Russ Wiles

The Republic | azcentral.com

Sun Studios of Arizona, a new entertainment-production facility, has opened its doors in Tempe

The facility includes two sound stages, a theater and smaller production offices

Arizona hasn't offered a movie-industry tax break for a half-dozen years, which explains why fewer movies and television shows are being made here.

No matter.

One of the state's largest entertainment-production facilities has opened its doors a couple of miles west of Arizona State University in Tempe, offering sound stages, recording rooms, equipment rentals and other enticements to Hollywood producers. But just in case they don't line up, Sun Studios of Arizona also is making its facilities available for concerts, corporate meetings and seminars, screenings, fashion shows and other general-purpose events. Local businesses seeking to film commercials also could be a fit.

"We're providing creative space," said Darrin Ramage, the company's chief executive officer. "There's nowhere else (locally) that has everything we have under one roof."

The 17,500-square-foot facility, in a space formerly used by Collins College, includes two sound stages, an audio recording suite, a 150-seat auditorium/theater and co-working spaces that could be of use to writers and others. All are available for rent by the hour or for longer durations.

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The facility includes one of the largest green screens in Arizona. Green screens are used to superimpose subjects onto different backgrounds. Production equipment for rent ranges from cameras, lighting equipment and dollies to microphones, musical instruments and mixing boards. The company has only a small number of employees but maintains a directory of local specialists who can be hired for jobs.

Chris McLennan, Sun Studios' marketing director, said the facility could lure some Hollywood producers — not because similar structures aren't available in California but because production costs still could be lower here, with or without tax incentives. "Whether it's grips, caterers, makeup artists, editors, post-production specialists or carpenters, it's much more cost-effective to get these people locally," she said.

Like other members of Arizona's fledgling film and TV industry, Ramage, who has worked in the distribution side of the entertainment business, bemoans the lack of tax credits. Nearly two dozen other states offer such incentives. "Right now, millions of dollars are flying over us," he said, citing states like New Mexico and Georgia that have seen an increase in production.

Ramage hopes Arizona lawmakers have a change of heart and offer incentives eventually. He notes that direct spending for film and TV production has a multiplier effect that helps hotels, caterers, limousine drivers and other businesses.

But in the meantime, Sun Studios (1425 W. 14th St. in Tempe, 480-565-7040, www.sunstudiosaz.com) is hedging its bets by making the facility available to corporations, musical bands, special-interest groups and other entities.

Reach the reporter at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8616.