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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Film producer Derek Lee Nixon started a love affair with The Bahamas with his latest production, promising to bring even more film shoots to The Bahamas.
Nixon began filming the family feature,
Dolphin Kick, on Grand Bahama Island this summer. The production includes local cast members as well as Bahamian crew and support staff.
It was a project destined for another country until Nixon and producer Philip Marlatt got in contact with Bahamian Sarah Hamilton. The co-producers were scouting the Dominican Republic at the time.
“Sarah explained the availability and locations in the Bahamas,” said Nixon. “We took a trip in April to Freeport to scout and absolutely fell in love with the culture and look of the country and decided this was the best place for Dolphin Kick to be filmed. Essentially Sarah Hamilton is the reason we chose to be down there, her knowledge and connections in the country gave us the confidence to shoot abroad.”
Hamilton became associate producer on the film.
Nixon described the filming experience on Grand Bahama as “amazing.” He said his crew loved the island and enjoyed many of its attractions and leisure sites. Still, he said there are film business opportunities in The Bahamas that could make the filming experiences even better.
“Sarah and the Ministry of Tourism assisted us in getting people and gear from the US to the Bahamas and back with no problems,” he said. “To be quite honest with equipment, I wish there were film gear rental facilities on Grand Bahama Island and Freeport. We unfortunately spent a lot of money in bringing things over that cost very little to rent in the US but shipping was a big cost that we unfortunately had to incur and we would have preferred to spend the money there on the island as opposed to renting in the US and bringing with us.”
Nixon, who also has built a healthy film and television acting resume over the years, hopes to see The Bahamas evolve even more in the film industry with the introduction of film incentives and film equipment rental businesses. He plans to be back for more filming.
The next round of filming for Nixon will be completing Dolphin Kick, which still has scenes to be shot in The Bahamas. Nixon said he and his crew will return to Grand Bahama Island in late August or early September to wrap up principal photography.
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