Production Manager Dave Weston of Artigo Ajemian Films

By Rachel Shuster

Film is one form of entertainment that everyone seems to enjoy; going to the movies is a consistent escape for young and old alike. It brings us into a world of imagination and fantasy like nothing else can. So what’s better than experience that thrill? How about being able to create it?! That’s what Dave Weston of Artigo Ajemian Films is lucky enough to be doing ~ and he loves it.

Artigo Ajemian (AA Films) is located at 44 Portland Street in Worcester, with another office in L.A.; it was founded by Jon Artigo and Andrea Ajemian. Their films, including Still Green, Rutland, USA, and the upcoming We Got the Beat, have not only been praised for their excellence, but also for their focus on the local Central MA community. Rutland, USA was filmed in Rutland, MA and featured local talent. We Got the Beat was filmed entirely in Worcester, and features familiar Hollywood names like including Robert Hoffman (Step Up 2, She’s the Man) and Michael Copon (One Tree Hill and Scorpion King II).

At AA Films, Weston serves as the Production Manager, and has done so for about three years. His job entails helping to keep projects on track, assessing issues or concerns with the cast and crew, taking care of the payroll side of things, gets involved in budget, web design, research, and publicity for films, and making sure that everything runs smoothly. Talk about wearing a lot of hats!!!

The 34 year old’s love for film has been with him for as long as he can remember. “I have always been into film,” Weston says. “Ever since I was a kid. My father owned a video store, so the interest in film is sort of a family thing.”

Before he made his way into a film career, Weston received his Bachelor’s degree in writing at Trinity College. “After college, I sort of fell into a computer thing as an IT engineer for about 10 years, but after a while, I realized I wasn’t passionate about it,” he says. That’s where Weston changed course and headed to film school.

“I found Jon and Andrea after film school at Boston University in 2006,” Weston says. While at film school, Weston did a lot of work to prepare him for his eventual career at AA Films. “I got the opportunity to write and oversee short films. It was a great experience,” he says.

Weston’s influences include fellow Worcester native Sam Fuller, a writer popular in the 50s and early 60s for his low-budget genre movies with controversial themes who inspires Weston with his independent mind and unique ideas. Weston also idolizes Jim Jarmusch, a super-indie filmmaker who was a self made man.

Weston’s current project is a horror/comedy feature entitled Deadly Retreat. Yes, I said “horror/comedy.” The film focuses on a company retreat that goes horribly wrong when an aspiring serial killer targets the company’s employees to gain the fame he longs for. “This is a fun project,” Weston says, laughing. “Jon Artigo came up with the idea, and it will begin shooting this coming winter. It’s going to be great ~ really unique. It’s a low budget film that will be quick to shoot and produce, but really successful.”

Along with the variety of films, Weston was drawn to AA Films for another reason: “What attracted me most to AA Films is their focus on integrating the local community. The mission is good, and there is a great sense of professionalism. Just from meeting Jon and Angela, I knew this company was going places, and I’m proud and happy to be a part of it.”

As Weston mentions, with every feature or project, AA Films makes sure to mix Hollywood names with local talent. Whether it be with the location or the actors, AA Films’ passion for creating quality projects by bringing Hollywood and Central MA together gives both Hollywood a chance to see the hidden talent that lies in our communities and local communities the chance to see that making it big is completely possible.

Other great aspects of AA Films that attracted Weston are the ways in which the company has given back to the Worcester County community. “We involve local businesses in locations for shooting, invite locals to test screenings of upcoming films ~ during our premiere of Still Green, we hosted an after party and raised money for the Worcester Youth Center, and Jon Artigo has also offers free acting workshops,” Weston says. It is really important to the team at AA Films to not only involve the community in their work, but give back as ‘thanks.’”

Dave Weston has definitely found his home with AA Films, and both he and the film company are glad to have found each other. And with their combined talents, there’s no doubt that something very big is in store for them and, by association, the Worcester community.

Want to know more? Go to www.aafilms.com or call 508-754-8080.