Senate Resolution 2

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE MISSISSIPPI FILM COMMISSION UPON THE OCCASION OF MISSISSIPPI FILM WEEK AND RECOGNIZING THE CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FILM PRODUCTION TO MISSISSIPPI'S ECONOMY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS.

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Film Commission (Office) was created on January 17, 1973, by Governor Bill Waller; and

WHEREAS, the work of the Mississippi Film Office creates jobs and opportunity, enhances tourism and community, and provides public relations impact; and

WHEREAS, beginning with Thieves Like Us in 1973, more than 40 films, 26 television movies, 21 documentaries, two television series, more than two dozen episodes of television programs, countless small films, and hundreds of commercials and music videos have been filmed in Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi film and television production have presented to the world the work of such Mississippians as William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Eudora Welty, Willie Morris, Larry Brown, John Grisham and Beth Henley; and

WHEREAS, films produced in Mississippi have highlighted contributions of such notable Mississippians as Elvis Presley, Medger Evers, Dr. James Hardy, James Meredith, Robert Johnson, Willie Morris, Bobby DeLaughter, and have documented our contributions to the fields of music, science, civil rights, literature, science, history and medicine; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi locations from Pascagoula to Walls, from Vicksburg to Meridian, from Jacinto to Woodville have been used in movies, television, commercials and documentaries in the last 30 years; and

WHEREAS, film production in Mississippi has accounted for more than $100 Million in direct expenditure since the creation of film office. It has generated hundreds of thousands of paychecks for Mississippians: 10,000 during the production of A Time To Kill alone; and

WHEREAS, on location, film production has brought to Mississippi such celebrities as Robert Redford, Natalie Wood, Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Robert Mitchum, Steve McQueen, John Wayne, William Holden, Robert Duvall, Muhammad Ali, Gene Hackman, Cicely Tyson, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Sandra Bullock, Donald Sutherland, Karen Black, Faye Dunaway, Samuel L. Jackson, Alex Baldwin, James Woods, Glen Close, Patricia Neal, Charles Dutton, Frances McDormand, Jason Robards, Whoopi Goldberg, Julianne Moore, Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, Gerald McRainey, Delta Burke, George Clooney and Debra Winger; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi productions have been directed by some of the worlds greatest directors, among them John Ford, Elia Kazan, Robert Altman, Sydney Pollack, Vincente Minelli, Milos Forman, the Coen Brothers, Walter Hill, Spike Lee, Joel Schumacher, Fielder Cook, Charles Burnett, Wim Wenders, Alan Parker, Mark Rydell, Michael Mann, Jim Jarmusch and Rob Reiner; and

WHEREAS, Governor Ronnie Musgrove has proclaimed January 13-17, 2003, as "Mississippi Film Week," and it is with pride that we recognize this agency whose industry means so much to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Mississippi Film Commission (Office) upon the occasion of Mississippi Film Week, January 13-17, 2003, and recognize the considerable contributions of film production to Mississippi's economy and public relations.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED , That this resolution be presented to the Mississippi Film Commission (Office) and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.