‘Loop Dreams’ Nominated

For Six Emmys

Harvey Hubbell’s “comic documentary” Loop Dreams: The Making Of A Low Budget Movie has received six Emmy Award nominations from the New England Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The 27th Annual New England Awards Ceremony will take place in Boston on Sunday, May 2.

Mr Hubbell, a native of Newtown, was nominated in the “Entertainment Program” category along with his wife and co-producer Andrea Haas Hubbell. He also received nominations in the “On Camera Talent,” “Directing-Post Production,” “Program Videography,” and “Program Writing” categories. Roger Coraggio also received a nomination for “Program Videography,” and Joseph Vecchione received a nomination for “Program Editing.”

The Hubbells run Captured Time Productions, a full production facility the couple founded in Litchfield in 1992.

Loop Dreams had its origin when three wildly ambitious but so far unsuccessful producers asked documentary-maker Harvey Hubbell V to work as the 1st Assistant Director on their low-budget movie Blackmale. Mr Hubbell said yes – if they’d let him make a documentary about it. Loop Dreams is the zany but endearing result – a funny, sexy, unflinching look at the world of low budget filmmaking.

With the sometimes reluctant cooperation of the producers, Mr Hubbell and his crew documented the making of Blackmale, which featured Bokeem Woodbine (3000 Miles to Graceland, City of Angels), Roger Rees (Cheers, The Scorpion King, The West Wing), Justin Pierce (Kids, Next Friday), and Sascha Knopf (Shallow Hal).

Within its 76-minute running time Loop Dreams covers the making of Blackmale from beginning to end. It offers interviews with the film’s co-directors and writers –– the brothers George and Mike Baluzy –– and other crew members, from its line director to the unpaid PAs (production assistants, the lowest steps on the movie-making ladder, viewers soon learn). There are also countless interviews with the film’s stars to the extras.

“It’s about independent filmmaking, but it’s also ‘why do people have this passion?’” Mr Hubbell told The Newtown Bee in Septemebr 2003. “Why do they do these 18- to 20-hour days. One third of the crew, after they finished Blackmale, came up to help us with the logging. We’re talking about adrenaline junkies here.”

Loop Dreams had its premiere TV broadcast on Connecticut Public Television in September 2003.

The Hubbells are no strangers to awards. He has won more than 50 film and video festival awards including six Emmys; she is an Emmy Award-winning producer, director, and writer who was named The 2001 Connecticut Filmmaker of the Year.

The documentary has already won major festival awards including Gold World Medal For Comedy at 2001 The New York Festivals, Best Documentary Feature at the 2002 Magnolia International Film Festival, Comedy Winner at World Fest Houston, the 2001 Connecticut Vision Award, Promotion Award from Rhode Island International Film Festival, and The Robert W. Wagner Screenwriting Award (Best Script) at The Columbus International Film & Video Festival.

Loop Dreams was also a Documentary Finalist at the Philadelphia International Film Festival. It was also an Official Selection for Santa Barbara International Film Festival, New York Independent International Film and Video Festival in Los Angeles, Guerrilla Film Festival, and 2002 Directors View International Film Festival.

Mr Hubbell was recently appointed chairman of the film committee for the Connecticut Commission on the Arts, Tourism, Culture, History and Film.