TV projects filming in Sarasota, Orlando

After years of trying to get Hollywood to come to this part of the Sunshine State, three TV pilots are cranking up soon in Orlando and Sarasota with familiar names such as Morgan Fairchild and Jenna Elfman.

Fairchild is co-starring in "Workers Comp," an independent comedy pilot about a family insurance company that handles all kinds of weird claims. Also in the cast is Robert Carradine ("Revenge of the Nerds"), according to writer and actress Castille Landon, who co-wrote the script.

Filming gets under way April 10 in Sarasota and Bradenton. The half-hour comedy is being produced in cooperation with the new Sanborn Studios in Sarasota. The script was co-written by Harrison Sanborn, the 19-year-old son of Sanborn Studios owner Ken Sanborn.

"Workers Comp" also features Landon, 19, a native of Terra Ceia. She says the script is based on real-life workers' compensation claims, and she plays the daughter of Morgan Fairchild's character.

Sanborn Studios, a 30,000-square-foot production center at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, opened a few months ago. Ken Sanborn financed the operation after selling his aviation defense company, Gyrocam Systems, to Lockheed Martin.

"Bad Mom," a pilot for a TV sitcom starring Elfman, is one of two productions coming to Orlando this spring, according to that city's Economic Development Commission. The second pilot is "Big Mike," a detective drama for A&E, starring Greg Grunberg ("Heroes").

If either is picked up as a series, it would be the most significant TV production in Central Florida in years. ABC's "Bad Mom" stars Elfman ("Dharma & Greg") as a single mom who let her mother raise her two kids. When grandma wants out, Elfman's character has to finally step up.

"Bad Mom" would be based at Universal Studios Orlando. "Big Mike" follows the cases of a plus-sized private investigator.

Florida has become more attractive to film and TV production thanks to tax credit incentives that were pushed through under former Gov. Charlie Crist. The state's stock also has been on the rise thanks to the success of A&E's "The Glades" and USA's "Burn Notice," which are filmed in the Miami area.

TOUGH ENOUGH: Three Tampa residents are competing on the new USA network wrestling reality show "WWE Tough Enough." It debuts April 4 with Stone Cold Steve Austin as host. The winner gets a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment.

Tampa contestants include Andy Leavine, 23, a former lineman for Florida International University and priority agent with the Miami Dolphins. This Brooksville native is an independent wrestler seeking to become a superstar.

Tampa resident Christina Crawford, 22, a senior at the University of Central Florida and member of the UCF dance team, wants to be a WWE Diva.

Mickael Zaki, 26, hails from New Jersey but now lives in Tampa. He's got a degree in criminal justice and first-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He has spent the past two years competing on the independent wrestling circuit.

They join a group of men and women who will live, train, eat and sleep at a house in California. They face challenges designed to test showmanship, creativity, athleticism and desire.