Few things lend a venue more cachet than a film shoot. Attendees love returning home from a meeting and sharing anecdotes about their special events, especially when held on the same hallowed ground where Brad, Britney, J-Lo, and other pop icons partied or turned in a noteworthy moment. For planners, finding and booking these movie locations as group venues is easier than it might seem, whether it's a park, a theater, or a bowling alley.
For starters, most states and many cities now offer their own film commissions (or at least an all-knowing commissioner) and are quite eager to spread the word about local sites made famous on celluloid, be they Hollywood blockbusters or "art house" gems. A quick query from a meeting planner can result in a list of locations and specific venues, plus some inside dish about where movie history was made.
"They find all the sites and the history very interesting," said Arlena Acree, director of film media and entertainment for Shreveport, Bossier City, and northwestwern Louisiana. Acree said her region has become a hotbed for film shoots, with more than 50 projects recently, including Oliver Stone's new President Bush biopic, titled
W. The city is brimming with familiar film sites that double as group venues, from downtown's James Burton Rock 'n' Roll Cafe (aka "Maggie's Hangar" in 2006's
The Guardian) to the city's ornate, 90-year-old Scottish Rite Cathedral (used for
W.'s White House sets), a favorite for banquets and meetings.
In Savannah, GA, groups can relive favorite scenes from
Forrest Gump via a Chippewa Square bash, while planners can arrange "Something to Talk About" (as in the 1995 Julia Roberts flick) for a small group at the Six Pence Pub.
After Don Ameche set the ballroom dance world afire in 1984's
Cocoon, groups of up to 800 have been following in step at the renovated Coliseum in St. Petersburg, FL. For a day at the races, the city's Derby Lane greyhound racetrack, made famous by the con artist attendees in
Ocean's Eleven, accommodates groups of various sizes for catered events. And, just a 40-minute drive from the city is Pinellas County's Fort DeSoto Park, site of several
Prison Break episodes and the 2006 John Cusack indie favorite
Grace Is Gone, suitable for group picnics and beach events.
For more information on film sites, planners can visit
www.movielocations.com/places/usa.
Originally published Aug. 11, 2008