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For a perfect location

San Francisco has a lot to offer Indian filmmakers

San Francisco, often called "everybody's favourite city" by visitors to the U.S., has been a national resource for Hollywood filmmakers for decades with many a great director choosing to film here, including Alfred Hitchcock, John Carpenter and Michael Bay. What's more, the Bay Area is home for such directors as Francis Ford Coppola, Phillip Kaufman, George Lucas and Christopher Columbus. Now, the city is hoping to attract filmmakers from across the globe, especially India, by upgrading its existing facilities.

The city's local crew, which is highly skilled and seasoned, and some of the finest production and post-production facilities in the U.S. have collectively generated 64 Academy Awards, 33 Science and Technology awards and 16 of the highest-grossing pictures ever made. The mayor, Gavin Newsom, has said the government is committed to creating a more film-friendly attitude here. With the appointment of eight new production-savvy and enthusiastic film commissioners, as also the creation of the Digital Media Advisory Council, the government is exploring ways to support existing Bay Area new technology filmmakers and create opportunities for new companies.

The locations

What locations does San Francisco have to offer Indian filmmakers? Many, including the fog-shrouded towers of the Golden Gate Bridge and the silvery arc of the Bay Bridge, the painted Victorians, the TransAmerica Pyramid, the cable cars, Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, the quaint Italian coffee shops of North Beach with Coit Tower rising above, the steep hills providing dazzling Bay and skyline vistas, and the vibrant, Mexican and Latin American markets of the Mission District. And not to forget, Alcatraz.

Then, one can visit San Mateo County, south of San Francisco, which provides beautiful film backdrops with rugged coastal landscapes and dramatic vistas. Besides, there are the elegant mansion and extensive gardens of the Filoli Estate, which have been used for the TV series "Dynasty," and films such as "The Wedding Planner," "What Dreams May Come," "The Game," "George of the Jungle," "Lolita," "The Joy Luck Club," and "Dying Young." The Filoli Estate is part of the U.S. National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Another option is Sonoma County, which is conveniently located, less than 30 miles north of San Francisco. It is home to over 200 of the world's most renowned wineries.

Besides one can check out the ethereal redwood forests, placid lakes, meandering country roads, historic bridges and picturesque rural villages, 58 miles of scenic coastline, pristine beaches and the mystical Russian river. For over 50 years Sonoma County has played host to the film industry, be it "Frenchman's Creek" (in the early 1940s) or Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" (1961).

For more information about filming motion pictures in San Francisco, visit www.sfgov.org/film, or call San Francisco Film Commission Executive Director Stefanie Coyote at (415) 554-6241.

For information about filming news programmes or travel shows, visit www.sfcvb.org/travel_media or contact Laurie Armstrong, vice president, Public Relations, San Francisco, CVB, at (415) 227-2603.

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