Written by on Jul 22, 2011. Posted in Production News

Tom Cruise’s Rock of Ages chases filming incentives doubling Miami for Los Angeles

The Sunset Strip of the 1980s has been recreated in Miami for the filming of Tom Cruise’s Rock of Ages. It’s another snubbing for Los Angeles, with the city apparently unable to match Miami’s incentive scheme or flexibility when it came to street closures and set dressings.

Graham Winick, Film and Event Production Manager at the Miami Beach Film Office, said: “Florida’s state incentive scheme was a major factor in securing the shoot. Miami could provide infrastructure in less-used areas that work as a Los Angeles double – a large part of the city has been re-dressed. They even recreated the Hollywood sign on a site known locally as Mount Trashmore!”

Florida’s state incentive scheme was a major factor in securing the shoot. Miami could provide infrastructure in less-used areas that work as a Los Angeles double – a large part of the city has been re-dressed.

Graham Winick, Miami Beach Film Office

The production spent a year scouting as far afield as Sydney before settling on Florida. Winick added that Miami is also a popular choice as there are plenty of entertainment options after a long shoot day. Also, as Rock of Ages is a throwback to the 80s rock scene, Miami is convenient for various star cameos.

J A Ojeda, Jr, Executive Director with Miami’s Office of Economic Development & International Trade, commented: “The skyline of the real Sunset Strip in Los Angeles has changed drastically since the 80s so it needed to be replicated on a similar-looking street. Also, a production company would not be able to shut down the Sunset Strip for a shoot like this for the extensive timeframe that it would need to be shut down.

If the state did not offer the new tax incentives of 20-30% of qualified expenditures, then they would have not even considered looking to Miami as a possibility.

J A Ojeda, Jr, Miami’s Office of Economic Development & International Trade

“Most importantly, the state of Florida’s film incentives were the initial lure. If the state did not offer the new tax incentives of 20-30% of qualified expenditures, then they would have not even considered looking to Miami as a possibility.”

Florida’s filming incentive has a fund of just over USD240 million to cover the next five years. The allocation for 2011 is USD55 million. Rock of Ages will get a rebate of up to USD8 million.