701 Brickell Avenue, Suite 2700 Miami, Florida 33131 305/539-3084, Fax 305/539-2911 http://www.MiamiAndBeaches.com E-mail: [email protected] Contact: Media Relations, 305-539-3084, 800-955-3646 (U.S./Canada) MIAMI'S RED-HOT FASHION, ENTERTAINMENT AND CELEBRITY SCENE (MIAMI) – Miami has never been hotter as a destination for fashion, film, music and entertainment production. Great and diverse locations, perfect weather, magical light, experienced professional crews and state-of-the-art production facilities lure filmmakers, commercial photographers, television crews, fashion designers and musicians to Greater Miami in droves. Other vital ingredients – world-class accommodations, top-notch restaurants, a culturally diverse population and a vibrant nightlife -- are part of the mix that makes Miami one of the world's most desirable locations for production. Celebrities come to Miami to work and stay to play, upping the glamour quotient around hotel pools, in restaurants and on the dance floor at nightclubs. Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Matt Damon, Mathew McConaughey, Danny DeVito, Will and Jada Smith, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Oprah, Tobey Maguire, Mickey Rourke, Cher, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Rosie O'Donnell, Tyra Banks, Diane Von Furstenberg, Denzel Washington, Jennifer Aniston, the Kardashians, Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Mackie, Ed Harris and Tony Shalhoub have all lingered awhile in Miami. The list of top models, film and television stars, and musical entertainers goes on -- anyone who's anyone eventually succumbs to the city's significant charms. Many luminaries buy homes; others open trendy restaurants or participate in high-profile community events. The celebrity presence fuels Miami's mystique, bestowing a status that is shared in the U.S. only with entertainment industry powerhouses New York and Los Angeles. Film and Television Production Mecca 2 Film, television, commercial and still photo productions have been continually on the rise in Miami since the city was made famous worldwide by Miami Vice’s Crockett and Tubbs during the 1980s. Recent films shot in Miami include Rock of Ages, starring Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Step Up Revolution, and the upcoming Pain and Gain by Miami Beach resident director Michael Bay and starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Ed Harris. Marvel’s Iron Man 3 will film soon, starring Robert Downey, Jr., Scarlett Johansson and Gwenyth Paltrow. Some of television’s hottest shows also use Miami as a backdrop. Burn Notice, Magic City and Charlie’s Angels recently filmed entirely in Miami while Dexter, CSI: Miami and The Finder partially shot in the area. Since Miami is home to major Latin networks from Univision and Telemundo to Galavision and Venevision, it’s no surprise that Spanishlanguage television production has also increased substantially. The telenovela sector is especially hot – dominated by Telemundo shows such as the popular “La Casa de al Lado” and Univision’s “Un Refugio Para El Amor.” Reality television also makes Miami one of its key markets, with Real Housewives of Miami, NBA Wives, Swamp Wars, and South Beach Tow just a sample of the work here. In addition to location filming, Miami-Dade has been the venue of choice for some of the industry’s most renowned entertainment events. NATPE (National Association of Television Producers and Executives) recently relocated to Miami Beach and has never been more successful in attracting European and Latin American producers. Equally impressive is that Miami hosted the Super Bowl in 2007 and 2010, will host the NCAA National Championship Game in 2013 and is the home of the World Champion Miami Heat. The Magic City also just welcomed the Premio lo Nuestro Latin music show, live on the global Univision network. Commercial shoots and still photo production remain a mainstay of the area. Motor homes are a familiar sight on the streets of Miami year round, as are the ubiquitous long-legged girls and stylish young men running from casting to photo shoot. With multitudes of experienced production companies offering crews, vehicles, location services, logistics, catering, props and every other service for hire under the sun, not to mention the state’s successful entertainment industry incentive which has pushed Florida back to the #3 destination for filming in the United States, Miami has the resources to handle every conceivable production need and budget. 3 Film Festivals Flourish Miami's diverse and sophisticated population is well served by the myriad film festivals that are presented each year, drawing thousands for screenings of new releases, reworked classics and international films of distinction often not earmarked for commercial release. The Miami International Film Festival, one of the most respected forums on the international circuit, closing in on its 30th anniversary, is a star-studded showcase for Latin American, North American, and world cinema. Taking place each March, the festival has attracted many celebrities over the years, such as Kevin Kline, Michael Caine, Antonio Banderas, Willem Dafoe, Demi Moore, William Macy, Viggo Mortensen, Kate Hudson, Ashton Kutcher and Steven Bauer. To celebrate Miami’s diverse film scene, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau coordinates Miami Film Month each March, featuring special offers at art cinemas (www.MiamiFilmMonth.com). Other niche festivals attract cineastes interested in all aspects of filmmaking: the Brazilian, Latin American, Gay and Lesbian, American Black Film Festival, Jewish and Italian Film Festivals all fill venues throughout Miami with viewers interested in opportunities to witness new, innovative and groundbreaking films. Make Some Music Miami is uniquely positioned at the geographic and cultural crossroads of the Latin American music industry – a fact signified by the year-round presence of the business's heaviest hitters. International superstar Gloria Estefan and multiple Grammy awardwinning producer husband Emilio are pillars of the community, while Sony BMG, EMI Latin America, Warner/Chappell Music and Universal Music Group all have offices in Greater Miami. Latin superstars Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Thalia, Paulina Rubio, Julio and Enrique Iglesias, Shakira and Jon Secada and hip-hop/ R&B hitmakers Pitbull, Flo Rider, Rick Ross and Trick Daddy are among many entertainers with homes in Miami, while many others have spent time here making music and enjoying la vida loca. Miami has long been a recording haven for musicians in all genres. Aerosmith, the Allman Brothers, Lenny Kravitz, Celine Dion, Dr. Dre, Eric Clapton, the Bee Gees, David Bowie, Prince, U2, David Byrne, the Eagles, The Rolling Stones, Luther Campbell, Aretha Franklin and countless other artists have all cut records or laid down tracks in Miami. 4 Every March is nirvana for music lovers in Miami, where DJ’s and artists from all over the globe descend upon Miami for the Winter Music Conference, featuring more than 500 events, parties, seminars and workshops. More than 100,000 attendees from 70 countries come each year to celebrate innovation in electronic music and enjoy Miami’s sophisticated, sexy tropical rhythms. Coinciding with this mega event is another premiere electronic event, Ultra Music Festival, which features Miami Music Week. Celebrities Make the Scene The term star gazing takes on a new meaning in Greater Miami as the steady influx of celebrities – Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Will Smith, Al Pacino, Harrison Ford, Lenny Kravitz, Sigourney Weaver, Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, to name a few -- ups the excitement ante all over town, from Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins games to restaurants, hotels and nightclubs. Whether it’s Janet Jackson discreetly partaking in the pleasures of The Mandarin Oriental, Miami Spa, Oprah Winfrey enjoying a meal at one of Coral Gables' acclaimed restaurants, Cindy Crawford attending the Roberto Cavalli fashion show at Bal Harbour Shops, or Kanye West shopping at the Webster, celebrity spottings are a de rigueur fact of glamorous life in Miami. But it's after dark and beyond the velvet ropes that the best opportunities for rubbing elbows with the rich and famous take place. At live music venues featuring great Latin jazz, on the dance floors of hipper-than-thou clubs, table-hopping in the lounges of chic restaurants that magically transform themselves into nightclubs as the evening progresses, the scene sizzles with possibility. Staying current is a challenge as, ever more fabulous concepts open every week. Recent celebrity spottings at nightclubs and restaurants include: Wilmer Valderrama, Jason Statham, Christina Aguilera and Kim Kardashian at LIV nightclub at the Fontainebleau; Gabriel Union and Sharon Glass at City Hall restaurant; Paula Abdul and Amy Smart at Meat Market; Cameron Diaz, Alex Rodriguez, and former President Bill Clinton at Prime One Twelve; and Lebron James, Dennis Rodman, Dwayne Wade, Gabrielle Union and Tito Puente at Trio on the Bay. Everyone from Matt Damon to Kate Moss have been spotted even at South Beach bar Mac’s Club Deuce, and Beyonce and husband Jay-Z can often be seen at casual eatery Cheeseburger Baby. 5 In a recent AOL/Travel & Leisure poll, Miami was ranked the #1 city in America for the singles scene and Latin beat. Nowhere is this more apparent than in clubs of the moment like Mansion, SET, Mokai and Mynt, where internationally renowned DJs spin the latest house music for young, attractive hordes. Tourists, locals and celebrities come together at Hoy Como Ayer to experience the sounds of DJ Le Spam & the Spam All Stars, one of Miami's most happening live music clubs located in Little Havana. This weekly musical and cultural celebration draws a diverse crowd; as Latina princesses and hip hop royalty salsa side by side. From live music venues like The Stage, Churchill's and Jazzid, to elegant global gatherings and eateries-cum-nightspots like Tap Tap, Touch and Tantra, nightlife in Miami is packed with stars and charged with excitement. Miami’s hot nightclub, LIV at Fontainebleau Miami Beach offers 30,000 square feet (2787 square meters) of high energy dancing, with a DJ driven atmosphere that is a “must do” experience for nightlife fans. Other newcomers to the Miami club scene include Bamboo, featuring Cirque de Soleil style performances in a nightclub setting; Club 50 At The Viceroy, a low-slung, "semi-private" lounge perched atop Icon Brickell/Viceroy's 50th floor; FDR at the Delano and Wall at the W South Beach. Fashion Forward Miami is an international fashion capital with year-round events that make the most of their beautiful tropical setting and amazing light. Bikinis rule during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim each July, as the hottest resort wear designers show off their latest creations. Fashion runways are set against the sparkling blue Atlantic Ocean and soft sands of Miami Beach, while poolside parties at Miami boutique hotels attract international media, photographers, models and fashionistas from near and far. Returning to W South Beach Hotel & Residences for its third year, SALON ALLURE, a four-day boutique lifestyle show featuring the most exclusive brands in swim and resort wear from around the world, raises money for local charities Miami Beach International Fashion Week, the largest Latin American and international fashion event in the U.S., boasts more than 50 of the world's top fashion designers presenting their latest collections on the catwalk before hundreds members of the international press each March. After the final cut and the last call, the biggest star is Miami itself. Bold, beautiful, literally bursting with multicultural flavor on the big screen and on the world stage, Greater Miami shines on. 6 The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) is an independent notfor-profit sales and marketing organization whose mission is to attract visitors to Greater Miami and the Beaches for leisure, business and conventions. For a vacation guide, visit our website at www.MiamiAndBeaches.com or call 1-888-76-Miami (US/Canada only) or 305-447-7777. To reach the GMCVB offices dial 305-539-3000. Meeting planners may call 1-800-933-8448 (US/Canada only) or 305-539-3071 or visit www.MiamiMeetings.com. ###