Former Jewel Thief to Steal the Show in Palm Beach County!

The most recent development in South Florida’s pursuit of film fame is a former criminal lensing his father’s life story in Ft. Lauderdale and Palm Beach County. Walter T. Shaw, a convicted jewel thief, believed to be the head of the “Dinnertime Bandits,” will convert his father’s saga of telecommunications inventions into celluloid magic in the new year. All For Nothin’ will tell the story of Walter Shaw, the inventor with over 39 patents to his credit who died penniless, allegedly due to the unremittance of corporate communications companies. 

The surviving Shaw is most commonly known for his role in the infamous dinnertime burglaries in the early 1980’s. Shaw is incorporating the negative side of a life of crime into the screenplay. Crime does not pay and Shaw wants his film to portray crime realistically as opposed the grandiose portrayal of mafia life in films like Goodfellas and Godfather. “We’re being well-received by state authorities in part because of the film’s message,” says Shaw. 

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Lion Country Safari
West Palm Beach, FL

Head west on Southern Blvd about 15 miles and you will find yourself emerged in the exotic danger of the wild. From the Great Plains of North America to the Serengeti Plains of East Africa, Lion Country Safari has it all. As the nation’s first cageless zoo, LCS  has not only been a leader in conservation  but is involved in the captive breeding of threatened and endangered species and also boasts one of the most unique landscapes in South Florida.

A recent push by the public relations director, L.J. Margolis is putting Lion Country on the map as a filming destination as well. The diverse nature of the 500 acre+ grounds allow for a multitude of filming options. Not only does LCS offer the vastness of the plains, but it also boasts an amusement park, several lakes and many waterfalls. While the zoo’s primary responsibility is to the animals, LCS maintains a film-friendly and flexible environment for production.

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www.pbfilm.com

The Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission in partnership with All Video Network is launching the new and improved FTC website. Incorporating streaming video, incentives, location information, interactive permitting, a press room, and industry links, this website promises to be a useful tool to the production community and a marketing resource to local production companies. 

AVN took on the project about three months ago. AVN is famous for their innovative streaming video design. They have created a program that identifies the appropriate modem speed so every video is viewed in real time.  Local production companies are now featured with direct links and a 10-minute demo reel right there at potential customers’ fingertips.

The location information section has been expanded to include “Images of Palm Beach County,” a comprehensive photo library of many popular locations. Still to come is the launch of the online FTC Location Library which will feature all of PBC’s fabulous locations.

Permit applications and information are now available on-line. Click on the permit, fill it out and email it to the Film Commission for faster than ever One-Stop Permitting Service.

Links have been added to connect directly with the production guide, PBIFF,  production companies, studios, state film incentive information and over 50 other useful sites. Additionally, there is now a press room, information on the FTC Board of Directors, weather information and archived stats. It’s not over yet...there’s still a lot more improvements and additions to come!

For more information about AVN and streaming video, go to the FTC website and be linked directly to the leader in Internet technology and website design.

Do You Wanna Know a Secret?, the Del Mar feature shot in PBC last summer, will be premiering at the American Film Market in Los Angeles next year. Mainline Releasing is handling the distribution. The first Del Mar movie, Clean and Narrow is premiering on HBO in February, 2001.

Florida is planning to make a show of it at Sundance Film Festival this year. Film Florida, the State Film Commission and Palm Beach County, with the help of consultant Jan Rhees, are planning an aggressive marketing campaign to lure independent filmmakers to Florida and Palm Beach County. Complete coverage and highlights to come in the next edition of Focus on Film.

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Filmmakers Rodney Mayo and Dominic Giannetti picked up their cameras as soon as the Palm Beach County canvassing board  picked up the ballots on November 8, 2000. During the five weeks of indecision, legal rulings, controversy and chad counting, these two visionaries recorded everything that happened, not just for posterity, but for the documentary they are making titled Undecided 2000. The local producers/directors recognized an opportunity to record history and took advantage of it. 

                Now that the election results are in and the electoral college has chosen George W. Bush as the next United States President, the filmmakers are busy compiling their raw footage into a slick, comprehensive documentary. According to Mayo and Giannetti, they have already been approached with offers for distribution. They are currently auditioning post narrators and are entertaining proposals to include local and national news footage in the finished film.

Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners
Chairman Warren Newell, 
Burt Aaronson,  
Addie Greene, Karen T. Marcus, 
Tony Masilotti, Mary McCarty, 
Jeff Koons
Focus on Film DEC 2000                 Volume III Issue 12                
editor: Jennifer Williams       masthead design: Wendy Meyer

If you would like to be included in this monthly publication, please contact the Film Commission at 561.233.1000 or email information to jwilliam@pbfilm.com.