A production team hoping to make a feature film in Bermuda say they are confident they can begin shooting next spring following a fund-raising trip to the Island last week.

The team behind the film Dream Bermuda will not disclose how much of the $7.5 million they need for the movie has been pledged, but they say the fund-raising presentation last week on Island went extremely well.

Rod Rippin, the financial advisor for the project, said yesterday he will be returning to Bermuda towards the end of next month or early October to tie up funding pledges from top local businesses and to meet companies and individuals who were off the Island last week.

He would not disclose how much money has been pledged, saying it was "sensitive'', but he said the feedback from the business community following the presentation at Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute had been excellent.

The team is pursuing big name stars such as Ewan McGregor, Whoopi Goldberg and Samuel L. Jackson for the love story, which is set in London and Bermuda. Corporate sponsorship packages, some of which allow businesses to be featured in the film, range from $100,000 to $500,000.

Mr. Rippin said:"It's going well. We've had indications of support from a number of people, both at the corporate level and the private investment level. I can't quote names because they have asked me not to, but there are people who you would know and regard as key people in the community. What we're doing now is following up on the presentation and people that we met and a number of people we were not able to meet because they were off the Island or on holiday. Then, in late September or early October, I am planning to come back and meet new people and to pick up on those people we've met and start to firm things up.

"I'd be over-egging the pudding to say the funding is in place, but the indications we've been given about support and the indications we've been given from others leads us to believe we can start shooting around April or May."

"I don't have confirmed names. The creative people are working away on that, but hopefully they will have some good news.''