Film and television production may be at an all-time low in California, but Hollywood's loss has been Utah's gain.
Thanks to several movies and television projects, the first quarter of 1999 has already the busiest for film production in the Beehive State's history."This is just astonishing," said Utah Film Commission Executive Director Leigh von der Esch. "Typically, we don't get that many projects before the start of summer. But we're certainly not going to complain that we've already been this busy."
According to von der Esch, Utah has become a nice alternative for film and television productions that don't want to shoot in California or New York.
"As always, it comes down to location," she said. "Filmmakers are looking for something different, and Utah's got it. Small towns, mountains, deserts, it's all here in one neat little package."
Writer-director James Merendino, a former Utahn, agrees.
"I probably would have shot something (in Utah) even if I didn't have a movie that takes place there. It's not like Hollywood at all, which is good," said Merendino, who set his fictional comedy "SLC Punk!" in Salt Lake's punk-rock scene, circa the late '80s.
Filmmakers aren't the only frequent entertainment visitors to Utah, though. The state has also become a sort of second home for members of the Baldwin acting family.
Stephen Baldwin filmed two theatrical movies here last year, the romantic comedy-drama "Friends & Lovers" and a crime thriller, "The Absence of the Good."
Daniel Baldwin acted in "Net Worth," a dramatic thriller that was shot in Park City last summer.
And Billy Baldwin wrapped up his work in the thriller, "Box," in March.
Other stars that have been in the state for film projects include Kiefer Sutherland, Rebecca De Mornay, Lee Majors, Rutger Hauer, Kirsten Dunst, Fred Ward and model-turned-actress Paulina Porizkova.
Some of the drastic influx in business is due to an industry-wide increase in television and movie projects, von der Esch said. "The whole
industry shut down for at least a month last year with the threat of a Screen Actors Guild strike. And when that was finally settled, a lot of projects suddenly got the green light. We've been lucky enough to get our share of them."
Since the start of the '90s, film production has brought some $100 million annually into the state. And thanks to the early start, 1999 is shaping up to be a record year.
"It's too early to say for sure, but we're thrilled at that prospect," von der Esch said.
As expected, most of the projects have been shot in the Salt Lake Valley. And to the west, Wendover has become an alternative for productions set in Las Vegas -- subbing for parts of that city in "Con Air," and a '50s-era Vegas for the upcoming Mob drama "The Runner."
To the south, Lake Powell continues to be the destination for producers/directors of commercials and music videos, and for photographers.
In fact, Joe Alston, superintendent of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, said that he expects to get between 40 and 50 requests from such projects this year alone.
"In addition to the economic benefits that commercial photography brings to the nearby city of Page, we realize that films, videos and advertisements broaden public awareness of this spectacular area," Alston said.
But not all productions go to these most popular Utah movie sites. "Made Men," a cable-TV picture, starring James Belushi and Timothy Dalton, was filmed in Provo, and the romantic-comedy "Next to You" (which features Melissa Joan Hart, TV's "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch"), was shot in Ogden.
And most of the action scenes for "Chill Factor," a comic thriller starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Skeet Ulrich, were filmed in Vernal.
"We've been spreading the wealth around the state," von der Esch said.
Though production is down in California, Utah still faces stiff competition from Canada, which has continued a controversial tax-incentive program to attract film and television productions.
"Canada has hurt us by taking away made-for-television movies, which have been our bread and butter for years," von der Esch said. "But we're surprised that we haven't been hurt worse. We're making up for it by getting more theatrical movie projects."
Utah has also been the recipient of weather conditions that are favorable to movie production.
"This winter was very mild by our standards, which helps when you're scouting locations with the filmmakers," she said. "A lot of productions were scouting at the right time, I guess."