MIAMI'S RED-HOT FASHION, ENTERTAINMENT AND CELEBRITY SCENE

701 Brickell Avenue, Suite 2700
Miami, Florida 33131
305/539-3084, Fax 305/539-2911
http://www.MiamiAndBeaches.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Contact:
Media Relations, 305-539-3084, 800-955-3646 (U.S./Canada)
MIAMI'S RED-HOT FASHION, ENTERTAINMENT AND CELEBRITY SCENE
(MIAMI) – Miami has never been hotter as a destination for fashion, film, music and
entertainment production. Great and diverse locations, perfect weather, magical light,
experienced professional crews and state-of-the-art production facilities lure filmmakers,
commercial photographers, television crews, fashion designers and musicians to Greater
Miami in droves. Other vital ingredients – world-class accommodations, top-notch
restaurants, a culturally diverse population and a vibrant nightlife -- are part of the mix
that makes Miami one of the world's most desirable locations for production.
Celebrities come to Miami to work and stay to play, upping the glamour quotient
around hotel pools, in restaurants and on the dance floor at nightclubs. Jennifer Lopez,
Beyonce, Jay-Z, Matt Damon, Mathew McConaughey, Danny DeVito, Will and Jada
Smith, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Oprah, Tobey Maguire, Mickey Rourke, Cher, Leonardo
DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Rosie O'Donnell, Tyra Banks, Diane Von Furstenberg, Denzel
Washington, Jennifer Aniston, the Kardashians, Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Mackie, Ed Harris
and Tony Shalhoub have all lingered awhile in Miami. The list of top models, film and
television stars, and musical entertainers goes on -- anyone who's anyone eventually
succumbs to the city's significant charms. Many luminaries buy homes; others open trendy
restaurants or participate in high-profile community events. The celebrity presence fuels
Miami's mystique, bestowing a status that is shared in the U.S. only with entertainment
industry powerhouses New York and Los Angeles.
Film and Television Production Mecca
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Film, television, commercial and still photo productions have been continually on
the rise in Miami since the city was made famous worldwide by Miami Vice’s Crockett
and Tubbs during the 1980s. Recent films shot in Miami include Rock of Ages, starring Tom
Cruise, Alec Baldwin and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Step Up Revolution, and the upcoming
Pain and Gain by Miami Beach resident director Michael Bay and starring Mark Wahlberg,
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Ed Harris. Marvel’s Iron Man 3 will film soon, starring
Robert Downey, Jr., Scarlett Johansson and Gwenyth Paltrow.
Some of television’s hottest shows also use Miami as a backdrop. Burn Notice,
Magic City and Charlie’s Angels recently filmed entirely in Miami while Dexter, CSI: Miami
and The Finder partially shot in the area. Since Miami is home to major Latin networks from
Univision and Telemundo to Galavision and Venevision, it’s no surprise that Spanishlanguage television production has also increased substantially. The telenovela sector is
especially hot – dominated by Telemundo shows such as the popular “La Casa de al
Lado” and Univision’s “Un Refugio Para El Amor.” Reality television also makes Miami one
of its key markets, with Real Housewives of Miami, NBA Wives, Swamp Wars, and South
Beach Tow just a sample of the work here.
In addition to location filming, Miami-Dade has been the venue of choice for
some of the industry’s most renowned entertainment events. NATPE (National Association
of Television Producers and Executives) recently relocated to Miami Beach and has never
been more successful in attracting European and Latin American producers. Equally
impressive is that Miami hosted the Super Bowl in 2007 and 2010, will host the NCAA
National Championship Game in 2013 and is the home of the World Champion Miami
Heat. The Magic City also just welcomed the Premio lo Nuestro Latin music show, live on
the global Univision network.
Commercial shoots and still photo production remain a mainstay of the area.
Motor homes are a familiar sight on the streets of Miami year round, as are the ubiquitous
long-legged girls and stylish young men running from casting to photo shoot. With
multitudes of experienced production companies offering crews, vehicles, location
services, logistics, catering, props and every other service for hire under the sun, not to
mention the state’s successful entertainment industry incentive which has pushed Florida
back to the #3 destination for filming in the United States, Miami has the resources to
handle every conceivable production need and budget.
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Film Festivals Flourish
Miami's diverse and sophisticated population is well served by the myriad film
festivals that are presented each year, drawing thousands for screenings of new releases,
reworked classics and international films of distinction often not earmarked for
commercial release. The Miami International Film Festival, one of the most respected
forums on the international circuit, closing in on its 30th anniversary, is a star-studded
showcase for Latin American, North American, and world cinema. Taking place each
March, the festival has attracted many celebrities over the years, such as Kevin Kline,
Michael Caine, Antonio Banderas, Willem Dafoe, Demi Moore, William Macy, Viggo
Mortensen, Kate Hudson, Ashton Kutcher and Steven Bauer. To celebrate Miami’s diverse
film scene, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau coordinates Miami Film Month
each March, featuring special offers at art cinemas (www.MiamiFilmMonth.com). Other
niche festivals attract cineastes interested in all aspects of filmmaking: the Brazilian, Latin
American, Gay and Lesbian, American Black Film Festival, Jewish and Italian Film Festivals
all fill venues throughout Miami with viewers interested in opportunities to witness new,
innovative and groundbreaking films.
Make Some Music
Miami is uniquely positioned at the geographic and cultural crossroads of the Latin
American music industry – a fact signified by the year-round presence of the business's
heaviest hitters. International superstar Gloria Estefan and multiple Grammy awardwinning producer husband Emilio are pillars of the community, while Sony BMG, EMI Latin
America, Warner/Chappell Music and Universal Music Group all have offices in Greater
Miami. Latin superstars Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Thalia, Paulina Rubio,
Julio and Enrique Iglesias, Shakira and Jon Secada and hip-hop/ R&B hitmakers Pitbull, Flo
Rider, Rick Ross and Trick Daddy are among many entertainers with homes in Miami, while
many others have spent time here making music and enjoying la vida loca.
Miami has long been a recording haven for musicians in all genres. Aerosmith, the
Allman Brothers, Lenny Kravitz, Celine Dion, Dr. Dre, Eric Clapton, the Bee Gees, David
Bowie, Prince, U2, David Byrne, the Eagles, The Rolling Stones, Luther Campbell, Aretha
Franklin and countless other artists have all cut records or laid down tracks in Miami.
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Every March is nirvana for music lovers in Miami, where DJ’s and artists from all over
the globe descend upon Miami for the Winter Music Conference, featuring more than 500
events, parties, seminars and workshops. More than 100,000 attendees from 70 countries
come each year to celebrate innovation in electronic music and enjoy Miami’s
sophisticated, sexy tropical rhythms. Coinciding with this mega event is another premiere
electronic event, Ultra Music Festival, which features Miami Music Week.
Celebrities Make the Scene
The term star gazing takes on a new meaning in Greater Miami as the steady influx
of celebrities – Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Will Smith, Al Pacino, Harrison Ford, Lenny
Kravitz, Sigourney Weaver, Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Michael
Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, to name a few -- ups the excitement ante all over
town, from Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins games to restaurants, hotels and nightclubs.
Whether it’s Janet Jackson discreetly partaking in the pleasures of The Mandarin Oriental,
Miami Spa, Oprah Winfrey enjoying a meal at one of Coral Gables' acclaimed
restaurants, Cindy Crawford attending the Roberto Cavalli fashion show at Bal Harbour
Shops, or Kanye West shopping at the Webster, celebrity spottings are a de rigueur fact of
glamorous life in Miami.
But it's after dark and beyond the velvet ropes that the best opportunities for
rubbing elbows with the rich and famous take place. At live music venues featuring great
Latin jazz, on the dance floors of hipper-than-thou clubs, table-hopping in the lounges of
chic restaurants that magically transform themselves into nightclubs as the evening
progresses, the scene sizzles with possibility. Staying current is a challenge as, ever more
fabulous concepts open every week. Recent celebrity spottings at nightclubs and
restaurants include: Wilmer Valderrama, Jason Statham, Christina Aguilera and Kim
Kardashian at LIV nightclub at the Fontainebleau; Gabriel Union and Sharon Glass at City
Hall restaurant; Paula Abdul and Amy Smart at Meat Market; Cameron Diaz, Alex
Rodriguez, and former President Bill Clinton at Prime One Twelve; and Lebron James,
Dennis Rodman, Dwayne Wade, Gabrielle Union and Tito Puente at Trio on the Bay.
Everyone from Matt Damon to Kate Moss have been spotted even at South Beach bar
Mac’s Club Deuce, and Beyonce and husband Jay-Z can often be seen at casual eatery
Cheeseburger Baby.
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In a recent AOL/Travel & Leisure poll, Miami was ranked the #1 city in America for
the singles scene and Latin beat. Nowhere is this more apparent than in clubs of the
moment like Mansion, SET, Mokai and Mynt, where internationally renowned DJs spin the
latest house music for young, attractive hordes. Tourists, locals and celebrities come
together at Hoy Como Ayer to experience the sounds of DJ Le Spam & the Spam All Stars,
one of Miami's most happening live music clubs located in Little Havana. This weekly
musical and cultural celebration draws a diverse crowd; as Latina princesses and hip hop
royalty salsa side by side. From live music venues like The Stage, Churchill's and Jazzid, to
elegant global gatherings and eateries-cum-nightspots like Tap Tap, Touch and Tantra,
nightlife in Miami is packed with stars and charged with excitement.
Miami’s hot nightclub, LIV at Fontainebleau Miami Beach offers 30,000 square feet
(2787 square meters) of high energy dancing, with a DJ driven atmosphere that is a “must
do” experience for nightlife fans. Other newcomers to the Miami club scene include
Bamboo, featuring Cirque de Soleil style performances in a nightclub setting; Club 50 At
The Viceroy, a low-slung, "semi-private" lounge perched atop Icon Brickell/Viceroy's 50th
floor; FDR at the Delano and Wall at the W South Beach.
Fashion Forward
Miami is an international fashion capital with year-round events that make the most
of their beautiful tropical setting and amazing light. Bikinis rule during Mercedes-Benz
Fashion Week Swim each July, as the hottest resort wear designers show off their latest
creations. Fashion runways are set against the sparkling blue Atlantic Ocean and soft
sands of Miami Beach, while poolside parties at Miami boutique hotels attract
international media, photographers, models and fashionistas from near and far. Returning
to W South Beach Hotel & Residences for its third year, SALON ALLURE, a four-day
boutique lifestyle show featuring the most exclusive brands in swim and resort wear from
around the world, raises money for local charities Miami Beach International Fashion
Week, the largest Latin American and international fashion event in the U.S., boasts more
than 50 of the world's top fashion designers presenting their latest collections on the
catwalk before hundreds members of the international press each March.
After the final cut and the last call, the biggest star is Miami itself. Bold, beautiful,
literally bursting with multicultural flavor on the big screen and on the world stage, Greater
Miami shines on.
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The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) is an independent notfor-profit sales and marketing organization whose mission is to attract visitors to Greater
Miami and the Beaches for leisure, business and conventions. For a vacation guide, visit
our website at www.MiamiAndBeaches.com or call 1-888-76-Miami (US/Canada only) or
305-447-7777. To reach the GMCVB offices dial 305-539-3000. Meeting planners may call
1-800-933-8448 (US/Canada only) or 305-539-3071 or visit www.MiamiMeetings.com.
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