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At the halfway mark in 2008, business for the Massachusetts film industry is, in a word, booming.

Scorsese and the film’s star, Leonardo DiCaprio, arrived at Pemberton Point early Monday morning to prepare for filming on Peddocks Island, which has been transformed into the set of “Ashecliffe,” a movie based on Lehane’s 2003 novel “Shutter Island.”

Massachusetts is fast assuming a new image as a place where Hollywood-style motion pictures are made.

Hollywood has invaded Walpole’s neighbors over the last few months as Academy Award winning director Martin Scorsese begins to wrap up shooting for his new movie “Ashecliffe.”

After escaping fallout from the three-month writers’ strike that ended in February, Massachusetts’ growing motion picture economy faces another potential setback in a looming strike by the Screen Actors Guild.

Bruce Willis was on hand for filming in Lynn on May 30th, but stunt doubles took over yesterday for car and helicopter chases. “The Surrogates,” a sci-fi thriller starring Willis and Ving Rhames, is also being filmed in Worcester, Lawrence, Wayland, Taunton, Hopedale, and Boston.

With Massachusetts experiencing a mini-boom in filmmaking, the push is on to build a full-scale studio.

Actress Jayma Mays spent March through May shooting the comedy “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” in Burlington Mass. Mays’ co-workers splurged at Marc Jacobs, Envi, Calypso and Gretta Luxe, and the movie’s costume designer, Ellen Lutter, spent more than $100,000 locally.

Seven films have wrapped up production so far this year – and while Boston has most often been the location for filming, this year moviemakers have moved outside the city to Beverly, Gloucester, Rockport, Woburn, Lowell, Worcester and other communities. 


Since last July, when Gov. Deval L. Patrick signed into law a 25 percent film tax credit, a wave of major film projects has landed in Massachusetts.

A local developer who owns land on South Boston’s waterfront is drawing up plans for a movie production complex, state Rep. Brian Wallace (D-South Boston) said yesterday.

Scenes for Willis’ new movie, “The Surrogates,” a sci-fi thriller, will be filmed at the Draper mill complex later this month.

The film tax credit has proven its worth.

“Making movies is a recession-proof, clean growth industry. The benefits of bringing more movie business to Massachusetts could touch virtually everyone.” —Joe Maiella, President – Massachusetts Production Coalition

For years, while Boston had no formal film liaison, Patte Papa stockpiled knowledge as she oversaw events from the Boston Marathon to the gay pride parade. Now her experience is enabling the city to juggle multiple films at once.

The former Lucent plant on Route 125 has landed on a short list of prime filming spots across the state.

Lynn became the area’s latest Hollywood backlot yesterday as the cast and crew of “The Surrogates” shot scenes inside the former Security National Bank.

In a report issued earlier this week, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) predicted that the newly enacted film tax credits could bring in over $700 million of new investment and more than 5,000 new jobs.

A pair of longtime Boston-area video and film equipment companies are teaming up to cash in on the surge of Hollywood movies filming in the Bay State.

Local restaurants have been busy servicing the cast and crew, and Laverne Lovell’s flower shop has been busy filling orders, including a recent arrangement for Sir Ben Kingsley.