Do you believe in miracles?:
ire is no surprise in “Miracle,” but a good movie
Seahawks back on track:
Men’s basketball beat Towson, JMU
Serving UNC Wilmington since
n.
Film industry brings income to area
Shana Baldwin
Correspondent
“Show me the money” is said
in the film industry more than one
would think.
In the past the film industry
has brought an economic boom to
the Wilmington community.
Recently films have gone else
where due to tax incentives that
make filming cheaper for produc
tion companies.
From 1993-1995, the film rev
enue to the Wilmington area was
over $720 million. For over 800
local crew members and 100
actors in the area more jobs were
available during this time.
When production is low, a
number of these individuals go on
unemployment or do some sort of
side work.
Screen Gems president Frank
Capra Jr. said, “Over the years
quite a strong infrastructure has
been built up of people, of equip
ment, of companies that are
dependent on film and television
production for a living. It is very
important to uS as a commonity
and as a studio to encourage pro
duction as much as possible here
in Wilmington.”
The money ingested into the
community is a major benefit
from these productions. Pat
Sweeney, stage manager of “One
Tree Hill,” a fresh new WB series,
said “Anything we use has to be
paid for: housing, restaurants,
rental cars. While not working we
go to restaurants and other estab
lishments.”
Approximately $1 million is
Dan HackerAhe Seahawk
“One Tree Hill,” which was filmed in Trask this
week, brings millions of dollars to the area.
spent in the local community for
each “One Tree Hill” episode.
Multiplied by 22 episodes, a lot of
money is going toward local busi
nesses.
Capra recently went to
California with Wilmington film
commissioner Johnny Griffin to
recruit productions to the
Wilmington area.
“We do that probably two or
three times a year. We usually see
anywhere between 15 to 20 indi
viduals or core groups,” Capra
said.
A production company’s deci
sion on where to film is often
based on incentive programs.
Capra said, “We’ve been told
by so many producers in Los
Angeles and New York that if we
had an incentive program they
would not go to Canada, they
would come to North Carolina
and more specifically
Wilmington,” Capra said.
“In Louisiana you get 15 per
cent of your money spent there
back as a tax credit, and then the
tax credit is transferable. You end
up with about 10 percent sav
ings,” Capra said. “Johnny and I
and a number of people in our
industry here are pushing to get a
state tax incentive in North
Carolina which may be equivalent
to about a 10 percent savings. The
legislature goes back into session
in May. They will want to hear
what the public has to say about
this. So, I think that every letter
and telephone call and so forth, on
behalf of the incentive program,
would be very useful.”
Dan Hacker/lhe Seahawk
Screen Gems Studios brings in jobs as well
to over 100 actors and 800 local crew mem
bers.
Nursing
Department
organizes new
health center
Kiara Jones
Assistant News Editor
Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo
and Congressman Mike McIntyre
commemorated the opening of the
Bolton Health and Wellness
Center on Feb. 7.
Located in Southeastern North
Carolina, Bolton holds the highest
number of prostate cancer patients
in the nation and the highest rate
of high blood pressure, diabetes
and heart disease in the state
among African-Americans.
UNCW's nursing department
organized the health project, pro
viding an alternative to the popu
lation’s minimal access to health
care.
“Under the leadership of the
UNC-Wilmington School of
Nursing and with the help of
Congressman Mike McIntyre, a
wonderful health partnership has
been formed to bring access to pri
mary health care to a previously
underserved community,”
DePaolo said in the press release.
The center began accepting
patients in January. Existing serv
ices include primary care,, depres
sion screening, blood pressure and
glucose screening, counseling,
health and empowerment educa
tion and community problem solv
ing. The center is managed by
nurses and is a “service-leaming
See nursing Page 3
Visit Us
www.theseahawk.org
OP/ED
4
lnsld« This lssu»
UNCW Life
6
Classifieds
9
Sports
12
Contact Us
Editorial: 962-3229
Ads: 962-3789