'Dallas' movie may not be shot in Dallas
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 10:24 pm
By GARY COGILL / WFAA ABC 8
The Dallas TV series premiered in 1978, ran for 13 seasons, reaching a world-wide audience. Hollywood is now prepping a Dallas feature film with John Travolta scheduled to play J.R. Ewing, but 20th Century Fox is considering not shooting Dallas in Dallas.
"No, we are getting our butts kicked when it comes to incentives. We are lucky that we are able to still be in the game at all. The reason we are is because we have infrastructure, we have all of our history of being a film center, and that is starting to erode," said Janis Burklund.
A major film contributes millions of dollars into the local economy.
Places in the Heart, Tender Mercies, Born on the 4th of July, four Oliver Stone films, were all shot here.
But since 2003, Texas has lost more than $800 million movie dollars, because other states offer better incentives.
"Mostly they went to Louisiana, New Mexico, Canada, with very little exception those were the places they went to," says Burklund.
Why are they going there?
"Incentives, they get money back, they get a check back at the end."
Australian director, Robert Luketic, who directed Monster-In-Law is Fox's choice to direct the Dallas feature; it's also his choice to shoot in North Texas.
"The plan is that we'll come to Dallas maybe in the fall, to winter, shooting all over downtown," he says.
But, Luketic's plans are currently threatened. The bottom line... is the bottom line. Movie making is a business and until Texas gets serious about the business of movies, the studios won't be serious about Texas.
"There is a lot at stake here, not only for us but for the studio. If Dallas isn't shot in Dallas, that's not necessarily good PR for them either. I think there is a need on their desire to want to keep it real, however, the bottom line is going to dictate," said Burklund.
The Dallas TV series premiered in 1978, ran for 13 seasons, reaching a world-wide audience. Hollywood is now prepping a Dallas feature film with John Travolta scheduled to play J.R. Ewing, but 20th Century Fox is considering not shooting Dallas in Dallas.
"No, we are getting our butts kicked when it comes to incentives. We are lucky that we are able to still be in the game at all. The reason we are is because we have infrastructure, we have all of our history of being a film center, and that is starting to erode," said Janis Burklund.
A major film contributes millions of dollars into the local economy.
Places in the Heart, Tender Mercies, Born on the 4th of July, four Oliver Stone films, were all shot here.
But since 2003, Texas has lost more than $800 million movie dollars, because other states offer better incentives.
"Mostly they went to Louisiana, New Mexico, Canada, with very little exception those were the places they went to," says Burklund.
Why are they going there?
"Incentives, they get money back, they get a check back at the end."
Australian director, Robert Luketic, who directed Monster-In-Law is Fox's choice to direct the Dallas feature; it's also his choice to shoot in North Texas.
"The plan is that we'll come to Dallas maybe in the fall, to winter, shooting all over downtown," he says.
But, Luketic's plans are currently threatened. The bottom line... is the bottom line. Movie making is a business and until Texas gets serious about the business of movies, the studios won't be serious about Texas.
"There is a lot at stake here, not only for us but for the studio. If Dallas isn't shot in Dallas, that's not necessarily good PR for them either. I think there is a need on their desire to want to keep it real, however, the bottom line is going to dictate," said Burklund.
