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On location in The Bahamas
WHAT-TO-DO - NASSAU, CABLE BEACH & PARADISE ISLAND - JULY 2004
On location in The Bahamas
Ideal scenery and climate
Location is as important to the film industry as it is to real estate.
In the movie industry the expression ?on location? often means some exotic place outside of New York or Hollywood, such as Paris, Rome, Monte Carlo or Bora Bora and Fiji in the south seas. So it wasn?t accidental that the islands of The Bahamas were discovered by movie makers, particularly when searching for locations for films that included tropical or underwater scenes. The clarity of the water and the kindness of the climate were natural factors.
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism recognizes the importance of the film industry and has made it part of its mandate to encourage and facilitate film-makers. A special section within the Ministry, the Bahamas Film & Television Commission, was created in 1985 to promote the industry.
The Commission coordinates 250 to 300 film-related projects a year, according to Angela Archer, senior manager of the Film Commission. That includes films, television series segments, commercials, fashion shoots, product shots and catalogue work, magazine covers and stories.
Archer attends film festivals, conventions and seminars, and deals with other government departments involved, including Customs, Police, Public Works and Immigration, in a sometimes complex scenario.
An infrastructure has evolved parallel to the ministry?s efforts, and a highly trained and motivated team of film people has emerged. They include stand-ins, doubles, extras, models, grips, gofers, stunt men and women, artists, technicians, photographers, camera crew, and a whole cadre of knowledgeable helpers who can be assembled at the click of a shutter.
Studio for Freeport
In Grand Bahama, Gold Rock Creek Enterprises is building a $26-million state-of-the-art music, movie and TV studio complex, plus a 130-room hotel, restaurant and retail space, a Bahamian village and other amenities on 3,500 acres. Phase 1 of the project is under way with a site cleanup, landscaping and building restructuring that will turn four old barracks into offices. Phase 2 will include construction of the first of three sound stages and infrastructure, according to Paul Quigley, CEO of Gold Rock Film Studio & Theme Park. He heads a group of partners that includes Belgian film-maker Hans Schutte and New York entertainment lawyer Michael Collyer, former chairman of the National Academy of Television Arts and Science.
Film Festival
The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) will premier in Nassau in December 2004.
?We believe that the Bahamas International Film Festival will allow us to build a bona fide film and television industry in The Bahamas that we all have been hoping for,? says Craig Woods, Film Commissioner with the Ministry of Tourism.
Leslie Vanderpool, executive director of BIFF, believes that branding and international recognition of BIFF will trigger a wealth of opportunities for the film industry in The Bahamas and in the fields of arts, entertainment and the cultural life of the country.
Following the late 2003 shooting and production of After the Sunset, featuring Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek and Woody Harrelson, work started on a sunken treasure underwater adventure film, Into the Blue, by MGM-Mandalay Pictures. It stars Paul Walker, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin, Scott Caan and Ashley Scott.
The director, John Stockwell, also directed Blue Crush, a surfing film shot on location in Hawaii. ?The film made a ton of money, had great appeal with the young affluent market and saw business increase to that particular Hawaiian island by 20 per cent, and tourism is still booming,? says Woods. Filming of Into the Blue finished in late March.
In April 2004 work began around Governor?s Harbour, Eleuthera, on an outdoor ?sensuous thriller,? Three, starring Billy Zane, whose credits include Titanic, The Mummy, The Mummy Returns and The Phantom, among others.
In summer 2004, the action-drama On a Starfish was to be be filmed in Bimini and Southern Florida. It will star Michael Ironside and Anthony Montgomery (of Star Trek: The Next Generation).
Upgraded website
The Commission?s website (www.bahamasfilm.com), has been upgraded ?to make it more film-friendly,? says Woods. It includes new images of locations that film-makers like to use. There is a booking engine on the website whereby film-makers can make their own arrangements for projects.?
The site, which was launched in October 2000, has seen visits grow from 10,000 per month at inception to a high of 438,272 visits in March of 2004. More than 73 per cent of the site visits are from the US.
?We want the film-makers, celebrities, producers and directors to have a great experience and go back to Hollywood trumpeting the praise of the ease of making a production here,? says Woods
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