Post by spriskeptic on Jul 21, 2006 11:34:52 GMT -5
It seem that there may be a new Paranormal Reality show hitting the airwaves this fall (and may include celebrities).
From THe Norwich Bulletin, serving Norwich, Conn.
VH1 films ‘Paranormal Project’ at Norwich State Hospital
By AMY LAWSON
Norwich Bulletin
The Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism is speaking about this week’s filming of a VH1 reality show at the former State Hospital property in Preston.
Earlier this week, representatives from the commission and the production company filming at the site declined comment citing a confidentiality agreement between the company and the state’s public works department. California-based 51 Minds Entertainment, the company producing the project, has done other work for the network including “Flavor of Love” and “The Surreal Life.”
“We were told their project required a property that was secluded,” said Heidi Hamilton, the director of the commission’s film division. “There are other properties that we might have offered to them, but this is the one they chose.”
Hamilton indicated producers for the show first inquired about the property in March and told her they needed a property with buildings on it, and would require access into the buildings.
“They were looking for an environment — a feel and look,” Hamilton said.
The production company didn’t say whether the project was a television series or a movie, Hamilton said.
The Norwich Bulletin requested a copy of the licensing agreement between the state and the production company Thursday afternoon from the Attorney General’s office through the Freedom of Information Act. Though a passage in the contract labeled “confidentiality” discusses the production company’s restrictions on identifying the property, it does not prohibit any state employee from speaking with press.
In an earlier statement, Hamilton said the commission was worried that additional publicity of the property would attract vandals to the site, rendering it useless for companies wishing to film there in the future.
“The show is an investigative reality series with celebrities that is being filmed for VH1,” said Naomi Bulochnikov, a publicist for the network. Previously, Bulochnikov said the network didn’t have enough information on the project to comment.
On a map of the State Hospital property given to the Norwich Bulletin as part of the licensing agreement, the show is referred to as “Paranormal Project.” Hamilton said she believed celebrities were involved in the project, but could not immediately identify them.
In October, a series called “Celebrity Paranormal Project” is slated to begin airing, but representatives from VH1 would not comfirm that this was the show taped on the property.
The map of the property indicates the production company used only a small portion of the campus for filming including the chapel on Route 12, and various other buildings referred to in the drawing as the “Investigators HQ AKA Safe House.” Other items on the map include a control room, the campus’ security office, a driveway and
a power box.
Phone calls to representatives for 51 Minds Entertainment were not immediately returned Thursday.
Reach Amy Lawson at 425-4235 or alawson@norwichbulletin.com
Read this and other stories at: www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060721/NEWS01/60721005
From THe Norwich Bulletin, serving Norwich, Conn.
VH1 films ‘Paranormal Project’ at Norwich State Hospital
By AMY LAWSON
Norwich Bulletin
The Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism is speaking about this week’s filming of a VH1 reality show at the former State Hospital property in Preston.
Earlier this week, representatives from the commission and the production company filming at the site declined comment citing a confidentiality agreement between the company and the state’s public works department. California-based 51 Minds Entertainment, the company producing the project, has done other work for the network including “Flavor of Love” and “The Surreal Life.”
“We were told their project required a property that was secluded,” said Heidi Hamilton, the director of the commission’s film division. “There are other properties that we might have offered to them, but this is the one they chose.”
Hamilton indicated producers for the show first inquired about the property in March and told her they needed a property with buildings on it, and would require access into the buildings.
“They were looking for an environment — a feel and look,” Hamilton said.
The production company didn’t say whether the project was a television series or a movie, Hamilton said.
The Norwich Bulletin requested a copy of the licensing agreement between the state and the production company Thursday afternoon from the Attorney General’s office through the Freedom of Information Act. Though a passage in the contract labeled “confidentiality” discusses the production company’s restrictions on identifying the property, it does not prohibit any state employee from speaking with press.
In an earlier statement, Hamilton said the commission was worried that additional publicity of the property would attract vandals to the site, rendering it useless for companies wishing to film there in the future.
“The show is an investigative reality series with celebrities that is being filmed for VH1,” said Naomi Bulochnikov, a publicist for the network. Previously, Bulochnikov said the network didn’t have enough information on the project to comment.
On a map of the State Hospital property given to the Norwich Bulletin as part of the licensing agreement, the show is referred to as “Paranormal Project.” Hamilton said she believed celebrities were involved in the project, but could not immediately identify them.
In October, a series called “Celebrity Paranormal Project” is slated to begin airing, but representatives from VH1 would not comfirm that this was the show taped on the property.
The map of the property indicates the production company used only a small portion of the campus for filming including the chapel on Route 12, and various other buildings referred to in the drawing as the “Investigators HQ AKA Safe House.” Other items on the map include a control room, the campus’ security office, a driveway and
a power box.
Phone calls to representatives for 51 Minds Entertainment were not immediately returned Thursday.
Reach Amy Lawson at 425-4235 or alawson@norwichbulletin.com
Read this and other stories at: www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060721/NEWS01/60721005