Grand Bahama Island is on track to become the film capital not only of The Bahamas but the region, according to film industry personnel at the recent Film and Television Workshop held at Our Lucaya Resort in Freeport.

Morgan O'Sullivan, - Co-managing Director, Ardmore Studios and World 2000 Entertainment, Ltd., and President, Bahamas Film & Television Consultancy, noted that, "The Bahamas' goal to become the number one film centre in this part of the world," is on track.

He said the shooting of Pirates of the Caribbean will occupy 6,500 bed nights for crew members and employ 200 to 300 Bahamians.

"Local Bahamians will be working with the best in the world on Pirates of the Caribbean," said Mr. O'Sullivan, "but you must back that up with education and that's why Ms. Beverley Taylor of the Ministry of Education is here. We hope to be able to establish a formal educational training centre dedicated to the film industry.

He said the establishment of a formal training centre coupled with the creation of a Bahamas Film Board, to fund local film productions, are necessary to the development of the industry.

Paul Quigley, CEO of Bahamas Film Studios at Gold Rock Creek, site of the largest swim tank in the world, visited by workshop participants during the afternoon session, noted that 120 Bahamian workers were presently at the site and that number was increasing every week until the infrastructure is completed.

He too emphasized the importance of training to assist in the creation of an indigenous film industry.

The Minister of Tourism, Obie H. Wilchcombe, who opened the workshop, said motion picture productions in the country – particularly Grand Bahama, have no choice but to blossom with such major developments as Pirates of the Caribbean and with backing from a strong team in his ministry.

Minister Wilchcombe said ZNS will be utilized to promote and encourage Bahamians to follow their dreams for movie making.

"If you look at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas, ZNS TV 13, we have a field of good local programmes for maybe a week and we have every other programme coming from outside," he said, "we are going to put more local programmes on. I don't care if some mistakes are made in the early stages.

The Minister said the creativity of Bahamians has been held back for too long and that ZNS TV13 should endorse the talents of the Bahamian people.

"Let's go out there and do it. Let's make it happen," he added.

The $100 million Bahamas Film Studios Project at the old decommissioned US Missile Base is being constructed on 3,500 acres. Upon completion it will be a state-of-the-art movie and television studio complex with film theme park. The complex will provide a minimum of three production sound stages with full scale production facilities available to producers with a one-stop-shop production centre capable of producing commercials, feature films, TV series, music, in-house production etc.

The Collyer water tank is the largest state-of-the-art tank in the world, with a gimble to move ships to give actual at-sea simulation and a perfect horizon for each filming.

CAPTIONS

BAHAMAS Film Commissioner, Craig A. Woods (left) along with Ms. Willie Moss, Deputy Chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority; Minister of Tourism, Obie H. Wilchcombe; Deputy Director Tourism, David Johnson; and Film Manager, Ms Donna Mackey are pictured in front of a Pirates of the Caribbean poster at the opening of the Bahamas Film and TV Workshop held at Our Lucaya in Grand Bahama.

Photo by Vandyke Hepburn BIS

MS. DONNA MACKEY Film Manager makes a point to Bahamian contractor, M Ralph Hanna owner of Polaris Builders Ltd., during an inspection of the site. Mr. Hanna second left, has a contract from Bahamas Film Studios for re-construction of two buildings at the decommissioned US Missile Base site at Gold Rock Creek in Grand Bahama. Also pictured are Ms. Willie Moss, Deputy Chairman of the GB Port Authority and Bahamas Film Commissioner, Craig A. Woods.

Photo by Vandyke Hepburn, BIS

MEMBERS OF THE BAHAMAS FILM & TV WORKSHOP were given a tour of the Bahamas Film Studios at the Gold Rock Creek. Pictured left is Morgan O'Sullivan, Bahamas Film & TV Consultant and Jim Neill, Contractor with Gold Rock Creek.

Photo by Vandyke Hepburn, BIS