Despite Objections, Select Board Approves Filming Of Elin Hilderbrand's "Five Star Weekend" On Nantucket

The Select Board voted 3-1 on Wednesday to allow Universal Content Productions to film “The Five-Star Weekend,” a limited television series based on Elin Hilderbrand’s novel of the same name, on Nantucket this September—but not before significant debate threatened to derail the production.

“This is obviously going to be very disruptive. We certainly don't need the publicity. I'm not sure what advantage we have to it. If we do this, I think a for-profit company should be willing to perhaps contribute to the food bank or the rental assistance program,” Select Board member Malcolm MacNab said. “Otherwise, I see no advantage to the community.”

Representatives of Universal and the town confirmed that the company is in talks with local non-profits about donations. While they said they couldn’t confirm any details yet because of the intricacies of corporate giving, they confirmed that, in addition to the financial benefit to the local businesses involved, Universal plans to support charitable causes on-island.

“Corporation donations have to be vetted, things like that, but it is happening,” the film’s location manager, Greg Chiodo, said.

Select Board vice-chair Matt Fee, who ultimately voted to approve the permits for the production, worried about the potential impacts of overtourism.

“We're being kind of loved to death,” Fee said. “I just think we have to be very careful about promoting the island.”

In the end, Fee joined chair Dawn Hill and Select Board member Tom Dixon in voting to approve filming, noting the potential benefits for the island and the value Elin Hilderbrand and her novels have already brought to Nantucket.

“It’s underway. I would feel like we were doing something unreasonable, stopping it at this point,” Fee said. “I do see the benefit of some of Elin Hilderbrand’s books. We have weekends in February where all the hotels are full. You go to the Nantucket Hotel and it’s full, and there’s people coming here then, and enjoying the island, and so if it’s leading to that, when we can handle it, and when it’s a positive, that’s great…I support it hesitantly.”

Select Board member Brooke Mohr was recused.

Dixon argued that the current timeline for approving major productions on Nantucket is too short. By the time of Wednesday’s vote, the company was slated to start shooting on the island in mere weeks.

Several 'Sconset residents spoke against the film, which will be filmed in the village, including potentially at a portion of the Bluff Walk.

But culture and tourism director Shantaw Bloise-Murphy and Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Peter Burke spoke in favor of the production, in part because of the economic benefit it will provide local businesses.

“It’s in the millions for local businesses that those dollars are already committed to for the crews that are coming out,” Bloise-Murphy said.

“Economic impact is going to be measured by hotel dollars and tax dollars for years to come. And I think the fact that it’s filming in the fall is advantageous for us because it’s going to portray the fall as the setting,” Burke said. “I do feel like this is a chance for the community to capture some tourism dollars in the shoulder season…you really can’t beat film and production.”

The production asked for a waiver of the town’s noise bylaw at 17 locations, 12 street closures, including on Main Street, and 10 permits to film on public property.

The details are difficult to pin down, as the length and locations of some shoots remain unknown.

“We’re throwing pasta on the ceiling and seeing what sticks,” Bloise-Murphy admitted.