By Ruws Bynum
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (AP) --Tybee Island has landed a starring role in the new Miley Cyrus movie, and audiences seeing the film next year won’t have to wait for the credits to find out the name of the beach town filling the screen.
Location managers for the movie “The Last Song,” which starts filming on Tybee next week, told residents at a town meeting Monday that the island proved too unique to masquerade as Wrightsville Beach, N.C.
Novelist Nicholas Sparks, who wrote the movie’s script, initially set the story in Wrightsville and Wilmington, N.C. But filmmakers persuaded him to change the location to Tybee Island and neighboring Savannah so they could include local landmarks such as the island’s towering lighthouse and the oak-shaded squares in Savannah’s historic district.
“We had a hard time trying to hide the fact that this was Tybee and Savannah was Savannah,” Bass Hampton, the film’s location director, told about 80 residents at Tybee city hall.
The movie features 16-year-old Cyrus, the star of “Hannah Montana,” as a teenage girl struggling with her parents’ divorce who tries to reconnect with her father during a summer at his home in a quiet beach town.
Filming starts Monday on Tybee Island, 12 miles east of Savannah, and is expected to stretch into mid-August.
The Walt Disney Co. had considered making the film in North Carolina, but ultimately chose Georgia because the state offered a better incentive package. Local officials estimate the production will bring $8 million in direct spending to the area during the next two months.
Having Tybee Island’s name on the screen — on signs for a beach festival and emblazoned on police cars and fire trucks — should make for an even bigger payday after the movie hits theaters in 2010, said Diane Schleicher, Tybee’s city manager.
“When the film releases, the impact on the economy here is going to be immense,” Schleicher said.
Still, there will be some drawbacks for the island’s 3,400 residents.
Hampton said filmmakers will spend several days shooting at the island’s fishing pier, which will mean closing the attraction to visitors periodically, and roadblocks will go up around the beach house being used as a location.
Tybee resident Monty Parks, who opened an Internet cafe near the pier a few months ago, said he hopes to sell plenty of lattes to the film crew and gawking tourists.
“If you’re somebody who wants Tybee to stay out of the limelight, you’re going to be broken-hearted,” Parks said. “I think there’s going to be a lot of people here. It’s going to be great for me.”
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More