9/10/2023 0 Comments Eue screen gems studios![]() Courtesy of the North Carolina Travel and Tourism Boardĭebate over the future of the state’s film industry followed. The shift away from the prior tax credit program took effect in January 2015 because North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature wanted to cease most incentive funding in favor of lower corporate income taxes. The replacement program offered a rebate of up to 25% on qualified production expenses from a $10 million grant (increased to $30 million in 2015 and $31 million in 2017). The establishment of the North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant in 2014 changed the game as its introduction issued a new era of incentives for production companies moving forward. North Carolina was on its way to proving and establishing itself as a significant player within Hollywood film production. North Carolina also saw an influx of job opportunities directly related to the industry’s increased presence in the early 2010s, with the highest year creating more than 31,000 new opportunities in 2011. The subsequent two years came in over $300 million, highlighting the state’s attractive film industry. Several productions found homes in North Carolina that same year, including Homeland, Banshee, We’re The Millers, and Revolution. The year Iron Man 3 was filmed in Wilmington (2012) brought in the most money through direct in-state spending, at $377 million prior to 2021. Bev Perdue at a press conference at Screen Gems Studios announcing ‘Iron Man 3’ filming in Wilmington in 2009. Governor Perdue’s new film incentives drove in-state spending, generating an increase from $80 million to $245 million within the first year of its creation. As a result, it drew in several big ticket movies and television productions such as The Conjuring (2012), The Hunger Games (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Sleepy Hollow (2013), and Under the Dome (2013). It also set hiring requirements for film companies, increasing in-state job opportunities. Senate Bill 943, which took effect in 2010, raised film tax credits to 25%. Governor Bev Perdue was a champion for film incentives and further developed new legislation in 2009 to entice Hollywood to bring productions to the state. The state’s popularity as a go-to film production destination only increased after 2010. In efforts to keep up with Georgia’s growing film industry, North Carolina revisited and expanded upon its incentives in 2006, when Governor Mike Easley signed into legislation a full 15% tax credit on projects spending $250,000 minimum in-state (with a cap of $7.5 million). North Carolina also faced domestic competition from Georgia, which drew production companies through its own state incentives. The number of films and series shot during this time was a testament to North Carolina’s desirability as a filming location, even as international competition grew in the early 2000s. The greater Charlotte area also became home to two renowned films during this time: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby filmed in Lake Norman and Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Shallow Hal filmed in Charlotte. The Biltmore Estate in Asheville was used in the 2001 film adaptation of Hannibal. However, productions stretched across the state, going as far as western North Carolina. Notable productions shot within the area include the popular series, One Tree Hill and the film, A Walk to Remember. Naturally, Wilmington became a focal point of the state’s film industry, continuing to draw in more television and movie productions to the state into the early 2000s. EUE / Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, NC This burgeoning demand also extended to television productions, which brought the WB’s critically acclaimed series, Dawson’s Creek, to Wilmington in the late ‘90s. Famous productions such as The Color Purple, Dirty Dancing, Last of the Mohicans, Bull Durham, and Days of Thunder were all filmed in North Carolina throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. North Carolina became a hub for film activity due to its scenic versatility, favorable weather conditions, and Hollywood’s need for lower production costs. His appointee, Bill Arnold, spearheaded the organization to oversee and advance the state’s budding film industry. North Carolina has a long history of drawing in film productions since the North Carolina Film Office (originally the North Carolina Film Commission) creation in 1980, under Governor James B. During a press conference at Wilmington’s EUE/Screen Gems Studios back in August, Governor Roy Cooper announced that current projects are on track to bring in a record-breaking $409 million to the state. This year marked a tremendous win for North Carolina’s film industry, solidifying a promising future for upcoming projects, job opportunities, and economic activity. Photo: Matt Born / AP (Elsa Monahan holds a sign during a group photo in support of the film industry in Wilmington in 2014.)
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