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Sunday, November 30, 1997

Filmmakers flocking to Port of Houston for that industrial look

HOUSTON (AP) -- Looking for a place to blow up a car? Need a stuntman to leap into a channel during that crucial chase scene? Don't know where to find a helicopter landing pad with a bridge on the horizon?

Go where all the movie location scouts in Houston are going: the Port of Houston.

The Port's industrial setting -- complete with warehouses, grain elevators, docks, ships and open settings -- make a good backdrop, the scouts said. And city officials offer a good deal for budget-conscious filmmakers.

"The location is central to Houston," says scout Kim Crabb, who was cruising for a warehouse and dock for a music video shoot. "There's a lot of space at the Port. It has a variety of looks on the water. It could be a high-end, modern area or it could be a really run-down, dark and spooky area."

The Port has been used about once a year for filming commercials, music videos and movies because of its diverse scenery and accessibility.

Scout Craig Busch was looking for such a controlled environment during the filming of "Robocop 2." He sought a body of water that a stuntman could jump into during a chase scene.

In addition to "Robocop 2," movie buffs may also recognize the Port of Houston in scenes from films such as "Rush," "Jason's Lyric," ÔAmerican Portrait," "The Charmer" and "A Taste For Killing."

Television series and pilots such as "Walker: Texas Ranger," "Matt Houston" and "Put to the Test" also have been filmed at the port, said Rick Ferguson, director of the Houston Film Commission.

Production companies are discussing using the port as the setting of the upcoming movie "Rushmore," starring Bill Murray.

But officials also have learned about the unpredictability of the movie-making business.

Last year, actor-director Forest Whittaker toured the Port of Houston because he wanted to film scenes for a movie he may direct titled "Emerald City." That film has been postponed indefinitely after being sold and resold to several movie companies.

"You can shoot Houston for anything unless you need a mountain or a desert," Ferguson said.

Filmmakers have used the port and Houston as stand-ins for Washington, D.C., the Midwest, Manhattan, India, Paris, England and Cape Cod, Mass.

Depending on the project, production companies can save 10 to 25 percent by filming in Houston, Ferguson said.

"They love the modern skyline," Crabb said.

The skyline is both striking and hard for a lot of people to recognize. That's a plus for filmmakers because it can be used to represent many other American cities, Crabb said.

Last year, production companies spent $32 million in Houston. That's up from $21 million in 1993. And the Port of Houston is helping them attract more productions.

"We'd like the Port to be featured in as many productions as possible," said Caleen Burton-Allen, the port's spokeswoman. "If it's not going to be disruptive or it's not a dock that we're going to use, then it's not that big of a deal."