The daily morning talk show, The Balancing Act, has given Palm Beach County a wonderful opportunity to be showcased to millions of people on national television. Produced by Five Star Productions in Boca Raton, the show airs every weekday at 7:00am on Lifetime Television and focuses on empowering women who are seeking personal and professional growth while managing a career, family and home. Five Star President Scott Woolley said, “The show is being shot entirely in Palm Beach County with many of the stories coming right out of South Florida. The response from viewers has been wonderful.” The show recently went on-location to one of the County’s most treasured cultural attractions, The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach to film an exercise and health segment. Producer Meredith Dobro said, “I chose the Morikami because it evokes a unique and inspiring setting, perfect for a show that features fitness as one of its subjects.” The show has also featured local celebrities and prominent figures such as Boca Raton entrepreneur and philanthropist Yvonne Boice, who is also the Chair of the Palm Beach International Film Festival as well as Ivy and Andy Larson, Jupiter-based authors of “The Gold Coast Cure” and “Fitter, Firmer, Faster”, Lynne Pittard, President of the Visual Arts Network, Edwige Gilbert, Wellness Coach and Author of “The Fresh Start Promise” and Dr. Paul Winner, author of “7 Steps to a Healthy Brain.” For more info visit thebalancingact.com.

2xtreem Motorcycle TV, a family-oriented show that is dedicated to the motorcycle rider, racer and performance enthusiast has expanded its distribution, and is now available to over 100 million households in all 50 states! A new deal has been signed with all Fox Sports Networks for the show to air from coast to coast on Sundays at 12:00pmET. The new distribution is in addition to the show airing on networks such as America One Television, Cox Sports and Altitude Sports. Executive Producer Joe Capicotti said, “All of us at Dragonlake Productions could not be happier with the national expansion of our show. We feel honored to join the ranks of other PBC Production Companies that have gone national.” The half hour show is in its third season and upcoming episodes will include the 2xtreem bikes going on display at the AMA’s Motorcycle Hall of Fame Moto-Stars exhibit and the 2xtreem team going back to school at the Jamie James Racing School. For more info visit 2xtreem.com.

The Emmy and Peabody award-winning The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, which takes a reality based look at news, trends, pop culture, politics and current events, with an alternative point of view, recently came to Palm Beach County to shoot a segment of a recent episode. Daily Show correspondent Wyatt Cenac and his crew made the trek from New York to Delray Beach just to find out if presidential hopeful Barack Obama can win the elderly Jewish vote. Cenac sat down with Jeremy Ring, Florida State Senator and a group of seniors at the Vizcaya Neighborhood and 3G’s Gourmet Deli to discuss how they feel about politics and if they would vote for Senator Obama. Producer Miles Khan said, “The people in Delray Beach were very friendly and everything was very accessible, we might come back again in the future to do another segment.” The Daily Show with Jon Stewart airs on Comedy Central, Monday-Thursday at 11:00pm. For more information call 561.233.1000.

After more than two years of hard work and effort Mi Pueblo TV has arrived! It is the first television station in Palm Beach County dedicated to Spanish language programming. Airing on Comcast Channel 99 every day, from 4:00pm-12:00am, the station reaches 163,000 households in the Palm Beach County area. Mi Pueblo TV consists of news programs and talks shows that represent the needs of the Hispanic-American communities within Palm Beach County. President of MiPueblo TV Oscar Nodarse said, “I am very happy to give the Hispanic community the first TV channel that will truly satisfy the needs of Hispanics with superior information, a lot of entertainment and positive and enriching messages.” For more info please visit mipueblotv.tv and for a list of all locally based broadcasters call 561.233.1000.

From the cable network that brought you shows such as Animal Cops and Meerkat Manor comes a pilot for a new Animal Planet reality show that will follow three young sisters from Wellington as they compete in the world of equestrian events. The show is being produced by Los Angeles based Green Bottle Pictures, the company that brought audiences Sunset Tan on E! and the Millionaire Matchmaker on Bravo. The production team recently flew to Florida and filmed at Nicole’s Village Tavern and various private locations in Wellington. Owner of Nicole’s Village Tavern, Ron Miranda said, “We are very excited to be able to host the production of this show. Positive publicity for our Village can only promote a positive economic impact to the area.” For more information call 561.233.1000.

The educational TV program, Teens on the Green (TOG) is quickly finding its place in the Florida production community. Recently, TOG secured commercial air time from Comcast to broadcast over 300 commercials on Florida’s East Coast. The commercials are for the TOG World Championship Tournament which will take place December 16-20, 2008 at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens. TOG has also found distribution through PBS for a 13-part series, including a one-hour special on the tournament. TOG Founder Renny Roker, explained that “golf teaches youth to be more focused, patient, respectful and honest which translates into how they act and participate in school as well as in their lives”. TOG has also teamed up with The G-Star School of the Arts in West Palm Beach to have students interview tournament participants for the one-hour special. For more information please visit teensonthegreen. com or call 561.233.1000.

Legendary actor Burt Reynolds presented his Master Acting Class Showcase at the Burt Reynolds and Friends Museum in Jupiter for the second time this summer. A series of master classes were taught by Reynolds, whose expertise in TV and film is highly regarded. The Museum, which easily lends itself as a performance venue, is a shrine to the vast collection of memorabilia from his array of films, as well as his awards and many personal gifts and photos from his celebrity friends. The invite-only showcase consisted of scenes from classic plays and films performed by local talent. The talent included BRITT alumni (Burt Reynolds Institute for Theater Training) Suzanne Niedland, as well as former Jupiter Vice Mayor Kathleen Kozinski who performed a duet with local songwriter/filmmaker Cooper Getschal. For more info please call 561.743.9955.

The Juno Beach Park and Pier doesn’t just offer a great fishing spot and a relaxing atmosphere; it also boasts one of the most beautiful backdrops in the County. WPTV NewsChannel 5 recently utilized the location to shoot a new promo for Meteorologist Steve Weagle. The one day shoot was produced by WPTV Promotions Producer Dave Montgomery who said, “I chose the Pier for its location in relation to the beach...I was able to get a wide shot of the ocean and beach from the ocean’s point of view with our talent front and center.” The spot has already started to air and will stay on the air for approximately one month. Special thanks to PBC Parks and Recreation and Dania Pier Management for their assistance with this project.

The Literary Agent Showcase named Boca Raton based TransMedia Group’s CEO Thomas J. Madden “Writer of the Month” for his screenplay Father’s Day Ghost Story inspired by Bill Cobsy’s book Come On People. Madden said, "I'm greatly appreciative of this most unexpected recognition by the Literary Agent Showcase, which is used as a resource by some 5,000 literary agents looking for promising screenplays to turn into motion pictures." The Literary Agent Showcase describes Madden’s screenplay as “a ghostly tale…a spooky spoof of modern-day parenting. It delves into the growing epidemic of fatherlessness in America, where single moms are raising far too many families, leaving children to wonder: Where have all the daddies gone.” For more information please call Adrienne Mazzone 561.750.9800 ext. 210.

LOCATION SPOTLIGHT: OKEEHEELEE PARK IN WEST PALM BEACH

Okeeheelee Park fits every outdoor production’s needs. Sports facilities abound at the park, where there are lighted baseball, softball, multipurpose fields and tennis courts, as well as unlit volleyball courts. For the family oriented productions, playgrounds are scattered throughout the park with play structures for ages 2-5 years and 5-12 years. There is also a 27-hole golf course with a pro shop, driving range, practice putting green, chipping area and snack bar. Eight miles of bicycle trails meander through the park. A BMX track is available to those seeking a fast paced adventure. The park is also home to the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center. The center is an 111-acre world class equestrian showplace that has a covered area, training rings, an open riding area, and a newly opened 3.7 mile trail system. Water sports are a perfect fit at the park with five world class waterskiing lakes available with slalom courses and a ski jump. One ski lake is lighted for night skiing. There are boat launching ramps for the ski lake and the freshwater fishing lake available for use, along with boat and trailer parking spots. Canoe, kayak, pedal boat, and bike rentals are available at Okeeheelee Park Rentals near the freshwater fishing lake. Nestled within the park, the Okeeheelee Nature Center features 2.5 miles of trails winding through 90 acres of pine flatwoods and wetlands, as well as an outdoor classroom where youth and adults experience hands on exhibits and animal encounters. For productions featuring man’s best friend there is the Pooch Pines Dog Park which has separate sections for big and small dogs, a dog wash, shaded sitting areas and Fido fountains. Picnic shelters of all sizes, restrooms and parking are available throughout the park. Past productions that have utilized Okeeheelee Park include commercials for the Rocket Fishing Rod, Max Fli Golf Balls and Subaru, and feature films such as Pretty in Red, Washington Heights, Unconditional, and 9:04am. For more information or to permit this film friendly location call 561.233.1000.

The Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission (FTC) in partnership with the Palm Beach County Economic Development Office and the Palm Beach County School District, has completed the Industries of the Mind, a set of seven 30-second commercials. The commercials feature local comedians Frank Licari, Jesse Furman and Travis Thomas of “The Jove Improv” who are repeatedly being rejected from an employment office since they never got a proper education. All commercials are then followed by a call to action to visit IndustriesoftheMind.net to gain information as to how to follow each industry path beginning in the 9th grade. The commercials produced and directed by filmmaker V. Alex Marquez; give insight into the numerous options for young people in Palm Beach County who are planning to enter the County’s workforce. Palm Beach County Economic Development Director Kevin Johns said, “The world is now witnessing some of the greatest technological transformations in history. We want to popularize career pathways for our kids to be successful in these new technologies. Using the media to achieve that goal through a partnership between the FTC, the schools and the Industries of the Mind is part of our solution.” The commercials are based on the 21st Century Palm Beach County Strategic Economic Plan findings that identified seven industry clusters for Palm Beach County’s future: Bioscience, Aerospace, Marine and Environmental Science, Information Technology, Tourism Film, Film Arts & Culture, and International Banking and Financial Services. President of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County Kelly Smallridge said, “These commercials provide key information on job opportunities in Palm Beach County in a very entertaining fashion, we hope that our high school students will take the opportunity to explore careers in industries that are growing significantly and paying very high salaries.” For more information please visit IndustriesoftheMind.net or call 561.233.1000.