Printed on the front page of THE GREENFIELD RECORDER, April 8th & 9th, 2006

By ARN ALBERTINI

GREENFIELD - A trio of techno-entrepreneurs hopes to turn the third
floor of a downtown building into a breeding ground for creativity.

Since February, Paul Hake, Jill Connolly and Darren Blondin have been
renting space on the third floor of 277 Main St. and they are looking
for others who use technology to be creative in their work to share
that space.

If three creative technophiles constitute a "creative cluster," then
Hake, Connolly and Blondin represent one of the first buds of a flower
many hope will blossom into a valued part of the town's economy.

And for planners who have for years espoused the potential of vacant
Main Street upper floors for offices and other commercial uses, this
budding high-tech incubator of sorts is an example of what the future
could hold for Greenfield.

"We want to find very high-energy people," said Hake. "We want to
create a community (so) we can bounce ideas off each other."

Connolly added, "In a word, it's `synergy.' Great things happen and
more creative things happen when you're not doing it alone."

Hake runs a multi-media production company, Paul Hake Productions,
that makes interactive CDs, marketing CDs, produces DVD and designs
Web sites. He also develops prototypes for video games, which are used
to demonstrate the game before it's manufactured. Among the games he
helped create prototypes for were MX Full Throttle and computer ver­
sions of Yahtzee and Battleship. His clients include Hasbro Toys, the
Organic Trade Association and Fidelity Investments.

Connolly is a voice-over talent and musician.

She works for various businesses, educational institutions and hos­
pitals with a focus on health, education, environmental issues, green
companies and the arts. Her credits include, the signature voice for
WGBH, Boston's PBS station; Barnes and Noble; New England Aquarium,
and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

She splits her time between Boston and Shelburne Falls, where she has
a studio in her home.

Blondin is a sound engineer and visual effects artist.

The trio met through HiddenTech.net, a networking organization for
people who use technology in their everyday business. The group
includes an online forum and regular meetings.

Collaboration

Grouping technologically oriented creative types together would open
the door to collaboration between the tenants, said Hake.

Blondin and Hake have already collaborated on several projects,
including designing video games and many projects that neither can
discuss because of non-disclosure agreements.

"It's not just sharing ideas, but supporting each other," said Hake
"We all get busy with deadlines. It helps to have people to lean on."

Working alone, as many in the creative field do, can sometimes be
draining because there's no one with whom to share your successes and
failures, he said. "You can get kind of wrapped up in your own ideas
and that can be unhealthy."

Tenants would have their own office space, where they could close
their doors for privacy, but they could also meet in the common areas
to share ideas, said Hake. "The way it's subdivided lends itself to
having a community."

It's an idea Connolly saw in action in Boston. "I just loved the
concept," she said. "It's about sharing resources; sharing creative
talents, really."

"I've been looking for a way to create synergy; (To) work with each
other's creativity."

The trio looked for space together in Northampton and Shelburne Falls,
but found the perfect fit, in terms of space and a cooperative
landlord, in downtown Greenfield, Hake said.

And to expand their concept, they hope to attract professionals like
graphic designers, video producers and editors, Web site
designers/developers/producers, digital media artists and those in
involved in integrated marketing communications.

After a recent gathering at Pushkin Gallery, where the Franklin County
Chamber of Commerce pooled various creative types who work
independently all around the county, and through Hidden-Tech, it is
clear there are plenty of people who meet the requirements, said Hake.
"It's not a matter of whether they are out there. (It's) whether they
should step up."

The trio has several potential tenants who would fit the mold, but
none are definite, Hake said.

Landlord Wayne Gass will be renovating the space, tearing out wood
paneling for a fresh coat of paint and tearing up the carpeting to
renovate the hardwood floors.

The trio may also build a sound recording booth in a corner of one of
the common areas. "Right now, the goal is to find more people to
join," said Hake. His number is (413) 3039052.

You can reach Arn Albertini at:

aalberti@recorder.com

or (413) 772-0261 Ext. 264