Here on Earth (2000)

Although "Here on Earth" is set among the beautiful verdant hills, lakes and woods of the Berkshires, the lack of a crew base in Massachusetts necessitated that filming take place elsewhere. Locations all over the country were scouted for a suitable double for the Berkshires, one that would also provide the necessary skilled personnel. In addition, the area had to have birch trees, because a key story element revolves around the Robert Frost poem "Birches."

After much searching, the filmmakers decided to shoot in Minnesota. "It was just about perfect," remembers David T. Friendly. "It had what was needed to stand in for the Berkshires — hills, rivers and, especially, lakes." And since several films have been made in Minnesota, including "Fargo," "A Simple Plan" and the "Mighty Ducks" films, the area had a solid base of skilled film personnel.

Production designer Dina Lipton oversaw turning an area of the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" into rustic New England. The production actually redressed the entire town of Welsh, Minnesota to double for the story’s fictitious town of Putnam, Massachusetts.

---