$125.6 million spent in Nevada by movie companies in 2002

Friday, Jan. 17, 2003 | 11:16 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The upcoming movie releases "Intolerable Cruelty" and "Looney Tunes" helped pour $125.6 million into the Nevada economy last year.

The total is down $10 million from 2001, but representatives of the state Film Office said that it was a pretty good showing, given the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. The $135 million in 2001 was a record year.

Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, chairwoman of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development, said today that "any year that exceeds $100 million in filming revenue is a great success."

Nevada has exceeded that mark consistently for the past several years, Hunt said, adding that was due to the aggressive approach by the film office, which is part of the Economic Development Commission.

Jeanne Corcoran, production and public relations coordinator for the film office, said many state film offices saw a 70 percent drop in revenue after Sept. 11. Nevada is among the top 10 states in film production revenue, as rated by the Association of Film Commissions International, she said. It is the top among states in the Southwest.

Notable movies produced in Nevada last year included "Intolerable Cruelty" starring George Clooney and Catherine Zeta Jones, "Looney Tunes" with Brendan Fraser and Jenna Elfman and "The Cooler" starring William H. Macy.

The made-for-television movie "Lucky," starring John Corbett, has been picked up as a weekly television series on the FX Network, bringing return business to Las Vegas as some episodes are shot in downtown Las Vegas.

Parts of "Charlie's Angels 2," "The Hulk," "George of the Jungle 2" and "Head of State" were shot in Nevada last year, the film office said.

Television series, specials and other programs accounted for $60 million, or 48 percent, of the revenue, Charles Geocaris, director of the film office, said. Small-budget independent films contributed $21 million to the economy, or 17 percent of the productions.

Commercials ranked third in volume, contributing $20 million to the economy or 16 percent of the total. The balance of $24 million came from documentaries, still photography projects, music videos, corporate and industrial productions and student and miscellaneous filming.