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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-82-0020V METROPOLITAN DARE COUNTY, FLORIDA METRO•DADE Mr. Philip Hamersmith 3943 Segovia Coral Gables, Florida 33134 Dear Philip, OFFICE OF COUNTY MANAGER OPPICE bF FILM & TELEVISION COORDINATION 140 WEST FLAGLER STREET MIAMI, FLORIDA 33130 GROUND PLOOR (305) 579.4176 . January 8, 1982 Thank you for your assistance in trying to resolve the problems that surrounded Bill Hudson Films' attempt to film a national Allstate Insurance Company commercial in Miami last December. Dinner Key Auditorium ideally suited the production and completely satisfied the client. City of Miami fire trucks were also perfect for the job. When Mr. Blair Hayes, the production manager, approached Mr. Paul Young of the City, he was quoted a rate of $8,000 for two days' use of the facility. This huge fee was far beyond the budget limitations of the production company and totally unreasonable. When I called Mr. Paul Young about this matter, I was also quoted the $8,000 figure which was 'revised' to $6,000 for one day's use of the auditorium. There was no other event scheduled for the Exhibition Center on the requested production date and there was no cost breakdown offered to justify any reimbursable expenses approximating the amount quoted. The final outcome was that a $100,000 commercial was lost to Miami. The handling of this entire matter seems to directly contradict the Commission's wishes as expressed in January of 1978 when the Board adopted Ordinance #8752 and expressed opinions during the discussions that fees should be waived and only direct expenses charged for film and television producers' use of City property and facilities. - Attached is an article from the Miami News which fairly well summarizes the situation. As has been noted, in addition to the damage done with regard to this specific production, Bill Hudson's previous enthusiasm for producing commercials in Greater Miami has no doubt been dampened and this area's reputation for complete public sector cooperation with the film and television industry has been tarnished. Given the overall benefits derived from the local production of feature motion pictures, television commercials and other film and TV projects, it does not seem to be in the best interest of the area to turn production away. 82-20 I A 1h% . Mr. Philip Hamersmlth Page -2 January 8, 1982' South Florida's stature as the nation's third largest production center could - be seriously threatened if such disincentives to the film and television Industry are not quickly remedied. Siinncerely, Marylee Lander Film and Television Coordinator ML:yjb Enc. u 82-20 O CQ Saturday, December 26, 19S1 • The Miami News u GO il, , iercia-1 flrh crew TOund if +0 r y� De �� r vib ions in-Broward BILL GJEBiRE ' ' Miami News nepotmr The television crew had the lights and the camera; but couldn't get the action from Miami City Hall. So they filmed the commercial in Broward County instead. . The crew wanted to film a commercial for Allstate -Insurance Co. in Miami's Dinner Key Exposition Cen- ter. but city officials insisted on a $6.000 fee. `•'Ttic fee was outrageous," said Marylee Lander, Dade County film coordinator. To encourage commercial filming — a $50 million industry in Lade the past year — the county does not charge lebitimate production companies fe.s for use of county facilities, she said. The companies pay only for expenses, such as electricity and police for crowd con- trol. City Officials insisted on the $6,000 fee even though the daily charge is $2,000 and the company wanted to use the hall for one day. Miami Assistant City Manager Cesar Odio sold the company was told it had to pay for three days' use of the exposition center — $6.000 — because of a city or- dinance specifying the minimum rental. "We went by the ordinance;" said Odio. "We didn't have the right to change the rates." The matter is likely to be aired at the Jan.14 Miami City Commission meeting. Philip li:imersmith, an election aide to Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre who has worked to encourage film production here, tried to Iron out the problem so the film company could use the hall Dec.16. 1:efore he and Lander could get the matter to the city commission. the film company switched to the , Hollywood Sportatorium in Broward County to meet its deadline. The film companies spend a great deal of money -here by using local film crews and equipment and spend money in local hotels, Lander said. What occur. red could "hurt our image" if it is not corrected, she added. Word gets back that the area is unreceptive, said Hamersmith, who plans to bring the matter -up at the commission meeting. The exposition hall was not scheduled for use on Dec. 16, the day requested by the film company, [,am- ersmith said. He said the city should have a no -charge Policy, like the county, for legitimate television com- mercial filming. . About one !calf of the $100,000 budget far the com- mercial would have been spent locally, Hamersmith said. Dade County is one of six or seven "Sun Belt" areas competing for this industry and something like this sets it back, he added. Blair fiayes, an official of the Bill Hudson Produc- tion Co., which filmed the commercial, said what hap- pened could "hurt Dade County" with the industry. He admitted that city officials were given short no, tice that the crew wanted to use the facility. But in the Past, Dade County officials have been able to help when the company sought to use a county building for filming. And when he switched to the SportatcrIum on even shorter notice, hayea said, he found officials there "clothing, but cool.erative." fie said he wound up pay- ing for use of the-Sportatorium, but the fee was consid- t�rabiy less than what Miami had sought. M'♦ •ref^.W • .. .� p x,! ..�.# gz'4si l.'..