Mar 8, 2006 9:21 pm US/Central
Will 'Dallas... The Movie' Be Shot In Dallas?
by Deborah Takahara
DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
"Dallas... the Movie" will soon be coming to the big screen. The question is, will it be filmed Dallas?
There's a new fight to get the movie shot on location.
The film industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. Other states offer big bucks to attract Hollywood producers. Texas doesn't do that, yet.
That alone could cost the city a lot more than just the movie "Dallas."
"Dallas… the Movie", will be an updated version of the 80's hit Television show.
"When you have folks like John Travolta, Catherine Zeta Jones, and Matthew McConnaghey, playing lead roles I think that will up, that will really give a new look and a new twist to how people perceive Dallas," said Phillip Jones, Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau.
But the real twist is whether or not the movie will actually be shot in Dallas.
It's been in the works for years with production scheduled to begin this summer.
But producers are being enticed by other states with lots of cash.
"We've met with the producer in LA, and he's come to Dallas and they're driven around, and they know that this would be a great place to film. But the harsh reality is that Canada and Louisiana and other places offer cash incentives to get people to make movies there and we don't," said Laura Miller, Dallas Mayor.
"Shoot J.R. in Dallas," that's the new motto for the Dallas Film Commission's grassroots campaign to raise money to attract Hollywood producers.
"This particular movie… there's more at stake then just money. Of course, there's the money to our economy, there's the jobs, but there's also a sense of civic pride and also a bit of a bruised ego and a black eye if we can't land the "Dallas" movie in Dallas," said Janis Burklund, Dallas Film Commission.
The commission says TV shows and movies bring millions of dollars to the local economy. They also bring free publicity.
"It also would help, of course, if we had the movie shot here, so we could change some of the old "Dallas" TV show stereotypes that have lasted all these years," Miller said.
The City of Dallas has lost 24 projects in just the past three years.
The state legislature passed a bill last year to offer incentives to Hollywood producers, but it wasn't funded in the state budget and it doesn't look like it will be funded in time to attract "Dallas… the Movie."
(CBS 11 News)
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