Location of the Week

The Smallest’s States Big Incentives

Known primarily for its small stature, many fruitful aspects of Rhode Island seem to be a result of overcompensation; this even holds true for its official name, The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, which is the longest official name of any state in the union. Also larger than it as any right to be is the list of reasons for moviemakers to consider filming in Rhode Island.

Firstly, the state has a variety of diverse locations to choose from, ranging from urban hubs (Providence) and historical sites (Newport Casino, Slater Mill) to universities (Brown, University of Rhode Island) and beaches. It is in this aspect that the state’s small size is an advantage: Each of these distinct locales is within close proximity to one another.

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October 28th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By Andrew Gnerre

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Allentown, PA

In 1762, Pennsylvania Chief Justice William Allen planted roots in the state's Lehigh Valley. He called the place Northamptontown, but as recognition of his devotion to the area and the respect he received from the locals, the acreage came to be known as Allen's Town. What started as a small community centered on the advancements of the Industrial Revolution is today a small community centered on much the same. Over the years the area has modernized but those small-town values remain a constant. Allentown's fame is largely derived from the safe haven it provided the Liberty Bell during Britain's search for the American icon, Billy Joel's popular 1980s single "Allentown," and, if local Zeke Zelker gets his way, for its moviemaking opportunities.

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October 1st, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By Mallory Potosky

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Kangaroo Island, Australia

The system of caverns and sinkholes of Kangaroo Island were stumbled upon (literally) in 1881. Today they remain one of the biggest draws of the large island off South Australia's coastline. In addition to the coves and caves, Kangaroo Island hosts a bizarre combination of roaming wildlife generally seen behind bars. Amongst the kangaroos (naturally), live koalas, seals, echidnas, platypi, goannas, penguins, wallabies and bees. Yes, bees. Those highly allergic might be warned to keep away or prepare as the island serves as a sanctuary for the tiny insects.

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September 17th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By Mallory Potosky

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East Hampton, NY

Each spring as the temperature around the country begins to rise, helicopters can be seen circling the outer reaches of Long Island. Traffic moves at a snail's pace along its Expressway as the rich, famous and aspiring head out to the Hamptons. It's where east coast meets west coast amongst the summery beach breezes of the Atlantic Ocean, where finance meets creativity on Further Lane and, inevitably, where many ideas are developed and deals brokered.

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September 3rd, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By Mallory Potosky

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Baltimore, Maryland

Being located right outside of the Beltway has made Baltimore, Maryland a natural extension of the U.S. capital and the setting for many a movie with a political tint. Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver visited during production of their 1993 comedy Dave, as did Nicolas Cage and Shirley MacLaine for 1994â€(tm)s Guarding Tess.

But it could be said that the people who really put this metropolitan area on the map were Bruce Willis and John McTiernan, who set up shop for Die Hard: With a Vengeance in 1995. Twelve years later the smooth-shaven action star returned with a new crew to film Live Free or Die Hard, released this past week by 20th Century Fox. The new movie finds battered action hero John McClane somewhat reluctantly dragged into yet another adventure when helicopters begin a high-speed chase of his vehicle through Baltimoreâ€(tm)s city streets. When Washington, D.C. is nearly shut down by homegrown cyber-terrorists, McClane and his new partner in crime (Dodgeballâ€(tm)s Justin Long) find themselves back on their way through the Old Line State to Baltimoreâ€(tm)s Woodlawn section, home to the targeted national headquarters of the Social Security Administration.

Usually, filming at government buildings can be a tricky feat, what with permits being a daunting task to tackle. But through the Maryland Film Office thereâ€(tm)s always a helping hand, whether in the form of a much-needed location scout or free shooting and production properties, the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts can help moviemakers find their niche within the borders of The District without actually being within the borders of The District. Register your project with the state for free and even receive a five percent tax rebate on some of your most essential rentals and production services, all while rolling film in one of the nation’s original seaport cities.

The works of John Waters and many others have made use of Baltimore, including:

Diner (1982)
Hairspray (1988)
Cry Baby (1990)
Enemy of the State (1998)
A Dirty Shame (2004)
Syriana (2005)

Sound Off: Baltimore so easily passes for Washington, D.C. on film that you might not even notice the difference. What other popular movies have successfully utilized a substitute location and are worth a moviemakerâ€(tm)s tightly-budgeted money? Share with your fellow independents in our comments section!

July 1st, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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India

While India has long had its own thriving film community in Bollywood, it is often equally appealing to foreign productions looking to set up shop throughout the country. Most recently A Mighty Heart made use of the Asian land in bringing to life the true story of slain journalist Daniel Pearl.

Based on the book of the same name by Pearl’s wife, Mariane, the movie delves into the lives of the Pearls (played by Oscar winner Angelina Jolie and nominee Dan Futterman), leading up to and following the capture and subsequent murder of the former South Asian Bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal. Filmed throughout India and Pakistan, director Michael Winterbottom squeezed every last drop from his inspired setting and followed the storyline through streets of police raids and processions to landmarks such as the Gateway of India and Churchgate Station. Plus, a marked amount of extras and crew were farmed from the local talent pool and sometimes even right off the street. “If a guy on the street looked right for the part, we grabbed him,” explains casting director Wendy Brazington, who also called on well-known Indian faces Irfan Khan and Archie Panjabi for weighty supporting roles.

With borders along the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal and inlands made of sandy deserts, India’s landscape provides the variety needed for productions of many a setting and experience. Through the National Film Development Corporation Limited, productions of any size can submit to receive partial funding and production assistance in the form of photographers, art directors, Steadicams, mikes and booms, computer graphics and lodging, among other filming necessities. Plus, the task of dealing with customs and local/national government falls on the shoulders of the NFDC, leaving moviemakers free to storyboard and dare to dream.

Wondering how you can experience India on film if you haven’t caught many Bollywood movies? Watch the following:
Armageddon
The Bourne Supremacy
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Monsoon Wedding
Passage to India
Salaam Bombay!

For more information on A Mighty Heart, released domestically by Paramount Vantage on June 22, visit www.amightheartmovie.com.

For more information on India and filming in the country, check out www.incredibleindia.org and the National Film Development Corporation Ltd. at www.nfdcindia.com.

SOUND OFF: In the past few years alone there have been at least two biopics per year. Which is your favorite of all time? Sound off in our comments section!

June 17th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Location of the Week: Shreveport, LA

Shreveport is beginning to get a creepy reputation. Located on the banks of the Red River in northwest Louisiana, Shreveport has emerged as a choice location for moviemakers from all over. According to a 2000 census, 12 percent of the city’s area is covered in water in the form of tributaries and wetlands, making it a great place to get that authentic bayou setting on film. So far this year, both The Reaping and Premonition have shown off some of Shreveport’s arresting landscapes. With Frank Darabont’s Steven King adaptation of The Mist arriving in November, we can only assume Shreveport is going to get even spookier.

But there’s another side that moviemakers are exploring. The state’s third-largest city, Shreveport serves as the cultural center for a large area covering parts of Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas. Kevin Costner must have enjoyed his time in Shreveport during the filming of last year’s The Guardian; he returned to the city play the title role in the upcoming Mr. Brooks, about an ironically split-personality businessman.

The city’s Economic Development Coordinator, Arlena Acree, says Shreveport prides itself on its accommodations. “Any buildings owned by the city or parish are free for use as locations and an advanced transportation infrastructure means you can shoot at four or five different places in a single day.” This is a film-friendly city, with special locations (an empty jail cell, for instance) set aside for moviemakers. The best part is Shreveport is very affordable and the State of Louisiana offers incentives to local talent.

For more information, visit www.shreveportfilms.com.

May 30th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Location of the Week: Minnesota

Quick word association: What are the first two words that come to mind when you hear “Minnesota?” If you thought “cold” and “snow,” you’re not alone. Of course, it doesn’t help that some of the best-known Minnesota-shot movies back up those associations. Fargo takes place almost entirely in cold and snow; winter weather figures prominently into the plots of Jingle All the Way, Grumpy Old Men and A Simple Plan; and who can forget Apollonia’s dip into the freezing waters of one of Minnesota’s many lakes (that wasn’t Lake Minnetonka) in Purple Rain.

While those films make use of the frigid Minnesota climate to great effect, the Minnesota Film and TV Board knows the state is more than just freezing temperatures. The state has a lot to offer any moviemaker, says production services manager Christopher Grap. “You can be shooting an industrial site or urban setting in the morning and isolated farm country or river banks in the afternoon,” Grap says. “Something producers have commented on is the close proximity of diverse locations. You don’t have to travel far in Minnesota to get a great range of backdrops.”

Through the board’s new website, www.mnfilmtv.org, and the Minnesota state production incentive, Snowbate, which returns up to 15 percent of production costs to producers on eligible projects, Minnesota certainly has more to offer than snow angels.

Other notable productions from the Land of 1,000 Lakes:
Graffiti Bridge
Beautiful Girls
The Mighty Ducks trilogy
Grumpier Old Men
Pushing Tin
A Prairie Home Companion
North Country
Airport

Sound Off: Like many other states, Minnesota offers a tax incentive program to entice productions into the state. Besides tax breaks, what are some other important economic sweeteners that would entice you, the moviemaker, to a specific location?

—Dante A. Ciampaglia

May 6th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Location of the Week: Wyoming

Wyoming might not have a musical celebrating it like Chicago or play host to any renowned film landmarks like Philadelphia, but it can claim a long list of movies that have shot upon its soil. As part of the Rocky Mountain range, Wyoming offers movies of every color and stripe its peaks and valleys, canyons and grasslands. Best of all, it is now less expensive to shoot that dream Chuck Norris western with entire towns already dressed for scenes at the old bank or Broken Wheel saloon. This is the state where John Ford filmed Cheyenne Autumn and Brad Pitt fished the rivers of Jackson in A River Runs Through It.

More than the locations Wyoming provides all moviemakers, the Equality State gives up to 15 percent cash back through its Film Industry Financial Incentive program. A minimum budget of $500,000 must be met, but the benefits are great. There are also additional incentives for a Wyoming-based storyline and behind-the-scenes Wyoming footage.

Join the group of moviemakers who chose this High Plains state, but first visit www.filmwyoming.com.

Other movies from big, wonderful Wyoming include:

Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Dances with Wolves
Rocky IV
Starship Troopers
Rollerball
Flicka

Sound Off: Yellowstone National Park, partially situated in Wyoming, has been the setting on many a film frame. On which is it depicted best?

--Mallory Potosky

April 10th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Location of the Week: New Mexico

With its rose-colored stretches of desert and broad, rocky mesas, the state of New Mexico seems an ideal place to capture the spirit of the American Southwest. From Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to Brokeback Mountain, New Mexico has appeared on screen as the home of that zll-American male archetype: The cowboy. With its long history of Native American, Spanish and American settlers, the state’s intermixing of cultures has made it a perfect locale for moviemakers looking to capture the unique history of this area of the United States. Since 1898, more than 700 films have been shot within New Mexico’s borders.

Only recently, however, has the state started moving toward becoming amenable to moviemakers looking to base their whole productions in the area. To this end, the New Mexico-based Rio Grande Studios has teamed up with British production company Turn of the Century Productions to work on an upcoming film, the action-adventure flick Judgement Day. The first feature to be produced from pre- through post-production entirely in the “Land of Enchantment,” Judgement Day will be directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak (Doom, Cradle 2 the Grave).

For information on shooting in New Mexico, visit www.nmfilm.com.

You can also catch NM’s desert plains in:
Independence Day
Every Which Way But Loose
Traffic
Superman
Natural Born Killers

Sound Off: Do you think it helps the independent film industry to have more films produced outside of Los Angeles and New York? Do you prefer to work outside of one of these bigger cities if you can complete pre- through post-production somewhere else? Weigh in by posting in the comments section!

--Jennifer Straus

March 19th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Tripeg Studios

Connecticut has quietly been positioning itself as the cost-efficient alternative to the favored film scenes of neighboring New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. At the heart of this trend is the burgeoning Tripeg Studios, a 20,000 square foot movie production titan, which opened its doors in Hamden in 2004.

Among the facilities at Tripeg are three soundstages, an on-site production office and a Final Cut HD post-production suite. In addition, thereâ€(tm)s an in-house crew boasting experienced professionals for all a moviemakerâ€(tm)s production needsâ€"from producers and music composers to pyrotechnicians and specialty carpenters. In just two years the studio has established itselfâ€"and its home stateâ€"as “a viable destination for heavyweight media producers,â€? says studio manager Andrew Gernhard. Along with films from nearby Yale University students, the studio has recently hosted productions by HBO, ABC News Productions and several music videos and political ad campaigns.

Tripeg has led the self-proclaimed “Land of the Sleeping Giantâ€? to become “somewhat of a ‘hubâ€(tm) for new production services,â€? according to Gernhard. “There is good support from local government and producers can rely on a ‘can doâ€(tm) response with area businesses.â€? Between the advantages of the state-of-the art fledgling studio and Connecticutâ€(tm)s 30 percent tax credit, you now have no excuse to just pass through.

For more information on how you can utilize all the amenities at Tripeg Studios, visit www.tripegstudios.com.

Sound Off: Tripeg Studios plays host to screenwriting workshops with industry veteran Peter Foxâ€"just another way Tripeg is bringing the moviemaking community to Connecticut. Do you think Connecticut could soon become the next indie moviemaking hotspot?

â€"Mallory Potosky

March 8th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week, Locations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia is a city steeped in history, both on-screen and off. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ‘60s, the city took a then-radical position in the South: Desegregation. Its stance appealed chiefly to outcast citizens, and by 1972 the majority of Atlanta’s residents were African-American. The city’s status as a largely black community still holds true today, and is why some of Hollywood’s most influential movies about the African-American experience use Atlanta as their backdrop.

In years past, the directors of Driving Miss Daisy, Remember the Titans and Beauty Shop all found themselves utilizing Atlanta’s enduring allure in their films. This month, hometown moviemaker Tyler Perry (famous for the wildly popular Diary of a Mad Black Woman) will feature the city in his latest movie, Daddy’s Little Girls. The modern Romeo and Juliet story follows an Ivy League-educated lawyer (Deliver Us from Eva’s Gabrielle Union) and the surprising love she finds with a single father supporting his three daughters through his job as a mechanic (played by Idris Elba of HBO’s “The Wire”).

The movie talent pool runs deep in Georgia’s capital city (see: Spike Lee, Julia Roberts and Steven Soderbergh) and their film office is more than happy to assist all those looking to shoot in the area, offering interested moviemakers a few permit-free locations as well as tax exemptions for qualified productions. Consult www.filmgeorgia.org for more info.

Catch the streets of Atlanta in:
The Big Chill
Manhunter
Road Trip
Big Fish
A Simple Twist of Fate
The Clearing
We Are Marshall

Sound Off: Gone with the Wind (incidentally filmed on a soundstage in Los Angeles) is probably the most iconic of films about the city of Atlanta. Are there other films that have similarly captured the essence of town or region? Talk back in the comments section!

February 18th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Memphis, Tennessee

For many moviemakers, Memphis, Tennessee embodies the American south. The home of famous blues musicians Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and B.B King, Memphis has also become one of the most film-friendly locations in the United States. In fact, MovieMaker just chose it as number seven on our list of the “Top 10 Movie Cities” in the Winter 2007 issue.

In recent years, big-time hits like Silence of the Lambs, 21 Grams and Walk the Line have featured Tennessee’s largest city, and indie hotshot Craig Brewer has professed a particular love for the City of Good Abode, which he used as the backdrop for both 2005’s Hustle & Flow and the upcoming Black Snake Moan. Starring Christina Ricci and Samuel L. Jackson, Black Snake Moan explores underlying racial tensions in modern Southern culture, as an aging blues musician (Jackson) attempts to cure a young woman (Ricci) of her nymphomania. In addition to these well-known flicks, many indie moviemakers have embraced Memphis for its thriving film scene, headed by the Memphis and Shelby County Film Commission. The Commission offers a wide variety of services including help with equipment rental, free use of government-owned properties and the assistance of the Memphis Movie Motorcycle Unit, comprised of police offers with past experience in coordinating on-location filming.

For more information on filming in this southern gem of a city, visit http://www.memphisfilmcomm.org.

Also, check out Memphis in:
The Client
The People vs. Larry Flynt
Cookie’s Fortune
Cast Away

Sound Off: What other cities do you think best capture the American south? Let us know in the comments section!

February 12th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Victoria, Australia

We all know the Land Down Under has several claims to fame in the movie world: Films like Shine, Strictly Ballroom and Muriel’s Wedding have been hits worldwide, and many Australian actors are among Hollywood’s biggest draws, including Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman and of course, MM’s latest covergirl, Cate Blanchett. What you might not have realized is the growing popularity of the world’s smallest continent as a moviemaking locale, in particular the southeastern state of Victoria.

With FilmVictoria’s help, it’s no wonder moviemakers continually flock to the region. The office provides everything from funding incentives and alternatives to online production and location directories. As Australia’s second most populous state, Victoria is home to over five million people and boasts a diverse and beautiful landscape of rock formations, caves, beaches and lakes. Several moviemakers have recently used the area (which includes the city of Melbourne) as the setting for their films, including the live-action version of Charlotte’s Web, the horror film Rogue, the superhero flick Ghost Rider (starring Nicolas Cage) and Spike Jonze’s upcoming Where the Wild Things Are.

For more information on making your next movie on Victorian turf, visit www.film.vic.gov.au.

Check out Victoria’s past film appearances in:
A Cry in the Dark
Darkness Falls
Queen of the Damned
Picnic at Hanging Rock
The Hard Word

Sound Off: From Strictly Ballroom to Where the Wild Things Are, Australia has served many a moviemaker’s needs. What films do you think could have benefited from being filmed on location in the country? Let us know in the comments section!

Photo: Dakota Fanning as Fern in Paramount Pictures’ Charlotte’s Web - 2006.

February 5th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Romania

Too bad there isn’t an Academy Award for best use of location, as Cold Mountain could’ve added that honor to its seven Oscar nominations. The nation of Romania, which stood in for the Appalachia region of the United States, should certainly be proud of its beautifully atmospheric role in the film. In recent years, with its rolling countryside, modern metropolitan atmosphere and old-world appeal, the country has become the go-to international site for Hollywood and European moviemakers. (It probably doesn’t hurt that work permits are not required to film there.)

This alternative to the popular moviemaking destination of the Czech Republic has set the scene not only for Cold Mountain (shot in the small town of Potigrafu) but for Francis Ford Coppola’s latest endeavor, Youth Without Youth (slated for a 2007 release). It even stood in for those fictional shots of Kazakhstan in the Golden-Globe-winning comedy Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

Blood and Chocolate, a werewolf-vampire thriller from German director Katja von Garnier, is the latest release to take advantage of Romania’s hidden charms—and what better place to film a vampire movie than the home country of Dracula himself? Bucharest, the capital city, was “like a character in the movie,” says the film’s star, Hugh Dancy. “It’s a luxury to be able to make the most of the city.”

You can also catch the ominous historic sites of Romania in:

An American Haunting
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
Amen
Train of Life

Sound Off: Stories of vampires and werewolves have long had an association with Romania—either filmed or set in the country which houses the famously spooky region of Transylvania. Which of these stories have best translated to the big screen? Weigh in by posting in the comments section!

January 29th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

Comments: 6

Washington, D.C.

Lee Pace and Matt Damon in Universal Pictures’ The Good Shepherd - 2006

Our nation’s capital is no stranger to film crews, which flock to the city to capture its long list of famous monuments and locations. From the Roman-inspired columns of the White House to the attractions on the National Mall, this city has seen countless productions use its alleys and byways. Political and historical movies like Oliver Stone’s Nixon (1995) have taken advantage of the steps at the Lincoln Memorial and the Watergate complex was the scene of the crime in Alan Pakula’s All The President’s Men (1976). On the non-political side, William Friedkin’s The Exorcist made famous use of the city’s Georgetown neighborhood, and Union Station was featured prominently in Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers On A Train. Robert De Niro joined these prestigious ranks when his latest movie, The Good Shepherd, filmed at Capitol Hill in 2005.Founded in 1790, the “Federal City” is governed by a local municipality—with certain exceptions under the jurisdiction of the nation’s government. For moviemakers, that means acquiring special permitting at the U.S. Capitol Building and the most-desired monuments. But don’t fret: It’s all funneled through the D.C. Office of Motion Picture & Television Development. Permits and free parking, guidelines and location assistance are all part of the package. The film office’s online Production Resource Guide supplies the contact information for everything from local sound stages to animal talent, and its crew list helps moviemakers find professionals for most production positions.

Other politically-charged movies shot on location in Washington, D.C. include:

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
JFK
A Few Good Men
The Pelican Brief
Traffic

More information may be found here.

Sound Off: Woody Allen knows how to film the beauty of New York City and Peter Jackson always takes our breath away shooting New Zealand landscapes. What movie and/or director do you find best demonstrates his or her passion for Washington, D.C.?

January 7th, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

Comments: 2

Trafalgar Square

There are many spots on London’s map that make up the city’s famous landscape, but one of the most famous is no doubt the pigeon-bedecked Trafalgar Square. Built to commemorate the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar, the square sits in the heart of the Charing Cross neighborhood and boasts an impressive collection of political figures as well as the famed bronze lions.

On the silver screen, Trafalgar Square has appeared in over three dozen films, from Scott Hicks’ acclaimed Shine, to the original 1967 version of Casino Royale. With the beautiful architecture of the National Gallery gracing the north side of the Square, the now iconic spot is a perfect establishing shot of England’s capital city, a feature that was never more eerily evoked than its desolate appearance in Danny Boyle’s zombie hit, 28 Days Later… Next up, the square takes another sci-fi turn in Alfonso Cuarón’s unsettling futuristic vision, Children of Men, which opened in limited release on December 25.

Short of visiting the famed London hotspot yourself, you can get a glimpse of Trafalgar Square in:
V for Vendetta
Love Actually
Arabesque
101 Dalmatians
The Living Daylights
84 Charing Cross Road
The Ipcress File

SOUND OFF QUESTION: From 28 Days Later… to the recently released Children of Men, London seems to have become a hot spot for apocalyptic sci-fi tales.  Why do you think moviemakers keep choosing England’s capital city as the site of futuristic catastrophes? Talk back in the comments section!

January 2nd, 2007 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Budapest

credit: www.budapestinfo.hu

Budapest is a city bridging Eastern and Western European cultures: Elegant, yet not as overexposed as hot tourist spots like Paris or Prague. In addition to being Hungary’s capital city, Budapest also happens to be the epicenter of the Hungarian film community, whether you are a moviemaker looking to shoot your next project, or a movie lover seeking out the best of Hungarian indie cinema.

Budapest itself is the result of the merging of two separate cities, Buda and Pest, resting on opposite banks of the Danube River. Though it was partially destroyed by British and American air raids during World War II, the city still retains much of its beauty and history with landmarks such as the Matthias Church and the Royal Castle. On screen, the city has been captured in a wide range of films, from blockbuster flicks like Mortal Kombat to critically-acclaimed dramas like Steven Spielberg’s Munich and Hungarian director István Szabó’s Sunshine. Most recently, the city made an appearance in Agnieszka Holland’s Copying Beethoven, which opened in limited release on November 10.With a slew of indie and mainstream theaters gracing its streets as well as a thriving community of native moviemakers taking up residence, Budapest may be one of the underappreciated gems of the European film scene.You can catch Budapest gracing the frames of:
Evita
Cyrano de Bergerac
Spy Game
Underworld
Being Julia
Phantom of the Opera

For more information on shooting in or around Budapest, visit www.hungarianfilm.com

Sound Off: Several of Budapest’s most notable film productions center on the story of World War II and the Holocaust. How much does a city’s history impact the type of films made there? Should a city try to avoid being “typecast,” or welcome a reputation for playing backdrop to a certain genre or subject matter? Talk back in the comments section!

December 11th, 2006 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

Comments: 1

South Africa

Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly and Leonardo DiCaprio in Warner Bros. Blood Diamond - 2006

The nation of South Africa is a true jumble of cultures, to such a degree that it is said to have no single culture that defines it. In the post-apartheid world, the country is known as “The Rainbow Nation,” a nod to its cultural diversity. It’s no wonder, then, that almost 600 films have chosen to film in South Africa, many of them tackling the country’s turbulent political history, including Phillip Noyce’s recent Catch a Fire and Ed Zwick’s forthcoming Blood Diamond, which opens on December 8th.With climates ranging from desert to Mediterranean to tropical, South Africa offers a variety of backdrops, and makes an appearance in many recent African-set films, such as Hugh Hudson’s I Dreamed of Africa and Terry George’s harrowing Hotel Rwanda. With extensive support for moviemakers, South Africa is an ideal option for those wary of filming in a location with little or no resources for their crew. Among the resources available are funding for native moviemakers, co-production treaties with Canada, Germany and Italy and experienced crews well-versed in coping with everything from exotic animals to remote locales.

Other films that feature South Africa include:

Sarafina!
Malcolm X
Ali
Tsotsi
Duma
The Gods Must Be Crazy
White Squall
Lord of War

For more information on shooting in South Africa, visit www.filmmakersguide.co.za.

Sound Off: Ever shot, or are you planning to shoot in South Africa? Share your experiences in the comments section!

December 3rd, 2006 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

Comments: 1

Millennium Biltmore Hotel

Sharon Stone, William H. Macy, Elijah Wood and Lindsay Lohan in The Weinstein Company’s Bobby - 2006.

On May 11, 1927, designers sketched the concept for the Academy Award statuette out on a napkin, and in the Crystal Ballroom of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, the now-famed Oscar was born. With cinematic history woven intimately into its fabric, the downtown Los Angeles hotel, long famed for its sophistication, went on to host the first years of the famous awards ceremony and has since welcomed productions including Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, Roman Polanski’s Chinatown and Steve Kloves’ The Fabulous Baker Boys onto its grounds.

Decorated with the Spanish-Italian Renaissance in mind and sectioned into rooms that open up to cathedral-style, hand-painted ceilings, the hotel drips in hand-detailed wood paneling, crystal chandeliers and classical artwork and sculpture, all of which make it a prime location to recreate the bygone elegance of the early film industry. However, even more striking than its elite history, the hotel has seen a plethora of politicians and dignitaries make their way through its dining halls and bedrooms, making it a hotspot for political flicks from Wolfgang Petersen’s In the Line of Fire to Emilio Estevez’s Bobby, which will be released on November 23rd.

Other notable films shot in this L.A. landmark include:

Ghostbusters
Pretty in Pink
Splash
House of Sand and Fog

For more information on the Biltmore, visit www.biltmorehotel.com.

November 26th, 2006 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Morocco

Keisha Castle Hughes in The Nativity Story, photo courtesy New Line Cinema.

It’s highly possible that you’ve seen at least some half-dozen movies filmed on location in Morocco and not even known it. Bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Sahara Desert, this North African country has stood in for locales in movies as diverse as the classic Lawrence of Arabia to the most recent incarnation of The Hills Have Eyes. In fact, since foreign filming began there in 1987, more than 500 movies have featured the country’s universal landscape as the backdrop. Directors choosing to film in the region have included Bernardo Bertolucci (The Sheltering Sky), Alfred Hitchcock (The Man Who Knew Too Much) and Martin Scorsese (Kundun and The Last Temptation of Christ).

Among the commitments listed by the Moroccan Cinematographic Centre are government cooperation, military and police assistance, a simplified procedure for the importing and exporting of shooting material and professional, trained crews experienced in working with foreign productions. Each year the country sees the production of an average 30 films, but in 2004 alone, 93 U.S. films were permitted production visas.

Most recently audiences would have seen the beauty of this “Western Kingdom” in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Babel. It will also be featured in Catherine Hardwicke’s The Nativity Story, out December 1^st. The movie follows the Biblical characters of Mary (Academy Award nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes of Whale Rider) and Joseph (Oscar Isaac) as they deal with the miracle birth of Jesus. While much of the film was set in Italy, key scenes of Herod’s castle and the temple of Jerusalem made use of the beautiful Moroccan landscape.

The following movies also offer visuals of Morocco’s mountains, coasts and dunes include:

Patton
The Man Who Would Be King
Hideous Kinky
Gladiator
Alexander

For more information on filming in Morocco, visit http://www.ccm.ma/defaultEng.html

November 20th, 2006 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Montréal, Canada

There are many reasons to hop the border to the Canadian province of Québec: A liberal political climate, delicious French-Canadian cuisine and the yearly winter carnival for starters. But for moviemakers, the incentives are even greater, leading many Americans to take their cast and crew north, in particular to the city of Montréal.

Rachel Weisz and Hugh Jackman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Fountain.

The largest city in Québec, Montréal has a long history of supporting the arts, and offers a variety of benefits for moviemakers looking to shoot in the area. From assisting with location scouting to financial and tax support, the Montréal Film and TV Commission has ensured that its town is moviemaker—and movie lover—friendly. The city has played host to over 1,000 film and television projects, including Darren Aronofsky’s upcoming epic, The Fountain, which follows the romance of a star-crossed couple over the course of a millennium.

Some of both mainstream and indie film’s most successful flicks have called Montréal their home for some period of time, from the apocalyptic blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow (the city’s highest grossing film to date) to art-house classics like François Girard’s The Red Violin and Norman Jewison’s Agnes of God.

For more information on taking advantage of some French-Canadian hospitality, visit www.montrealfilm.com.

November 13th, 2006 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Venice, Italy

This scattering of islands on the northeast coast of Italy has long stood as the embodiment of romance and mystery—a quality inevitably captured in the films that employ the Venetian canals as their backdrop.  Cashing in on the darker tones of the city, and hoping to follow in the footsteps of Venetian box office winners Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Italian Job, The English Patient and The Talented Mr. Ripley, is the upcoming Bond flick Casino Royale.

Comprised of a cluster of small islands, Venice has played a major role in Italian artistic culture, from the famous architecture of the Duke’s palace to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum and most famously the ornate masks of the city’s winter carnival.  Within the film community, the Venice Film Festival—the world’s oldest film festival—remains one of the most prestigious, recognizing many of the year’s top films and awarding the much sought-after Leone d’Oro (Golden Lion) to the fest’s best picture.  At the 63rd Venice Film Festival this past August, the best picture Lion was awarded to Jia Zhang-Ke’s Sanxia Haoren, and best director to Alain Resnais for Private Fears in Public Places.

Other films that have featured Venice’s (sinking) streets include:

Death in Venice
Everyone Says I Love You
The Wings of the Dove
The Merchant of Venice
From Russia With Love
Casanova

November 6th, 2006 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Royal Albert Hall, London, England

An ominous cymbal clash thrust London’s Royal Albert Hall into the cinematic Hall of Fame during the title sequence of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1956 film The Man Who Knew Too Much. In the knuckle-biting climax of the classic thriller, Jimmy Stewart frantically tries to prevent an assassination that is about take place during a performance by the London Symphony Orchestra in the city’s famous venue.  While the Hall was also used in Hitch’s original version of this film, it is the lush, full-color tumult of the remake that endured as an iconic moment in movie history.

The unique building, which can hold up to 6,000 people, sports a unique terra cotta frieze depicting “the triumph of the arts and sciences,” as well as an ornate glass and iron-wrought domed roof. Constructed by Queen Victoria in memory of her late husband, Prince Albert, the Hall first opened in 1971 and is now one of the most famous music halls in the world, as well as an icon of London architecture.

Aside from the inevitable slew of concert films, Albert Hall makes a stately appearance in several other musically-inclined movies, including Mark Herman’s Brassed Off, Scott Hicks’ Shine, and Cédric Klapisch’s follow-up to L’Auberge Espagnole, Les Poupées Russes.  For more information on Albert Hall and upcoming performances, visit their website.

October 30th, 2006 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Madrid, Spain

Credit: Sony Pictures Classics

If a moviemaker can be named the cinematic patron saint of a city, then without a doubt, Pedro Almodóvar can claim the title for Madrid. Spain’s capital city has served as the vibrant backdrop for all of the acclaimed director’s feature films, from 1980’s Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón to his most recent release, Volver, which opens in New York and Los Angeles on November 3rd. While Almodóvar may be the most recognizable of Madrid’s champions, the city has played host to film sets as far back as 1903.Aside from Almodóvar’s work, Alejandro Amenábar’s The Others and The Sea Inside as well as Julio Medem’s Sex and Lucia rank as some of Madrid’s highest grossing films to date. Occupied since prehistoric times, Madrid’s long history is reflected in its diverse architecture from the expansive royal palace to the industrial sprawl of the Franco dictatorship. As the third most populous city in the European Union, modern-day Madrid is a bustling epicenter of European culture with a vibrant artistic scene. It’s no wonder that so many moviemakers, Spanish and otherwise, have sought out this city to bring their cinematic visions to life.

Other films featuring Madrid include:
That Obscure Object of Desire
Open Your Eyes
Lost in La Mancha
Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
From Russia with Love

October 23rd, 2006 | Category: Location of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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