Movie moguls have their eyes on the Bay

American movie moguls are eyeing the Bay as a location for big-budget films - showcasing the region's scenery around the world.
In the past fortnight alone, a representative of a major United States studio has been scouting the Bay by helicopter for potential movie sets and a series of Toyota film advertisements have been filmed on the region's outskirts.
Scouts are also believed to be checking the Western Bay for two other foreign films - one of which has a "big, big budget".
According to the manager of one local scouting agency, several production firms are sniffing around the Bay.
Kevin Rowell, who manages the firm Volcanic Locations, said at the rate movie inquiries were rolling in, it would not be long before the region was identified as New Zealand's Hollywood and had letters on the hillside to prove it.
``There are currently a number of production companies actively scoping Bay coastline, forestry and landscapes for potential film sets."
Volcanic Locations is a company responsible for establishing quick responses to film-making opportunities - in terms of locations, access and services.
It is also responsible for developing a "film friendly" agreement with district councils in the Bay of Plenty.
Mr Rowell confirmed a representative of an American production firm had been visiting a range of Bay locations by helicopter in the past 10 days, "checking out possible locations for a new movie".
Mr Rowell would not divulge the name of the production but said the firm was looking at the Bay as a location for a book written by an American author.
The film is believed to have a budget of about $5 million.
The scouting came as Columbia Pictures said scenes from the film The Legend of Zorro - sequel to The Mask of Zorro - would be filmed in New Zealand next month.
The movie, starring Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, will be set in Californian territory and loosely based around plans for that region becoming the 31st state.
The film has a New Zealand producer, Lloyd Phillips, and director, Martin Campbell.
Mr Phillips said sequences would be shot at Peter Jackson's Weta Workshop in Wellington but made no mention of the Bay.
Volcanic's Mr Rowell told the Bay of Plenty Times there was also a possibility of a "big budget picture" being filmed in the Western Bay.
"I received a request for location photographs featuring coastlines and rocky out-crops."
As it just so happens these criteria fitted the Western Bay to a tee, he said.
"With the help of Tourism Bay of Plenty I sent a number of photographs that illustrated Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Waihi Beach to Wellington.
"All I know is that it has a big, big budget."
Tourism Bay of Plenty chief executive Jim Little said that while he was excited at the prospect of international pictures being filmed in the Bay, he did not want to jump the gun.
"The whole thing is an `if, if, if' game."
However, if a major production went ahead here, it would "definitely boost the profile and income of the region".
Another firm is believed to be seeking locations around the area for "a contemporary movie based around the lifestyle of the rich and famous".
These scouting efforts are not the first from international movie bigwigs.
Two weeks ago, Volcanic Locations spent 17 hours filming a vehicle advertisement for Toyota on the outskirts of the Bay - a contract it won from rivals in Melbourne, Australia.
While the advertisement, which will air in United Arab of Emirates and North America, was filmed just outside the Western Bay, Mr Rowell said there was a great possibility that future Toyota projects would be filmed closer to Tauranga.
"The producer was extremely happy with our work," he said.
"He made the point of saying he wanted to work with us again - so our fingers are crossed."
Mr Rowell said if the project did fall over there were plenty of other projects to keep the crew at Volcanic busy.
"We have between two and three inquiries a week from production companies who want to see whether New Zealand has locations they are looking for. "Up to two of these are bone-fide."
Mr Rowell said it would not be long before the "wood" suffix was tacked on to the end of a regional place name and the Bay had it's own Universal Studios equivalent.