, ranging from the trailblazing GLBT flick "Maurice" from 1987 to the stylish Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins hit "The Remains of the Day."

Merchant, the filmmaker's life-long romantic and professional partner, passed away in 2005 following surgery for abdominal ulcers at the age of 68. The two formed Merchant Ivory in 1961 and were together for more than 40 years, earning a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest partnership in indie film history.

Click here for the lowdown.