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Feb 2000: Production is Booming all over Palm Beach County
Productions from all over the country flocked to Palm Beach County in February. The Film Commission issued 20% more permits this year than in February, 1999. Road Rules, Court TV and Jessica Simpson are just a few of the names who chose Palm Beach County as the perfect location.
Court TV was in town filming F.Lee Bailey at the Palm Beach County Courthouse. Producer Connie Grazia who hails from New York said "The friendly and helpful attitude of the film office made shooting in Palm Beach County easy and fun. I wish we could be in Florida all winter."
The newest sensation in teen pop music, Jessica Simpson, is going to be gracing an upcoming cover of Twist Magazine. Representatives from Select Services said that Boca provided the perfect combination of opulence and recreation for their still shoot.
Road Rules motored through the county in late February. The MTV series had originally planned Miami as their South Florida stop, but once they saw the locations and experienced the service of the Film Commission staff, they altered their plans and spent five days in southern Palm Beach County. The Road Rules crew completed a top-secret mission at Florida Atlantic University.
Other noteworthy productions included: news opens for Degen Films, Charles Keath Catalog still shoots, TV series Today's Hometown, defyaging.com commercial, Image Bank Teens, TV series Travel Log, Florida Excite, and Field & Stream from the Outdoor Life Network.
Allegro Productions Celebrates 30 years of Science Screen Report
Allegro Productions of Boca Raton is preparing to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Science Screen Report. The series' thirtieth season is slated for release in September of 2000. This videotape/CD series is designed to provoke school children's interest in science. Corporate sponsorship enables Allegro to distribute the series to schools at no charge. This partnership between the corporate world, Allegro Productions and the education community has proved an enormous success.
Scott Foreman, President of Science Screen Report and Vice-President of Allegro Productions says, "This type of show grabs students' interest. It affords them the opportunity to expand on purely textbook learning. We're incredibly excited and proud to be producing this type of quality program for over three decades."
Allegro is also producing Science Screen Report for Kids, aimed at elementary age children.
The Librarians Check Out
Global Pictures' feature film The Librarians wrapped in early March. The six-week shoot was a tremendous success and now Palm Beach County breathlessly awaits the release of this movie and eagerly anticipates hosting the four future films Global Pictures has planned. The Librarians amassed over 500 hotel room nights in the past six weeks. Early projections indicate that this film had an economic impact on the county of $2 million.
Local industry professional, make-up artist, Cyndi Boyar praised the production of the feature film shot here in Palm Beach County. She comments, "It was a great experience. The crew and production staff were wonderful to work with and the response we received from the surrounding communities was wonderful."
The Librarians Producer, Rob Nittolo said "The county continues to demonstrate its desire to become the location for film and television production." Global Pictures is in a preliminary agreement with Promarc, one of Europe's largest distributors, to distribute The Librarians.
While The Librarians heads to post production, Global Pictures is already looking ahead to their next venture. Havana Bay, an action adventure love story reminiscent of Days of Thunder, is tentatively scheduled to start filming as early as June. Global Pictures will again be partnering with Mike Kirton. Says Global Pictures president, Rob Nittolo, "We're planning to be shooting one of Mike's (Kirton) films every four months right here in Palm Beach
County." Tokyo
Comes to Palm Beach County
 National Teleproductions was called on to put together and manage a project for Simex Digital out of California, Kokusai Kikaku Productions Tokyo and their client, Japanese advertising giant, Dentsu. Competing Sisters spotlights Aquarius, a new Coca Cola product soon to be released in the Japanese market. The 30 second ads feature tennis pros Venus and Serena Williams. A special indoor court was created, complete with mammoth green screen. The two sisters shot separately, a week apart and the "big game" was composed in post. The project was very last minute but PBC crews and facilities really came through...from first call to first shot was only FOUR DAYS!
Short Takes
Osmonds Voice Over in Wellington -- TV talk show host Mike Douglas came into West Palm Beach recording studio Creative Music Recordings, Inc. to do voice over narration for a Lifetime Television special on Marie Osmond, who currently
co hosts The Donny and Marie Show. Local talent Marilynn Seits and Sean McAusland engineered the session. The TV special is being produced by Actuality Productions of Sherman Oaks, CA, who discovered Creative Music Recordings via the internet.
All Aboard! Creative Television is Cruising for Success -- Boca Raton based, Creative Television, Inc (CTV) is hard at work, producing videos for Royal Caribbean International. On board the Voyager, CTV produced a TV game show, ice show, stereoscopic 3-D presentation, as well as the interactive entertainment video. In setting the course of the future, President John Potts is currently developing a port shopping network for Royal Caribbean.
A Little Good News for Lake Worth -- The Teaching Learning Network chose Bryant Park in Lake Worth to film the children's music video, A Little Good News. Forty-four kids, the majority from Palm Beach County, congregated in the park for the production of the video. TLN volunteered their time and expertise for this new edition of the former Anne Murray song.
Ross Studios has many irons in the fire at the moment --
In February, Ross completed the photography for the Wilesmith Advertising spot for the Fidelity Federal Annual Report. In addition, they are in production on a still photography documentary for a children and mother's program in Cambodia.
Underwriters Society One Year Old
The Motion Picture & Television Underwriters Society (MPTUSF) celebrates its first anniversary in March. The MPTUSF was formed with the intent of providing a forum to create financial opportunities for both film and TV industry professionals as well as private investors seeking a chance to get in on the ground floor of an exciting growth, global industry of financial opportunity.
The MPTUSF is having Florida's first High Definition TV station, WHDT in West Palm Beach, demonstrate the latest HD technology at the first anniversary party of MPTUSF of Florida on Tuesday, March 7.
Location Spotlight
Canopy Palms, Singer Island
Nestled along six acres of beachfront in Singer Island, this intimate resort boutique is a happy marriage between South Beach chic and Palm Beach elegance. The Resort recently hosted FTC Los Angeles liaison, Don Tillman and served as a location for the feature film The Librarians. Eager to be involved in film production in Palm Beach County, Canopy Palms provides competitive rates, luxuries amenities, and privacy for the entertainment industry. On the grounds, putting greens and driving cages provide distraction from stressful days of shooting. An enormous pool, surrounded by hammocks invites relaxing afternoon naps. Over 10,000 ft of business area affords productions ample office space. This elegant and intimate resort welcomes the film and television industry and desires to make their time in Palm Beach County, whether for work or pleasure, the perfect experience.
iTV Digital Slates Two New DVD Projects
iTV Digital, launched last August as part of Boca Raton's iTV (Information Television Network) expansion, has signed contracts with two new heavy-weight clients, Sun Microsystems and the Federal Highway Administration.
"At iTV, we're enthusiastic about how DVD-Video is revolutionizing the media marketplace and the various interactive business applications it has now made possible," says Bob Buruchian, Vice President/ New Media.
Later in the year, iTV will be re-launching Women's Health Matters, a 1999 Gracie (SWRT) Winner for Best National Documentary Series.
Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners
Chairman
Addie Green, Burt Aaronson, Karen T. Marcus, Tony Masilotti, Mary McCarty, Warren Newell, Jeff Koons
Focus on Film February 2000 | Volume III Issue 2 |
editor: Jennifer Williams
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