GULF SHORES, Ala. — Lights, camera, action!

As camera crews and models cover the Gulf Coast this weekend visitors and locals alike will think they’ve made it to Hollywood.

The Alabama Tourism Department will be shooting footage at the Shrimp Festival this weekend to use in upcoming promotional videos.

“The tourism department recognizes that the Alabama Gulf Coast constitutes 30 percent of the state’s lodging tax,” Mike Foster, vice president of marketing for the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, said. “They are always looking for new and fresh ways to promote the area.”

As part of the campaign to promote the Alabama Gulf Coast as a vacation spot, shots of local venues, activities and events will be taken all over the island. Focused on family trips, romantic getaways, golfing trips and girlfriend’s weekends, camera crews and models will be seen everywhere.

Backdrops for the weekend shoot include The Wharf, LuLu’s Homeport Marina, Fort Morgan and the Shrimp Festival.

Communications director for the Alabama Tourism Department, Edith Parten, said while most of the footage shot will be of general beach moments the Shrimp Festival was the reason for shooting this weekend.

She said that the promotions will hopefully be launched with the department’s new Web site, alabama.travel.com, Nov. 1. Also, commercials promoting tourism in Alabama will be shown on Raycom stations throughout other states.

“We want to capture the experience’s people are having,” Parten said of what they hope to find this weekend.

Foster said that the AGCCVB will be authorized to use the footage for their own promotional projects, as well.

While the casting calls for this shoot are finished, the AGCCVB is building a database of models for future work, according to public relations manager Kim Shumack.

She said they are looking for volunteers who aren’t afraid to get in front of a camera and shine.

Shumack said that those interested can send their name, e-mail, phone number and photo to her at kshumack@gulfshores.com.