Charlotte production company anticipated to bring more film students to “Hollywood East”
August 25, 2012
Since the days of parachute pants and fingerless gloves, namely the early 1980s, Wilmington has served as the production site for countless commercials, television shows and movies. Those lucky enough to have spotted the unrealistically attractive cast of “One Tree Hill” can attest to this city’s successful film industry. Despite an upcoming production studio in Charlotte, UNCW professors predict continued success for local studios.
This past July, Charlotte’s City Council bought Eastland Mall for $13.2 million in order to replace it with a television and movie production studio. Professional actor and UNCW professor Ed Wagenseller believes a studio in Charlotte will not harm Wilmington’s economy.
As an actor, a studio in Charlotte provides Wagenseller more opportunities for work. He says the new studio will benefit North Carolina’s overall economy.
“A film that shoots in Charlotte uses our crew base, our rental equipment. So the money, or a portion of it, comes back to Wilmington,” Wagenseller said.
Film studies professor Terry Linehan couldn’t agree more.
“Charlotte’s success is tied to our own,” Linehan said. “More production statewide means more crew is needed, and more training and education is necessary for those crews. Successful films generate income, and production money likes to follow successful films and filmmakers.”
While North Carolina often produces successful films, our state has had some recent competition with Georgia and New Mexico, as well as Canada. A new studio, although in Charlotte, will attract more filmmakers to North Carolina and possibly the Wilmington area.
The new studio could also attract more film studies students to UNCW.
“More studio space and more productions will send students from all over to North Carolina to attend UNCW and other film programs,” Linehan said.
Wilmington studios have been home to countless TV and movie productions: most recently, “Iron Man 3” starring Robert Downey, Jr. and “We’re the Millers” starring Jennifer Aniston. EUE/Screen Gems Studios, which produced both “Dawson’s Creek” and “One Tree Hill,” is the largest studio east of California. In fact, our humble city has been lovingly dubbed “Hollywood East.”
Wilmington may never be as successful as Hollywood, but filmmakers will continue to flock to the city’s various on-set locations, including small town areas, UNCW’s campus and, of course, the ocean.
“We have a few things no one can duplicate,” Wagenseller said. “One is the beaches and two is the best production crews anywhere.”
Likewise, a production studio opening in Charlotte will offer Hollywood big city locations not found here, attracting more attention to North Carolina as a whole.
According to Wilmington’s government website, the city is expected to bring in a total of $300 million in film industry revenue this year. That translates to16,000 jobs for 35 productions set to be produced in the Wilmington area. With these figures, nothing can take away Hollywood East’s film industry profits, including a neighboring Charlotte’s latest venture into the business.
“The bottom line is North Carolina is a tight-knit state,” Wagenseller said. “As long as the work stays in North Carolina, we all benefit.”
Linehan wholeheartedly concurred. “Bring the new studio on!” he said.
