LUNAFEST kicks off tonight at the Enzian Theater in Maitland. The fundraising film festival features films by, for and about women each year on International Women's Day.

The festival is hosted by Women in Film & Television Florida and sponsored in part by Florida Hospital and will highlight women as leaders in society, illustrated through nine films by women filmmakers. Screening begins at 6:30 and showtime is 90 minutes. For more, visit www.enzian.org.

On Monday, February 15, an independent feature film, "Homecoming", will begin shooting in Celebration. Produced by About the Logo, LLC, "Homecoming" is a story of an Army medic who is home on leave from Afghanistan. During her time home, she has to deal with changing relationships with her family, friends and community.

The film will be shooting February 15 - mid-March at locations mainly in Celebration but also in Kissimmee.

The film industry is very competitive and is largely driven by incentives. And as the Florida Legislature prepares to return for the 2010 Session, film industry professionals are focused on working to convert the current statewide incentive into a tax credit. For more information, visit http://filmorlando.com/Resources/hb697.stml.

The 2010 Orlando Filmbook is here! This is the go-to guide for the film industry in Metro Orlando. Everything about filming in Orlando is included - incentives, sales tax, labor laws, locations, permitting, etc. In addition, the Filmbook provides information on all aspects of the film industry - directors, producers and production companies; backlots, stages and locations; crews and technicians; talent services; equipment; production support; and post production.

The Orlando Filmbook is published annually by the Metro Orlando Film & Entertainment Commission - a division of the Metro Orlando EDC. The Film Commission provides the following services:

• 24 hour access to the Orlando Filmbook online at www.filmorlando.com
• One-stop permitting for location filming
• Use of an extensive digital location library...accessible anytime, from anywhere
• Preliminary scouting, evaluation of locations, and familiarization tours
• Assistance with local hotels and accommodations
• Support throughout the entire production schedule

Order your 2010 Orlando Filmbook online today!

And be sure to connect with the Metro Orlando Film & Entertainment Commission via social networking on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube to stay updated on the latest film and digital media news.

Women in Film and Television Florida's recent "Jingle Mingle" event gave the EDC's Metro Orlando Film & Entertainment Commission a chance to do some filming of its own. We asked attendees a question to help in our ongoing promotion of this region as a location for their industry -- Why do you find Metro Orlando a great place for film and entertainment production? -- and captured their responses for posting on our YouTube channel.

Jules Keeley, a local freelance production coordinator/ manager, responded enthusiastically: "Our crews can compare with any in the world...plus we have the resources, infrastructure and the Florida lifestyle."

More praise rolled in from MedStar, the production company behind TV's Forensic Files, which has twice filmed episodes in Metro Orlando in recent months. "The crew is nice and the best we work with, no attitudes, and they know their jobs ... the locations are all great to work with, friendly and Orlando has the look of anywhere we need to duplicate ... We love it here. We will be back in 2010."

Industry satisfaction is important and translates into increased business for the region. In fact, film permits are being processed in increasing numbers by the EDC's Film & Entertainment Commission. Here are a few recent examples:

• TV Commercials - Jackson Hewitt, Olive Garden, US Census
• Television Series - Forensic Files, Dr. G: Medical Examiner, MTV's 16 & Pregnant
• Feature/Independent Films - Touching Lives, Overlap

Up next? The EDC's Film and Entertainment Commission heads to Sundance Film Festival in January to promote Orlando as a location for independent films, and to Washington, D.C. for the Reel Screen Summit to promote Orlando as a site for non-fiction television production.

On the Legislative front, the EDC's Legislative Committee will support our Film Commission's efforts to advocate for incentives designed to keep Florida competitive as a film industry hub. The main push this year is to turn the state's film incentive into a tax credit, which is the industry standard in the U.S.

No, we're not talking holidays...we're talking commercials! Fall officially kicks off the season during which companies and ad agencies from all over descend on Metro Orlando to shoot television commercials. Why, you ask? Because, unlike up north where the leaves have started to change, the leaves here in Orlando stay green year-round. That's good for commercial production since locations in Orlando can represent any season of the year!

As a result, film permit requests have been flowing into the EDC's Metro Orlando Film & Entertainment Office. Recent commercials shot here include: Bright House, Stein Mart, Orlando Health, Rooms To Go, TD Ameritrade, Gillette, Bush's Baked Beans, Cracker Barrel, Honda Boats, Snickers, BOSE, NBC Sunday Night Football Open and David Maus Toyota, to name a few.

Today, the Global Peace Film Festival kicks off in Central Florida. The festival features 39 films (both feature and shorts) from six continents, panel discussions, art exhibit and more.

The Global Peace Film Festival - established to utilize the power of motion picture to further the goal of peace on earth - runs through September 27 at a variety of locations throughout the region. More info at www.peacefilmfest.org.

Other major film festivals held in Central Florida throughout the year include the Florida Film Festival, Orlando Film Festival, Hispanic Film Festival and IndieFest.

Orlando, Florida, is one of the fastest growing regions in the country for Hispanics according to the Pew Hispanic Center. And Hispanic Heritage Month - which runs from September 15 to October 15 - is an opportunity to remind us of the contributions Hispanics have made to our community and our nation. Throughout the month, there are several celebrations taking place, including the Orlando Hispanic Film Festival.

In addition, Orlando is opening doors for Hispanic entrepreneurs to realize their dreams. There are a multitude of organizations that directly support the Hispanic community in Central Florida, including both the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund.

Metro Orlando's diversity, combined with our region's reputation as a community that welcomes those from all backgrounds and walks of life, provides a competitive advantage in attracting minority owned and led businesses. Building on the belief that a culturally diverse community makes good business sense, the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) established a Minority Channel initiative aimed at encouraging minority owned and led businesses in targeted industries to consider Orlando as the site of choice for relocation or expansion.

Central Florida's State Road 429 was transformed into a film set last week, as Forensic Files, a television series airing on the tru TV network, shot on location in Orange County. The reality TV show, which delves into the world of forensic science - profiling intriguing crimes, accidents and outbreaks of disease - is seen in 142 countries worldwide.

With the help of the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority and the EDC's Metro Orlando Film & Entertainment Commission, series producers located a spot suitable to film their crime re-enactment, while also minimizing the impact on local traffic. Our Film Commission assisted throughout planning and production, providing location scouting and permitting services.

Look for Forensic Files on Friday nights at 10 p.m. EST.

This Man's Life, which filmed on locations including the historic Amtrak Station in downtown Orlando and the Inland Lakes Railways Station in Mount Dora, has been named BEST FLORIDA FILM at the 2009 Rhode Island International Film Festival. The production company behind the film, Stars North™, is based in Celebration, making this company another Central Florida success story.

Directed by Todd Thompson, the film stars Michael Rooker, Bill Cobbs and Betsy Brantley. It follows the story of a man traveling home to claim his father's inheritance when he meets a stranger who seems to know everything about his life. Smithy Sipes co-produced the film with Thompson, who also penned the screenplay with the help of co-writer Peter Raymundo.

The EDC's Film & Entertainment Commission worked with filmmakers throughout production, assisting with site location and permitting.

Signs of economic development success have been seen on many fronts the past couple of weeks. Here is a round up of images reflecting some of the highlights.

Game Launched
Florida Governor Charlie Crist got an up-close look at our region's booming digital media industry. He visited Electronic Arts' (EA) Tiburon (pictured above) in Maitland - getting a preview of EA's highly-anticipated NCAA Football 10, which was released last week; the University of Central Florida's (UCF) Center for Emerging Media in downtown Orlando - chatting with students and visiting the House of Moves motion capture studio; and the Employ Florida Digital Media Banner Center located at Seminole Community College's Center for Economic Development in Heathrow.

Dirt Flew
New ground was broken at the Central Florida Research Park recently, as representatives from the University of Central Florida, Florida Legislature and Orlando-based military commands gathered to celebrate the start of construction on the Partnership III building. When complete in fall 2010, this building will be shared by UCF and the military, and home to the UCF Institute for Simulation & Training. It will also be "green"; as Partnership III is designed to meet at least the silver level of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. To watch the UCF Reports YouTube video on the project, click here.

Film Wrapped
DNP Studios wrapped production on the feature film Letters to God, scheduled for release in early 2010. The film, which employed over 100 local crew and talent, was shot at multiple locations in Orlando, including Universal Studios Florida, Winter Garden and Kissimmee. The EDC's Film & Entertainment Commission assisted with scouting, permitting and other support services.

Away We Go, a feature film shot on location in Metro Orlando, premiered in theaters this past weekend. The movie, which filmed primarily at a home on Lake Harris in Leesburg, stars two popular actors, Maya Rudolph of Saturday Night Live and John Krasinski of The Office. It was directed by Sam Mendes, who received the Best Director Academy Award for American Beauty.

Originally dubbed "Farlanders," the story follows a thirty-something couple on a journey to find the best place to raise their child. The EDC's Film & Entertainment Commission worked closely with film producers on site selection, permitting and vendor identification. The movie was shot over two days, employing 120 local crew members, two local actors and six extras.

The University's of Central Florida's (UCF) Studio 500 - UCF's Center for Emerging Media - has attracted a steady stream of film and digital media work in its first 18 months of operation.

Working with studio partner Vicon Entertainment's House of Moves, faculty and staff from UCF's graduate game-development program, the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA), have worked on video games for Electronic Arts, 360Ed, and n-Space (including "Hannah Montana: The Movie" video game), national commercials (including Gillette ads starring Tiger Woods, Derek Jeter and Roger Federer), feature films and more.

For more information, click here.

This week, Florida Governor Charlie Crist signed the 2009-10 budget preserving economic development items. Among those items, the Film and Entertainment Incentive received $10.8 million - more than double the $5 million that was allocated last year. Thanks to State Legislators and the Governor for recognizing the importance of the film, digital media and entertainment industry to the state of Florida, especially during these tough, economic times.

Starting June 1, filmmakers and others can visit www.filminflorida.com for an incentive application for projects beginning on or after July 1, 2009. Applications are accepted starting June 15.

Last week, i.d.e.a.s. opened its new headquarters in downtown Orlando. This creative production and digital media studio, one of Central Florida's largest, becomes a new "anchor tenant" of the Creative Village evolving in downtown Orlando.

As part of the opening ceremony, City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer helped company founder Bob Allen unveil a new "Creative Village" logo. The logo will be used to help identify the growing number of companies that comprise this sector of our economy.

i.d.e.a.s. moved to downtown from their longtime location on the backlot of Disney MGM Studios.

Accelerating growth of Orlando's life science industry. Global domination of the nation's digital media industry. Two bold goals of the Metro Orlando EDC. Real strides were made toward realizing those goals recently with groundbreakings on both fronts.



Nemours Children's Hospital broke ground on its Lake Nona "medical city" campus. The 620,000-square-foot facility will include 95 beds, an 18-bay emergency department, a neonatal intensive care unit and departments specializing in complex childhood diseases. The hospital, scheduled to open in 2012, will be the central hub of a 60-acre pediatric health campus featuring a children's clinic, emergency department, diagnostic and ambulatory programs, education centers and research programs. The Nemours Children's Hospital investment is expected to pump $400 million into the Central Florida economy and eventually create 2,600 new jobs.



In addition, Full Sail University, a Winter Park-based education program that focuses on entertainment-related industries, broke ground on its new Full Sail Studios Gateway project. The 32,000-square-foot, 2.2-acre project will be equipped with a live performance venue, a two-story complex for game production and recording studios, and an expansion to the on-campus professional film studio backlot. The Hollywood-style backlot will complete the existing backlot and will offer 19 different outdoor filming locations.

While Orlando conjures up images of fun and entertainment, it doesn't necessarily bring to mind a hub of filmmaking activity. But the reality is just that - Orlando offers much more than you would expect.

While Orlando's entertainment industry is based in theme parks and attractions, a closer look reveals the high tech production facilities (many of which are based on the backlots of the region's theme parks), talented professionals, diverse landscapes and much more.

Along with feature films, commercial productions and reality TV series find everything they need in Orlando: superior film crews, equipment, post-production facilities and cooperation from both public and private sectors. In terms of filming resources and production variety, Metro Orlando has it all.

For more on what Orlando has to offer, click here.

Digimation, a provider of 3D content and related services to the entertainment and defense industries, will relocate their headquarters from St. Rose, Louisiana to Metro Orlando.

The company's headquarters location will result in 30 new jobs; will generate $750,000 in capital investment; and will lease over 4,000 square feet of space on International Parkway in Heathrow/Lake Mary.

Digimation's first two new hires are already operating here and the team will complete their relocation to Metro Orlando in March 2009.

Dream Balloon Productions, a digital media production studio devoted to producing high-quality family entertainment through the use of computer-generated (CG) animation, has relocated its headquarters from New Jersey to Orlando. The company now occupies 10,500 square feet of space in the DrewTina Commerce Center in Orange County. They expect to add up to 60 new employees over the next three years.

Dream Balloon Productions co-founder Michael Attardi wrote and directed the multiple award-winning "Once Upon a Christmas Village", a 15-minute animated short that features the voices of Tim Curry, Jim Belushi and Amanda Davis. The animation, created in collaboration with animators from the DAVE School at Universal Studios Orlando, serves as a prototype for the full length feature, Snowyville, which is currently in pre-production.