Metro Orlando Headlines

[bulldogger]

Seems your comment was a perfect prelude to this weeks OBJ, which features a front page article detailing a labor dispute which caused HBO Films to move production of its film Recount 2000 out of Orlando, possibly to Jacksonville or Atlanta.

I haven't read the Biz Journal on this for the same reason as given above. You may find more information about this on Roger Moore's blog on the Sentinel. I am closely related to the film industry and know what is going on with regards to the union crap. Regardless of the outcome (which will be nothing more than a show), one union group (unofficially) will be picketing the offices of another union office on Monday. I am sending a photographer out to cover the event. I hope there is a decent crowd, but I don't want it to get heated (for safety's sake).

There is no word as to whether this is going to Jax. Their film commission doesn't have anything on it for the public, which means the decision hasn't been made by the producers yet. I would rather have it in Orlando, but if it goes to Jax, that is OK, too. Hopefully, it stays in state. I would think that it would just for the incentives. And to someone else's point about where it would film in Jax, they have Jacksonville Production Studio. They would be able to built out some sets there as well as house their production offices. Location shots can be done in just about any city. They even have a history museum for film at the old Norman Studios as well, which ventures into a whole other topic about Jacksonville's film history.

Edited June 29, 2007 by bulldogger

[neon9]

It's a pretty misleading title though. The plans are rough, and if you read the article it seems nobody in power is on board with making a serious consideration for moving the venues to i-drive. He feels the venues would merely complement the convention center... which is exactly what we DONT want. We want the venues to be for the city, us locals. I'm very certain any plans to put the venues on i-drive will get shot down. It's just too late in the game.

Some people commenting online about the story in the Sentinel seem to think that the rendering is of the Texans new stadium!

Edit: Oh, while I see Tim is calling it the Cowboys stadium in the other thread, that seems to ring a bell, I guess I did read the comments earlier this morning....

Edited June 29, 2007 by neon9

[bulldogger]

Some people commenting online about the story in the Sentinel seem to think that the rendering is of the Texans new stadium!

It is the new stadium for the Cowboys. Here's a link. Wait for the flash animation to start at the top of the page.

Cowboys Stadium Website

[GRS328]

What caused that to happen?

I'm sure bulldogger can elaborate more than I can, but according to the article, it stemmed from contract demands on the part of the local Teamsters chapter over pay rates & work assignments. The production co deemed the demands excessive and apparently the Teamsters refused to negotiate. Anyway, the slant of the article is that this is damaging to Florida's bid to attract more film production, etc., which is exactly what bulldogger mentioned a few days ago.

If you want to read the article, PM me with your email add. and I can email it to you as I'm a subscriber. Can't post it here though due to copyright, forum rules, etc.

[drjnieto]

How about Magicwood

How about " Los Studios" or "Magicwood"

[bulldogger]

How about we call the film & entertainment industry here ORLANDO and we just start kicking butt?? How about that? They don't call the film industry anything different in New York. People need to stop trying to sell the industry here as a gimmick.

[JRS1]

How about we call the film & entertainment industry here ORLANDO and we just start kicking butt?? How about that? They don't call the film industry anything different in New York. People need to stop trying to sell the industry here as a gimmick.

maybe if they had a CVB like the convention center has...

[bulldogger]

There is a film commission here in town that is not run by the city even though they get city funds to help. They are part of the EDC, so they really are just a half-wit marketing team.

With regards to how "Hollywood" is recognized, everyone knows that the name and sign really had nothing to do with the film industry. It was a real estate development gone south. It would be like calling our film industry here "MetroWest" since there was a large sign facing Kirkman. BTW, why did they get rid of that and put in a Walmart????

[JRS1]

of interest:

Simulation Company Expands in Orlando

Science Applications International Corp. announced in January plans to increase its operations in Orlando with the construction of a new $14.5 million, 80,000-square-foot building and the addition of 300 workers. When completed in 2007, the expansion will double SAIC's space and bring the company's employment to 700.

CuraScript Expands in Orlando

CuraScript Pharmacy is expanding its pharmaceutical distribution and patient management operations in Orlando. The company is one of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit managers. The expansion includes a capital investment of $7.2 million in the construction of a new 65,000-square-foot building near adjacent to the company's current Orlando facility and an additional $5.4 million in a new distribution center. The company expects to create about 350 new jobs.

from: www.sb-d.com/issues/Winter2006/relocations/index.asp (southern business journal of some sort)

[MaXxlife]

From www.bizjournals.com

Where the best markets are to grow a small business

Orlando is the clear choice for first place. It's the only market that makes the national top 10 in three key categories: small businesses per 100,000 residents, growth in small businesses since 2000, and five-year population growth. Subpar pay levels are Orlando's only real drawback.

Orlando

Small-business stats

(rank in study)

Number of small businesses: 54,539 (25)

Change in small businesses (2000-05): 25.1% (2)

Small businesses per 100,000 residents: 2,821 (9)

Small-business vitality score: 15.40 points

Other stats

(rank in study)

Population: 1,933,255 (28)

Change in population (2000-05): 17.6% (6)

Number of all businesses: 55,996 (25)

Private-sector employment: 902,628 (24)

Total private-sector payroll: $30.65 billion (29)

Annual pay per private-sector worker: $34,000 (58)

Business counts for the most recent year available, 2005, were released in June 2007.

Article

Edited July 11, 2007 by MaXxlife

[JRS1]

is there a more recent update to the census that shows the 4 county pop at 2M yet?

[mrh3]

There is a film commission here in town that is not run by the city even though they get city funds to help. They are part of the EDC, so they really are just a half-wit marketing team.

With regards to how "Hollywood" is recognized, everyone knows that the name and sign really had nothing to do with the film industry. It was a real estate development gone south. It would be like calling our film industry here "MetroWest" since there was a large sign facing Kirkman. BTW, why did they get rid of that and put in a Walmart????

I actually worked with them years ago when I was interning at the EDC. Katherine Ramsberge who is on the OPAC Fundraising team was the director. I think she left her post working for the State in teh same capacity to do OPAC. They aren't half wits, they are simply facing STIFF competition because the state set a goal of turning Film and Television in to $1BB industry in the late 1990's. If there more literature was based in Orlando there would be more filming. Most stories happen in places with strong literary histories.

[JRS1]

f there more literature was based in Orlando there would be more filming. Most stories happen in places with strong literary histories.

what does that mean? do you mean that there aren't stories based on orlando as a location, or that no writers are in orlando writing movie scripts?

[bulldogger]

I actually worked with them years ago when I was interning at the EDC. Katherine Ramsberge who is on the OPAC Fundraising team was the director. I think she left her post working for the State in teh same capacity to do OPAC. They aren't half wits, they are simply facing STIFF competition because the state set a goal of turning Film and Television in to $1BB industry in the late 1990's. If there more literature was based in Orlando there would be more filming. Most stories happen in places with strong literary histories.

she got canned from the edc. she took a job with the city of orlando after that.

the literary history stuff is crap.

[JRS1]

the literary history stuff is crap.

yeah, I think I understand his point now. yeah, I think you're right. I mean, just b/c USA and Sci FI Channel shows were filmed in Canadien cities isn't b/c they have strong literary histories. NYC is a completely diff. story. And LA didn't have squat when Hollywood started out.

[bulldogger]

OK. The only place that actually holds true is New York.

Chicago has a strong literary history. Boston has a strong literary history. Orlando films more movies than both combined and that has nothing to do with our film commission and its marketing. It has to do with the incentives in place from the state level and the infrastructure in place in Orlando.

Here's a little background on some of the film crew in town and what's coming this year...

Bring It On Orlando: In It To Win It

[Whipp]

OK. The only place that actually holds true is New York.

Chicago has a strong literary history. Boston has a strong literary history. Orlando films more movies than both combined and that has nothing to do with our film commission and its marketing. It has to do with the incentives in place from the state level and the infrastructure in place in Orlando.

Here's a little background on some of the film crew in town and what's coming this year...

Bring It On Orlando: In It To Win It

not to be a pessimist, but orlando = straight to video.

gone are the "parenthood" days. not that they can't be lived again. its just sad to see such low level movies being produced here. but i guess its better than nothing.

[pip]

of interest:

Simulation Company Expands in Orlando

Science Applications International Corp. announced in January plans to increase its operations in Orlando with the construction of a new $14.5 million, 80,000-square-foot building and the addition of 300 workers. When completed in 2007, the expansion will double SAIC's space and bring the company's employment to 700.

Well, the new office building will hold 300 more. The company still has scattered offices around the central florida area, but will still have trouble filling up this new building for a while. The company as a whole has over 46,000 employees.

[JRS1]

not to be a pessimist, but orlando = straight to video.

same holds true for Vancouver and the rest of Canada-- TV productions like Mansquito and Anaconda 7 and shows like Forever Knight and Farscape and Lexx etc...

I mean, Star Wars was filmed in other countries and then in GB studios. Elstree? you get what you can. Maybe they'll do a new Mickey Mouse club or another Hulk Hogan show (Grand Floridian) or something like episodes of COPS (on OBT: "hey baby, looking for a date?"); maybe like "FBI Orlando: the truth behind the Mouse."

Since Gay Days is so big here, why not do a new series like Queer as Folk-- but make it in O-Town? THat's an idea. Probably catered more to NYC or Miami Beach...

I think they can do a spy show where the HQ is in Orlando-- the Majesty bldg.--- and they go all over to solve crimes--- that's what they do anyway when they film shows-- rarely are they shot on location... even Silk Stalkings with Rob Estes (PB PD) was filmed in San Diego but portrayed as Palm Beach.

I think Orlando has enough locations of notoriety where someone could film a movie here and use some of those locations as backdrops-- moreso than has been done b4;

man, do I ramble or what?

[bulldogger]

not to be a pessimist, but orlando = straight to video.

gone are the "parenthood" days. not that they can't be lived again. its just sad to see such low level movies being produced here. but i guess its better than nothing.

Just this year alone, that guy in the interview is doing 4 films. The first one he did was Sydney White, which will be coming out this fall. The studio is waiting until after Hairspray since that has Amanda Bynes as well. Get Some is a decent sized budget film which starts shooting in Orlando this coming Monday. Djimon Hounsou is in that film. Unfortunately, we just lost Recount 2000 which is being directed by Sydney Pollack for HBO. The Jacksonville film office hotline message just changed to stating that they are accepting resumes for crew, so they got that one. I think I mentioned on this board that they were scouting Orlando, but we lost it due to contract dispute with the Teamsters. Right there, that is at least 2 wide release movies. The Ace Ventura flick could go either way. The Beethoven will assuredly go straight to video.

Edited July 11, 2007 by bulldogger

[bulldogger]

Kuhn: Layoffs won't hurt downtown plans

Of course he mentions CSS, but this is also stated...

He scuttled plans for an office tower at Orange Avenue and Washington Street downtown, and has the site for sale.

That's obviously The Dolive and conflicts with reports on this board. If this is true, that sucks, because I really liked the old theme of this building.

[Tim3167]

The other interesting thing is that are new MPB notices on the site and it's scheduled for an ammendment to the master plan for a 17 story building (didnt it used to be 15?) for the July 17 meeting.

[JRS1]

The other interesting thing is that are new MPB notices on the site and it's scheduled for an ammendment to the master plan for a 17 story building (didnt it used to be 15?) for the July 17 meeting.

yeah, there was a later revision where they added a level or two.

[JRS1]

Kuhn: Layoffs won't hurt downtown plans

Of course he mentions CSS, but this is also stated...

That's obviously The Dolive and conflicts with reports on this board. If this is true, that sucks, because I really liked the old theme of this building.

the fact that the Dolive site was on sale isn't news per se. I was told that it is there if any buyers are interested, but in any event, if not sold, they are building the Dolive.

[sunshine]

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2007/7/...wn_orlando.html

New Parking Garage To Open In Downtown Orlando