With $40 million spent in the Bahamas on two major films, and possibly two more big screen projects and a television series to be filmed in this nation, the Bahamas Film Commission’s head said yesterday that the industry was rapidly growing to the benefit of the economy.
Speaking with Tribune Business yesterday, Craig Woods said that at least one, and possibly two, major film projects planned by different Hollywood studios were expected to start filming in the Bahamas before year’s end. In addition, Warner Brothers Television, better known as ‘The WB’, is planning to film a television series here this year also.
The announcement comes shortly after the completion of two major projects, Pirates of the Caribbean II & III, and James Bond: Casino Royale, [parts of] both were filmed on location in the Bahamas.
Mx Woods said the two project injected $40 million into the Bahamian economy, with even more economic impact expected once the films are finally released worldwide.
The Bahamas being displayed on the big screen, the buzz created before the film’s debut, and the good comments which came from the producers about the Bahamian attitude, will translate into a favourable economic impact for the country, Mr Woods indicated.
The “great thing” about having both the Pirates and James Bond films completed, he said, is that the projects were so diverse that it gave Bahamians a unique glimpse into very different styles of filming.
For the Walt Disney Production, Pirates of the Caribbean II & III, Mr Woods explained that this was fastpaced; directors wanting to get in and out. He said reports reaching his desk were that Bahamians were quick learners, friendly and cooperative.
Mr Woods said Bahamians were involved in every facet of production while the Pirates of the Caribbean II & III crews were here, including acting, set production, the art department, and marine and technical work.
Director Gore Verbinski, along with actors Johnny Depp, Keira Knightly, and Jeffrey Rush, were “wonderful people” who were “great to work with”, he said.
With Pirates of the Caribbean, Mr Woods said it took a lot of persistence on his behalf, numerous phone calls, and a little inspiration from Los Angeles-based Bahamian producer, Cedric Scott, to grasp Disney’s attention.
Eventually, he said Disney’s president personally flew to the Bahamas before deciding to have the film shot in both Grand Bahama – at the Bahamas Film Studios – and Exuma. St Vincent and Dominica were also used as filming sites for the two movies in the Pirates series.
In contrast, Mr Woods said the Bond film was shot by an English crew, giving Bahamians the opportunity to work with two different filming styles.
Numbers
Looking back at Into the Blue, Mr Woods said that while numbers were not readily available, there had been an increase in diving since the film’s debut.
Johnny Depp, he said, bought Halls Pond Cay in the Exumas last year, and it is possible the sale had a lot to do with his experience during the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Noting that more than 85 per cent of tourists come to the Bahamas for the water, Mr Woods said that seeing the beautiful Bahamian ocean and landscapes will ultimately lure more visitors to this archipelago.
In the case of Casino Royale, Mr Woods said the producers took advantage of the Victorian architecture that Nassau has to offer with 30 per cent of the film shot in the capital. Fresh from the Hong Kong
film festival, Mr Woods said the Bahamas was promoted to filmmakers there, some of whom said they do not even know where this country is.
He was successful in getting a Hong Kong producer here to shoot a Science-Fiction film. The producer, Mr Woods said, commented that this country is one in only a few in the world where you “can stand up in the water and see your feet” – an attribute that Bahamians might take for granted.
Meanwhile, Mr Woods said the Commission and wider government were still working on developing a formal package of incentives for the film industry, which is expected to come into effect this year.
He declined to specify the incentives, but said they would work to the benefit of filmmakers and Bahamians.
In addition to more than 100,000 square miles of ocean front, sun and sea, Mr Woods said “compelling customer service” could tip the scale and place the Bahamas even further up the destination lists of some of the world’s leading filmmakers.
By A FELICITY INGRAHAM, Tribune Business Reporter
