Bahamas Film Industry scores big with popular motion pictures. Pirates of The Caribbean II means big exposure for The Bahamas.
WELCOME BAHAMAS NASSAU - 2005 EDITION
Movie goers around the world have enjoyed the beaches and waters of The Bahamas in scenes from some of the most popular movies. Jaws the Revenge, Splash, Cocoon I and II, Silence of the Lambs, My Father the Hero and many of the James Bond films included footage from above and below Bahamian waters.
The country’s spectacular water and close proximity to the United States have made it a top destination for movie makers filming natural underwater scenes.
One of the most requested dive sites is at the remnants of a plane used in the James Bond movie Thunderball.
More and more, movie makers are recognizing the advantages of filming in The Bahamas. In 2004 the country welcomed a number of major studios as it expanded the services and products available.
"Last year was a great year for the film industry in The Bahamas," says Craig Woods, Bahamas film commissioner. "We had three movies back to back to back."
New Line Cinema’s After the Sunset spent 45 days filming in the Bahamas and featured many of the island’s landmarks and much of its culture. The action/adventure starred Salma Hayek, Pierce Brosnan, Woody Harrelson and Don Cheadle and opened in November 2004.
MGM Studios spent the first three months of 2004 filming Into the Blue in The Bahamas. The movie, expected to be in theatres in July 2005, stars Paul Walker and Jessica Alba, who play treasure hunters chasing a legendary shipwreck.
Three, a thriller starring Billy Zane of Titanic fame, was shot almost entirely in Eleuthera.
Now the film commission is doing its best to let the world know The Bahamas is open for business.
"We want to keep the image and location of The Bahamas in the minds of producers and film makers," says Woods.
Bright future
Negotiations are taking place with some of the world’s biggest studios. The Bahamas government signed an agreement with the Walt Disney Company at the beginning of 2004 to film portions of Pirates of the Caribbean II and III in the country. The company has committed to 16,000 room nights and is expected to spend at least $30 million here.
Although the production will feature several Caribbean locations, most of the tropical footage will be
in The Bahamas.
For the second installment in the series, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, the infamous Black Pearl ship featured in the first film will be rebuilt in Grand Bahama.
Shooting was to begin in May 2005 and continue until January 2006. Celebrities Johnny Depp, Keira Knightly and Orlando Bloom have all signed on for the next two films, which will be released during the summers of 2006 and 2007. The first pirate movie has earned $1.2 billion since its opening and, at press time, was number 20 on the list of all time top 100 grossing films.
Convincing film-makers to stay doesn’t seem to be a problem either. Depp, who was nominated for an academy award for his work in Pirates of the Caribbean, owns an island in The Bahamas, a 45-acre cay in the Exumas.
Long-term commitment
Several companies are interested in filming series pilots (examples from a potential series) in The Bahamas.
The commission is in discussions with Paramount Television for work on a pilot for a show called Triangle, which revolves around a doctor who travels from island to island.
Ross Productions in Florida is also planning a pilot that could end up filming in The Bahamas. The show, called Troubadour, is about a stockbroker who moves away from the city to write songs after the death of his father. "They need an island and we are the closest," says Woods.
A South African company called Beyond South Africa was to scout The Bahamas in February 2005 for a made-for-TV movie called Double Trouble.
Landing a weekly television show such as Triangle or Troubadour means longer commitments than are typical in movie productions, which are usually one-shot deals. This year it is one of the film commission’s main goals, Woods says.
Bahamas advantages
The Bahamas’ proximity to the US is a real attraction for studios looking for island locations since producers can save money and time by taking advantage of lower travel and shipping costs.
The weather is also a big draw, says Woods. "A producer may prefer to use the studio here rather than Canada even though Canada is cheaper. They have to go outside at some point. Who wants to do that in eight degree weather?"
Another victory for the country’s film industry was the Bahamas Film Festival, held in December 2004. Featuring 75 films from more than 25 countries, the four-day event included the premier of Stephen Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Twelve and special screenings of Spike Lee’s She Hates Me and David Gordon Green’s Undertow.
In addition to attending the premieres, film makers could attend lectures on scriptwriting and distribution held by leaders in the industry. Plans for the 2005 festival were under way at press time.
As the country’s popularity in the industry continues to rise, television and movie audiences will have more and more chances to see the beauty of The Bahamas.
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