Emmy-winning director Charles McDougall ("Desperate Housewives") and a cast and crew of 25-30 are in Downtown Milwaukee this morning (and at other times this week) to shoot a scene and some establishing shots for the new one-hour drama,"Backyards and Bullets" (working title) set in Milwaukee and its suburbs.

The scene being shot involves actors Lou Diamond Phillips (who plays Milwaukee's police chief) and Billy Burke, who leave the County Courthouse ("played by" the main Northwestern Mutal building) to go for a jog along the lakefront.

The new Sony/NBC pilot marks the first time in years that a TV show has been shot in Milwaukee. Officials hope to jump start our city and state's film and television industry even more when the new state tax incentives take effect Jan. 1.

Dignataries, including Scott Robbe, executive director of Film Wisconsin welcomed the ""Backyards and Bullets" (also called "The Watch) cast and crew today. On hand were: Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, Mayor Tom Barrett, Sen. Ted Kanavas and state commerce and tourism secretaries Mary Burke and Kelli Trumble.