Central sets the scene for 'A New Wave' film
By SCOTT WHIPPLE, New Britain Herald staff

August 23, 2007

NEW BRITAIN - Central Connecticut State University. New Britain City Hall. Familiar locations become backdrops in a feature-length film making its premiere tonight at CCSU.

"A New Wave," a film produced locally and shot at various Connecticut locations, will be shown in Central's H.D. Welte Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.

The film was directed by 30-year-old Manchester native Jason Carvey and features noted actors John Krasinksi (seen or heard recently in "The Office," "License to Wed" and "Shrek 3"), Andrew Keegan ("10 Things I hate about you" and "7th Heaven"), Dean Edwards ("Saturday Night Live"), William Sadler ("Shawshank Redemption," "Die Hard 2" and "Roswell"), and Wass Stevens ("World Trade Center"). Lacey Chabert ("Mean Girls" and "Party of Five") also joined the cast after reading Carvey's script.

Producer Bruce Seymour, 32 of Plainville and a 1998 CCSU graduate, said the film couldn't have been made without help from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism's film division.

The film division assists local, national and international motion picture, TV and media production entities with finding locations in Connecticut, securing permits, hiring local cast and crew and other services. The division represents the state and its agencies, municipalities and resident media professionals in interactions with media production entities and the industry at large. It serves TV networks and producers, movie studios and commercial producers, resulting in economic benefit to the state, its businesses and ultimately its residents.

Seymour and Carvey hope their film sells enough tickets to repay backers who invested just under a million dollars in the project.

In addition to CCSU and City Hall, locations include Union Station in New Haven, Black Rock Art Center in Bridgeport, Bank Street and Minicucci's in Waterbury, Max Downtown in Hartford, Cronk Road in Plainville and the Pleasant Valley Drive-in Theatre in Pleasant Valley, as well as locations in Cromwell, Southington, Somers, Manchester and Wolcott.

"Shooting in Connecticut was a blessing," Carvey said. "Everywhere we went, people were supportive."

Carvey and Seymour describe "A New Wave" as "crime comedy." A bank teller and his friends plan a flashy, movie-inspired bank robbery that involves underground gun deals, ski masks, bowling bags and expensive suits.

But when the inside man has second thoughts about committing the crime, their friendship is suddenly on the line and their plan spirals out of control. The bank teller must choose between selling out - or cashing in.

Seymour credits Central's Ray DeCormier for teaching him about sales and marketing. Carvey, a University of Connecticut grad, said his film professor, Bob Smith, inspired him to be a risk-taker.

Though Carvey and Seymour met while they were students at St. Paul's School in Kensington, it wasn't until after college that joint movie-making crossed their minds. The two film-makers have started brainstorming their next film. All Carvey will say is that it will be "something bigger and better. We want to get it into as many theaters as possible."

There is no admission charge for the premiere; free parking is available in campus parking lots.

Scott Whipple can be reached at (860)225-4601, ext. 319, or by e-mail at swhipple@newbritainherald.com.

©The Herald 2007

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