‘Magic Man’ cameras in town

The independent feature "Magic Man" focuses on a famed illusionist.

But the real trick was bringing the movie to Las Vegas in the first place.

Despite its Southern Nevada setting, "Magic Man's" producers planned to shoot in Southern California instead, according to unit production manager Paul Remo of Media Underground, "Magic Man's" Las Vegas-based production company.

Because the psychological thriller required "so many Vegas shots," Remo "convinced them to do it here," he reports. Especially when it would have cost more to re-create Las Vegas in Los Angeles than to capture the real thing on film.

Billy Zane stars as the mysterious magician of the title; Armand Assante, Robert Davi, Bai Ling, Sarah Jayne Jensen and Estelle Raskin co-star for director Stuart Cooper.

Production is scheduled to continue through July 26, with the Sahara and the Plaza as this week's primary locations.

Musical notes: Rapper Khia, a recent competitor on VH1's "Miss Rap Supreme," is scheduled to shoot a video for her new single, "Be Your Lady," today at a private home in southwest Las Vegas.

Director Dennis McKinley recently moved here and says "it was easier to shoot in Las Vegas." But the video won't have any "real Vegas flair to it," he adds.

Khia's new album, "Nasti Muzik," is due July 22; she's best known for the 2002 club smash "My Neck, My Back."

Dream visions: Young filmmakers 6 to 17 call the shots this week as 55 kids from the private, nonprofit Winchester House visit DreamVision Studios Wednesday to make a movie.

Under the supervision of producer Jonpaul Lewis, the youngsters will work with studio department heads to learn various disciplines, from set design to makeup, as they shoot their own project.

Strip sports: A sports-based reality series begins work on a four-day pilot episode on the Strip, centering on the New York-New York area and the casino's ESPN Zone, according to J. Wolf of the show's Southern California-based production company, Toast of New York.

If the series is picked up, shooting would take place throughout the United States, and the finals would be in Las Vegas.

Catching up: Last week's overstuffed production calendar means there are a few leftovers on this week's location menu.

National Geographic channel's "Dog Whisperer" spent four days focusing on Cirque du Soleil performers -- and their canines.

"We'll probably do a special Cirque episode with all the stories," says producer Sheila Emory; look for it this fall.

And Britain's interactive Sky Poker channel was at the Rio "following the progress of competition winners who we have entered into the World Series of Poker," executive producer Mark Robson notes.

Carol Cling's Shooting Stars column appears Mondays. Contact her at (702) 383-0272 or e-mail her at ccling@reviewjournal.com.