Producers, Officials Agree On FFH For Movie Set

By Kendra Bobowick

Camera lights will soon wash shadows of disuse from emptied former state hospital rooms when a handful of Fairfield Hills buildings serve as a movie set by the end of this month.

The first approvals for the project came from the Fairfield Hills Authority on October 11. Earlier this week the town’s selectmen also helped the project move forward when they turned over a signed letter of intent to town attorney David Grogins.

Looking at film producer Jon S. Furay’s signature Monday morning, Legislative Council Chairman Will Rodgers said, “It’s no longer abstract.” Between the authority’s brief meetings last week and the selectman’s recent decision, Mr Furay penned his name and date on a letter of intent expressing his interest in using certain buildings to shoot The Madman’s Tale, based on a novel by John Katzenbach.

“It’s pretty exciting, another movie going on,” Selectman Bill Brimmer said. Fairfield Hills was used as the set for a juvenile facility in the feature film Sleepers in 1995.

With Mr Furay’s signature comes the agreement for the licensee, Cinema Connecticut LLC, to pay $60,000 due on or before any entry onto the property, as stated in the letter of intent.

“This is a money opportunity in addition to economic benefits to the town,” authority member Moira Rodgers said last week.

In a separate letter addressed to Ms Rodgers and Fairfield Hills management representative Maria DeMarco, Mr Furay indicated benefits to the town.

“Our budget is $12 to $15 million and, as with all films, the economic impact — millions of dollars — on the town is huge.” He wrote that the crew will exceed 100 people, “all of which will call Newtown and the immediate surrounding area home for [several] months.” Mr Furay indicated that they will need to rent housing, eat, and shop. Local craftsmen will also benefit.

Mr Furay also wrote: “We’ll be building sets, creating wardrobes, supporting hair and makeup stylists, etc, which all requires a great deal of local spending. And we’ll hire as many locals as possible — from security to extras.”

Students may also feel the benefits of the movie business. The letter continues: “In an effort to give back to Newtown … we’d like to bring in students to expose them to the filmmaking process and give them a first-hand look at how all the different departments work together to make a film.”

Herb Rosenthal also believes that renovation efforts will be jumpstarted in some of the old brick structures.

At Monday’s meeting the first selectman noted: “They will also be cleaning up portions of buildings they want to use … apparently the buildings we were going to keep they were going to fix up somewhat.”

The town’s liabilities are also protected in the agreement. According of the letter, “The Licensee shall be responsible for all expenses associated with its use of the property, included but not limited to clean up, security and insurance. Licensee shall obtain all necessary permits and approvals, comply with all applicable town regulations and coordinate with town officials as needed.” Also included in the letter are specifications to hold the town “harmless from any and all claims, law suits, damages in connection with [the licensee’s] use of the premises…”

Authority members Don Studley and John Reed had voted against the movie proposal. “I just didn’t feel the reward was worth the risk,” Mr Studley said. He compares the $60,000 to what may go wrong. Recently he read about a similar situation on another film set in Connecticut when a fire damaged a large building.

“We don’t need Bridgeport Hall going up in flames,” he said. The hall is the intended site for renovations to relocate the municipal and education department offices. “There is potential. I believe they want to build a movie set in there.” Acknowledging that the production crew will carry insurance, he is still wary of the risk.

Terms of the license state that the film will begin on October 26 and conclude in January 2008.

Buildings eyed for use are Stamford Hall, Yale Lab, Greenwich House, Shelton House, Stratford Hall, Newtown Hall, Bridgeport Hall, and Bridgewater House. The agreement includes an understanding of the town’s renovation plans for Bridgeport Hall, which is currently undergoing renovations to accommodate both the municipal and education department offices.

Per the agreement, “a portion of Bridgeport Hall will not be available after November 2 and the balance will only be available until December 31, 2007. The termination date shall be subject to ‘time of the essence’ provisions especially as to Bridgeport Hall.” The town attorney will draft a license agreement based on the letter of intent

In A Madman’s Tale: A Novel, John Katzenbach focuses his imagination on a boy, Francis Petrel, who is committed against his will to an asylum after his erratic behavior grows into outbursts. As a grown, free man, Francis leads an aimless and solitary life. A reunion held on the grounds of the institution, Western State Hospital, that had since closed down stirs dark memories for Francis.