SEPTEMBER 22, 2008.- SPYING MOUNT SUGARLOAF
Source: The pionner valley

Mount Sugarloaf and the mysterious construction on its top

If the curiosity about the mysterious construction on the Mount is killing you, here is a blogspot for you guys to check out.
They're working on a set for the upcoming filming of a Mel Gibson movie, "Edge of Darkness". Rumor has it the lookout platform on the top is being transformed into a villain's lair, replete with missile silos. The road to the top is still open to visitors, but it will be closed off during the actual filming in early October. Let's go take a look...
On the way up, some of the trees leaning over the narrow access road have cones attached and marker rope hanging, I'm sure to protect them from the construction and filming equipment going up and down the hill...
read more and see photos.

SEPTEMBER 22, 2008.- MASS FILM OFFICE BRINGING THE STARS TO THE AREA
Source: newburyportnews.com

Mel Gibson on the set in Boston

It's not every day that a major Hollywood production is filmed on the North Shore.
But with Matthew McConaughey, Michael Douglas and Mel Gibson in our midst this summer, it becomes clear those days are becoming more common.
As "Edge of Darkness," starring Mel Gibson continues shooting this week in Merrimac on River Road, the possibility of more star sightings and movie crews in local communities continues to build.
But how does a Mel Gibson decide that the Rocks Village bridge in Merrimac would be the perfect setting for his film?
It starts with a call to the Mass. Film Office.
With much of the film being shot in Northampton, the company was looking for a site that resembles the Connecticut River — which the Merrimack does.
Nick Paleologos, the executive director of the Mass. Film Office, said he's proud that Hollywood isn't just coming to the state and just staying in Boston.
"It isn't just Boston, it's everywhere, and that's the most gratifying part of this," he said, adding that the "Edge of Darkness" has also filmed in Deerfield, Taunton and Beverly, among other places. "It's everywhere, and the more, the merrier."
Seventeen major productions have shot in Massachusetts in less than three years. Several more are in production. North Shore locations have included Ipswich, North Andover, Rockport, Gloucester, Marblehead and Plum Island. "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" was filmed at the Crane Estate in Ipswich earlier this summer, starring McConaughey and Douglas. An independent film dubbed "The Jones" filmed around Newburyport.
Paleologos said his office works with producers in finding appropriate scenes and film-friendly places throughout the state.
Once a script is determined to be right for filming in Massachusetts, his office will break the script down into locations — whether it's a seacoast town, an urban city or a suburb — and choose places in that region where shooting could occur. They then send photographs of different sites to the producers.
"Where they select is wholly their decision," Paleologos said. "It's all up to the eye of the director. They've got a certain thing in mind."
To determine shooting locations, the office works with the movie's location scout.
"Eventually, they'll settle on a handful of locations, then the director will come out and spend a day or two in the state, going to those places," he said. "If they like what they see in person, that's when they make their final decision."
The competition can be tough, Paleologos said, adding that if a seacoast town is what the producers are looking for, they could be looking at 3 or 4 different states.
One big part of what is making the state more attractive to Hollywood these days, however, is its new tax credit program. Studios, major producers and filmmakers, who shoot at least half of their movie or spend at least half of their production budget in the state, are eligible for a tax credit equal to 25 percent of their total spending in Massachusetts, inclusive of any salaries over $1 million.
But they can't just pick and choose their spot. To shut down roads and impact the local environment, town officials are involved too.
Since the filming in Merrimac is being done on a river and will involve a scene where a car drives off the road and into the Merrimack River, the town's conservation office had to agree to it.
Robert Prokop, chairman of the Merrimac Conservation Commission, said the town's conservation agent was first contacted over the summer. The town has since been in discussions with the location manager, the director and the stunt coordinator, even meeting them at the scene to go over the area beforehand. They can't just tear up the local landscape.
"We set them specifications of what they could and couldn't do," Prokop said. The crew can't cut down any trees or shrubs, for instance. The car that enters the river won't have any fluids — or even an engine — inside. The car can't be pulled out along the bank and must be taken out via a crane or from a boat ramp.
"We felt that no damage was going to occur," Prokop said.
It's important for a location to be "film-friendly," Paleologos said, and that there aren't a lot of obstacles to the shooting. Once in a city or a town, the company does spend money, he said, adding that they buy supplies, visit the merchants and use the hotels.
Often, if they want to use a particular place — like a ball field— they might fix it up or make any necessary improvements, something that is welcomed by communities during tough fiscal times.
"A lot of that is going on," Paleologos said.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2008.- "EDGE OF DARKNESS" IN CHARLESTWON NAVY YARD
Source: http://logansexpress.blogspot.com

Filming in the Charlestown Navy Yard

The filming of Edge of Darkness is becoming more and more interesting, yesterday a helicopter was the star on the set in Charlestown Navy Yard.
We´ve found some pics and a funny account of what happened there posted by a cute Bostonian Puppy.

"Hence Dad and I went for a walk first thing around 7 am hoping that Mel might see how puptastic I am and invite me over for a walk on role. Much to my dismay, I only got to meet a Production Assistant as she was getting a cup of coffee from the catering truck. She actually played with me for a couple of minutes while I tried to impress her! After a few licks, she was on her way!
Wait a minute! Where's Mel? How do I get on that helicopter? Don't you need a PUP in this film?."
read more and see photos.

"I wun´t have minded if they'd 've jus' been mad an' thrown me out. I wun't 've minded what they´d 've done to me, but to go and say that I didn´t look like Mel Gibson!!!

SEPTEMBER 24, 2008.- "EDGE OF DARKNESS" WAS IN LINCOLN Source: Wicked Local Hollywood film crews descended upon Lincoln earlier this month to shoot scenes for the crime drama, ‘Edge of Darkness,’ starring actor/producer/director Mel Gibson. Crews were reportedly filming from 4 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 12, at a house on Tabor Hill Road, off of Trapelo Road near the Waltham town line. ‘Edge of Darkness’ is not the first major Hollywood production to set up shop in Lincoln. According to IMDB, the 1990 comedy-drama ‘Mermaids,’ starring Cher and Winona Ryder, also filmed scenes in Lincoln. And while our little aspirant to Mel Gibson daughter is still complaining about life´s injustices, we wonder WHERE the set of "Edge of Darkness" is located this week.

28 SEPTEMBER 2008.- "EDGE OF DARKNESS", VIDEO Mt. SUGARLOAF
Source: www.gonomad.com

"We are turning the lookout tower into a bad guy's lair, with a ballistic missile silo," they said. Watch Video

Video of the construction of the set for Edge of Darkness. The movie will be filmed in South Deerfield next week.