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BAHAMAS - Filming in Paradise
By : Wyatt Myers
Photos courtesy of Bahamas Tourist Office
There’s a hot new location for Hollywood’s filmmakers—and anyone who’s gone to visit will understand the appeal.
Filmmaking is a rapidly growing industry in the Bahamas, with production for motion pictures and television increasing by 50 percent over the last three years. Moreover, it’s not the quantity, but the quality that counts. Of late, bigger and flashier Hollywood producers have been drawn to the Bahamas’ sparkling beaches to produce such big-budget films as My Father the Hero, Flipper, Zeus and Roxanne, and The World Is Not Enough. Other famous flicks that have been filmed here in the past include Splash, Silence of The Lambs, Cocoon I & II, Never Say Never Again and Jaws the Revenge. Of course, big-time stars are not the only ones filming in the Bahamas. It’s also a top pick for ocean documentaries and nature shows, travel-related television programs and fashion shoots.
Of the nation’s many islands, Nassau, Paradise Island and Grand Bahama Island seem to be the favorites of filmmakers. Craig Woods, film commissioner of the Bahamas Film Commission, has a sneaking suspicion as to why Nassau tops the list. “Nassau obtained its early popularity from a number of the James Bond films, which had great underwater scenes using the southwest coast of the island.”
Why the Bahamas?
Glittering beaches. Radiant sunshine. Spectacular weather year-round. Incredible resorts, hotels and nightlife. For those who have visited the islands, it’s no surprise that Hollywood producers, directors and actors would want to shoot here. “The Bahamas still has virgin, rustic locations untouched by modern developments,” says Angela M.J. Archer, manager for the Bahamas Film Commission. “This is very appealing to most producers, as well as directors.”
But despite all this beauty, the question still remains: Why the Bahamas, and not another tropical location?
Craig Woods sees several reasons why filmmakers are happy to choose the Bahamas. One is the general trend in Hollywood toward authenticity. “Filmmakers in Hollywood want to make pictures with a more genuine use of location scenes, rather than attempting to cheat nature for a sound stage,” he says.
But there’s a lot more to it than that. Another key factor that allows the Bahamas to trump other tropical locales is their close proximity to the mainland United States. Couple that with the low-value dollar in the Bahamas and these islands look more appealing as a film location all the time.
Of course, the importance of the Bahamas Film Commission in bringing films to the Bahamas cannot be overlooked. “The Bahamas government started the Bahamas Film Commission in 1986,” says Woods. “This was partially due to the need to create additional revenue. Plus, the attraction of celebrities to the islands was a natural outreach of this strategy.”
The strategy paid off for the islands in a big way. The beauty of the islands, coupled with a film commission with the full support of the government, began attracting a vast array of filmmakers almost immediately. The launch of the Bahamas Film Commission’s website (bahamasfilm.com) in October 2000 made a good situation even better for the islands. Since then, filmmaking has increased in the islands by 50 percent.
A Primer to Island Filming
With its low prices, welcoming citizenry and government, and close proximity to the United States, the reasons for filming in the Bahamas are obvious. So how does a filmmaker get started?
“Filmmakers need to make contact with the Bahamas Film Commission to formalize their project proposal,” says Woods. “The commission acts as the agent, or liaison, for the filmmaker with other government and private sector partners.” And the best way to make contact with the Bahamas Film Commission is through its website, bahamasfilm.com.
Once contact is made, the commission has a host of helpful resources at its fingertips to make a filmmaking experience in the Bahamas as pleasurable and easy as possible. “Resources available to filmmakers in the Bahamas include a small talent pool, plus fine accommodations, craftspeople and video and camera operators,” says Woods.
While the Bahamas obviously lacks the major motion picture production staff of Hollywood, Angela M.J. Archer says that the resources in the Bahamas are growing larger all the time. “Besides being a film-friendly country, we have also over the years been building up a base of people that can work on film sets in various capacities, thus reducing costs for film producers.”
One click on the “Production Guide” link on bahamasfilm.com verifies this claim. The list of resources spans the full alphabet of a filmmaker’s needs—from artistic directors to video production companies—all located right in the Bahamas.
The Future of Films
As even Craig Woods is willing to admit, the film and television business has its ups and downs, and the current business environment has been very kind to the Bahamas. But both the Bahamas Film Commission and the citizens of the Bahamas remain committed to making more motion pictures in their beautiful island nation. “We can achieve this by bringing more filmmakers to see the locations, as well as driving more information and interests through our website,” he says. “The Bahamas government is also looking at creating legislation that can provide some level of financial rebate to production companies under certain conditions.”
But beyond the positive financial aspects of filming in the Bahamas, Mr. Woods thinks there’s just something wonderful about the place that filmmakers truly enjoy and that will keep them coming back. “While we have some wonderful testimonials from filmmakers who have done projects here, the most gratifying comment by many of them is that they enjoy the Bahamian people who respect them and their work and provide them with space,” he says. “We don’t crowd them. Instead, we allow them to enjoy us … and we, them.”
The Sneak PreviewsNow that you know the skinny on the Bahamas’ growing film industry, here’s an exclusive look at two Bahamas-filmed features coming soon to a theater near you.
After the Sunset
The Actors: Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, Woody Harrelson, Don Cheadle
The Plot: Pierce Brosnan plays a master thief who has retired to an island paradise after successfully completing his last score. Little does he know that an FBI agent who’s been hot on his trail (Woody Harrelson) has also come to the island to make sure his thieving days are behind him. And it’s here that the hilarious games of cat and mouse between the two begin.
Arriving in Theaters: November 12, 2004
Into the Blue
The Actors: Paul Walker, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin
The Plot: There’s trouble in paradise when these divers stumble onto the illegal cargo of a sunken airplane. Soon, a drug lord is hot on their heels and their lives are in danger.
Arriving in Theaters: Sometime in 2004
To book your next trip, visit www.aa.com or call American Airlines / American Eagle reservations at 1-800-433-7300 or your local travel agent.
Book your trip today! Visit www.aa.com, call American/American Eagle reservations at 1-800-433-7300, or call your travel agent for more information.
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