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CNN Live At Daybreak
Made in America: Films Flourishing
Aired May 01, 2003 - 05:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: Now SARS is one of the several reasons why applications are piling up to make movies in Hollywood instead of overseas locations.
CNN's Casey Wian has more on the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Filming is under way in Los Angeles for the big screen comedy "Johnson Family Vacation." Like many Hollywood productions, it's bucking the recent trend toward filming overseas.
ERIC RHONE, PRODUCER, "JOHNSON FAMILY VACATION": We understood the importance of keeping these dollars here in America, providing jobs for people and for their families and making sure that we support this city and this nation at all costs.
WIAN: Applications for location shoots are piling up at Los Angeles' film permitting agency. In February and March, local production days jumped 15 percent over the same period last year. One reason, travel fears.
LINDSLEY PARSONS, JR., PRES., ENTERTAINMENT IND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: There's a lot of concern with terrorism of travel. There was a lot of pictures that were planning on going into European countries, some of the Arab countries, they have changed their plans.
WIAN: SARS is another factor. For years, Los Angeles has lost business to Toronto because of its lower costs. The SARS outbreak there is now bringing productions back.
FRANK SCHERMA, PRESIDENT, RADICAL MEDIA: The fear all of a sudden of the SARS thing, everybody said well let's stay a little bit closer to home. Let's try to see how we can spend our money here in town.
WIAN: While fears of SARS and terrorism may be easing, recent declines in the dollar against Canadian and European currencies have narrowed the cost advantages of foreign locations and so have state tax incentives for production staying in California.
(on camera): 2003 is on pace to be the busiest year ever for film and TV production in Los Angeles. The local industry is expected to create about 5,000 new jobs this year.
(voice-over): From grips to producers, Hollywood's job market is hot.
VANCE VAN PETTEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PRODUCERS GUILD OF AMERICA: We find jobs for our members. And we have every week an e-mail posting goes out to all -- nearly 2,000 members, and usually we average two to three new jobs every week. In the last several weeks, we have been averaging now 7 to 10 listings.
WIAN: Though Hollywood employment is still 20,000 jobs short of its 1999 peak, it's a start.
Casey Wian, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 1, 2003 - 05:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: Now SARS is one of the several reasons why applications are piling up to make movies in Hollywood instead of overseas locations.
CNN's Casey Wian has more on the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Filming is under way in Los Angeles for the big screen comedy "Johnson Family Vacation." Like many Hollywood productions, it's bucking the recent trend toward filming overseas.
ERIC RHONE, PRODUCER, "JOHNSON FAMILY VACATION": We understood the importance of keeping these dollars here in America, providing jobs for people and for their families and making sure that we support this city and this nation at all costs.
WIAN: Applications for location shoots are piling up at Los Angeles' film permitting agency. In February and March, local production days jumped 15 percent over the same period last year. One reason, travel fears.
LINDSLEY PARSONS, JR., PRES., ENTERTAINMENT IND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: There's a lot of concern with terrorism of travel. There was a lot of pictures that were planning on going into European countries, some of the Arab countries, they have changed their plans.
WIAN: SARS is another factor. For years, Los Angeles has lost business to Toronto because of its lower costs. The SARS outbreak there is now bringing productions back.
FRANK SCHERMA, PRESIDENT, RADICAL MEDIA: The fear all of a sudden of the SARS thing, everybody said well let's stay a little bit closer to home. Let's try to see how we can spend our money here in town.
WIAN: While fears of SARS and terrorism may be easing, recent declines in the dollar against Canadian and European currencies have narrowed the cost advantages of foreign locations and so have state tax incentives for production staying in California.
(on camera): 2003 is on pace to be the busiest year ever for film and TV production in Los Angeles. The local industry is expected to create about 5,000 new jobs this year.
(voice-over): From grips to producers, Hollywood's job market is hot.
VANCE VAN PETTEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PRODUCERS GUILD OF AMERICA: We find jobs for our members. And we have every week an e-mail posting goes out to all -- nearly 2,000 members, and usually we average two to three new jobs every week. In the last several weeks, we have been averaging now 7 to 10 listings.
WIAN: Though Hollywood employment is still 20,000 jobs short of its 1999 peak, it's a start.
Casey Wian, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
