Posted on 8/05/06 at 06:18 AM

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Source:
San Luis Obispo Tribune | 08/05/2006

Posted on Sat, Aug. 05, 2006
Biz Buzz; 'Pirates 3' may dock at dunes for shoot
The Tribune

The third installment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" film series will likely have a few scenes shot at the Guadalupe Dunes, according to Martine White, Santa Barbara County's film commissioner.

The filming -- which is expected to take a few days -- will happen sometime this fall. It's not known whether the movie's all-star cast, which includes Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, will be part of the shoot.

The scenes were initially scheduled earlier this year, said White, but they've been postponed multiple times.

Movie production companies often bring as many as 150 crew members to film sites, said John Reinacher, general manager of the Santa Maria Inn. The inn has been a popular spot to house production companies and their staffs because of its central location and large capacity of 164 rooms.

"They are definitely coming," Reinacher said. "The date is volatile. It's just the nature of the business."

Even though the scenes will be shot in the northern part of Santa Barbara County, it is still good news for San Luis Obispo County businesses, says Jonni Biaggini, executive director of the county's Visitors & Conference Bureau.

"It's good for the entire area," she said. "Look what happened with 'Sideways.' After the movie comes out, people come looking for the locations of (the scenes)."

Biaggini said it may also benefit South County businesses if Walt Disney Pictures, the production company, opts to use South County accommodations.

The last blockbuster film to use the Guadalupe Dunes was "Hidalgo" in 2004. It's also been the set for other famous flicks, including "G.I. Jane," released in 1997, and the silent classic, "The Ten Commandments."

-- Dawn Rapp