Monday, January 03, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

SHOOTING STARS: Las Vegas to be the subject of documentary for PBS

With 2005 only three days old, the new year's location picture is still coming into focus.

But one thing seems certain: Las Vegas will continue to sparkle in the spotlight -- on screens big and small.

If there's one project that reflects Las Vegas' prominence a century after it made its debut as a dusty desert railroad town, however, it's an upcoming chronicle destined for PBS' "American Experience."

Insignia Films, which is producing the two-part program, plans to return to Las Vegas later this month for its fifth round of filming, capturing scenic shots and interview footage.

The goal of the show, scheduled to air sometime in the fall, is to provide viewers with a glimpse of "the world beyond the Strip," according to Insignia producer Amanda Pollak.

Although "everyone has the image of Las Vegas and the Strip," with its attendant glitz and glamour, "getting a sense of what lies beyond" remains a primary goal of the show, she explains.

Las Vegas is the third city chosen for an "American Experience" showcase, following "New York: A Documentary Film" (and its concluding chapter, "The Center of the World") and "Chicago: City of the Century." (The folks at Insignia are still working on a snappy subtitle for their Las Vegas project, Pollak notes.)

So far, "at least 15 people" have been interviewed for the show, which aims to provide "contemporary portraits of Las Vegas and the people living there," the producer reports.

And, in the production process, "there's a lot that's surprised me" about Las Vegas, Pollak acknowledges.

For one thing, she says, "the diversity of the city," including "the industries that are booming, such as real estate."

For another, "the fact that Las Vegas really is a democratic city," Pollak adds, citing "the fair playing ground it offers" to those willing to come and play -- or work.

Las Vegas' centennial is attracting interest around the world -- including the "Las Vegas Turns 100," a still photo shoot for British-based Condé Nast Traveler, which is scheduled to shoot today through Saturday.

Also on the international front, an episode of Toronto-based CityTV's "A Week in the Life of ..." follows reporter Carly Milne to Las Vegas this week as she covers the International Consumer Electronics Show, the mammoth annual technology trade gathering, which runs Thursday through Sunday.

This Vegas foray is the second for the Canadian cable network, which visited here last summer for "Everything Vegas," according to producer Nicolas Kazamia.

BBC News also is expected in town for CES.

In addition, they're scheduled to visit the Fremont Street Experience Wednesday, focusing their cameras on the overhead light canopy.