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Week of January 24, 2008 |
| Filming brought $153 million to Dade in 2007, county data reveal By Risa PolanskyFueled largely by a growing Spanish-language sector, Miami-Dade's film and entertainment industry boomed in 2007 and should stay afloat in 2008, even with an ongoing screenwriter and potential actors' strike, industry players say. The nearly 2,000 location productions filmed here last year contributed more than $153 million to the local economy, up 20% from 2006, according to the Miami-Dade Office of Film & Entertainment. Feature films contributed more than $13 million locally, commercials $23 million, music videos $3.9 million and still shoots more than $36 million, film office data show. "The growth area has been television," said Jeff Peel, office director, with Spanish-language productions on the rise. Television shows contributed $77 million, with "telenovelas" accounting for more than $50 million. Miami is becoming for Spanish-language production what Los Angeles is for mainstream film and television, said Raul Mateu, senior vice president of the William Morris talent agency in Miami Beach and director of the South Beach Comedy Festival. "Seventeen years ago, there was no business, and five years ago, it wasn't really as big as it is todayÖ I think it's going to get better," he said. "On the Spanish TV side, corporate America is waking up to the power of this community around the country." Advertisers, Mr. Mateu said, are beginning to demand "programming that reflects the American Hispanic population" rather than Spanish-language productions brought in from other countries. This "translates to original productions," he said. "Miami is the beneficiary." In a time of uncertainty for US production, with writers on strike and rumors of actors following suit later in the year, the spike in demand for Spanish-language production is "the really good news for Miami," Mr. Peel said. The Latin sector is to be unaffected by the strikes, he said, and should remain strong in 2008. Also because of the strikes, the early part of the year should bring a surge of mainstream production because "people are trying to get as much film and television product finished as they can" as the strikes begin to make an impact, Mr. Peel said. "Everyone in Hollywood is scrambling right now." Several feature films are preparing for production here now, he said, including Fox 2000's "Marley and Me" directed by Miami native David Frankel and starring Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson, and Universal Pictures' "Chilled" with Renee Zellweger. By June, however, it "may be a little bit dismal," Mr. Peel said, potentially affecting the filming of the second season of "Burn Notice," USA Network's new Miami-based hit. Even facing a slump, industry players are taking note of Miami, Mr. Mateu said. Executives from ABC, FOX, CBS and NBC descended on Miami Beach during this month's comedy festival to scout for new talent, he said, part of the goal in organizing the festival three years ago. "Our theory, "if we build it, they will come,' has proved true," he said. "The festival going forward is going to be a big boon for the South Florida entertainment industry," known for bringing "key decision-makers in town to do business." A $100 film permit application fee instated by the county office last year has not deterred industry players from doing business here, Mr. Peel said, citing no "negative fallout." Some feared the locally unprecedented charge would drive production away, but, he said, "no one has said to me, "we're not coming because you're charging me 100 bucks." |
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