by Angus Ledgerwood/LMGI
In November 2023, a delegation of LMGI members ventured to the US Virgin Islands (USVI) for a seven-day island exploration tour hosted by the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Miguel Tapia (Los Angeles), John Latenser (Atlanta), Stuart Berberich (Chicago), Eddy Collyns (New York) and Aaron Hurvitz (New York) attended the tour.
The US Virgin Islands consist of dozens of islands, with St. John, St. Thomas and St. Croix considered the main large islands in the territory. Charlotte Amalie, the territory’s capital, is situated on St. Thomas. The islands were purchased from the Kingdom of Denmark in 1917.
During the seven days, the LMGI delegation traveled between Charlotte Amalie to Christiansted and Frederiksted, in St. Croix, and Cruz Bay, in St. John. These were considered the tour’s most impactful locations.
“The three islands each have their qualities and unique features. St. Thomas is the most developed and the hub of the three islands. St. John is only accessible by ferryboat or private/charter boat. St. Croix has various looks, and you can have low plains and desert on one side depending on the time of year and then be in the rainforest within an hour’s drive,” said Stuart Berberich.
“The government of the US Virgin Islands is very film-friendly and accessible. We met the governor on a couple of occasions. For example. St. Croix is the most realistic island for being able to film due to its size, airport, shipping and many looks it has to offer. St. Thomas and St. John have some beautiful sites. The islands offer a variety of looks that could double for many other Caribbean islands but could also double for many different places,” said John Latenser.
Lisa Posey at the USVI Film & TV Office emphasizes that the US Virgin Islands offer film and episodic TV productions easy accessibility and wide-ranging location versatility.
“As a North Atlantic tropical production destination, we are uniquely accessible, particularly for US citizens who do not require passports to visit or work. Moreover, we boast long-established direct flights with major airlines from key US cities such as New York City, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Miami, Houston and Chicago. There are no language barriers for stateside productions, as English is our official language. However, our diverse population, hailing from all over the Caribbean and the world, includes at least 20% Spanish speakers and approximately 9% French speakers, which can significantly benefit international productions,” Posey said.
Posey continued: “Besides our cultural diversity, our versatile locations offer more than just world-class tropical beaches, coral reefs, golf courses and hotels. The cinematic possibilities in the territory are endless, ranging from horror to adventure to costume dramas. Our historic landmarks include forts and plantations that are hundreds of years old. The architecture in our quaint towns showcases old-world Danish, Spanish and British influences. Our more modern construction includes luxurious mega-mansions scattered across the hills of all three main islands. Underwater productions are already familiar with the famous dive site, “The Wall,” in St. Croix, the edge of the Puerto Rican trench. Additionally, St. Croix, the largest island in the USVI, offers vast undeveloped land that can double as African savannas or South American rainforests.”
The islands offer excellent opportunities to double for cities such as Rio (Brazil), Hawaii, the Bahamas (beaches), Florida, the Amalfi Coast, Italy (St. Thomas), the Cayman Islands and Thailand, to name just a few commonly searched-for locations.