Film industry in Wilmington and N.C. puts up strong numbers halfway through 2022

It's only halfway through the year, but according to the North Carolina Film Office, movie and television productions have already spent or pledged to spend a total of about $180 million in the state so far in 2022.

While that's significantly less than the eye-popping record total of $416 million spent statewide in 2021, it still adds up to a very good year so far for the film industry in North Carolina, and especially in Wilmington, where most of the biggest projects are made.

"I don't think we'll match last year's numbers, but it's still a really good year," said Johnny Griffin, director of the Wilmington Regional Film Commission, which promotes the area's film industry and helps bring projects to town.

Last year's record numbers were driven in part by studios like Amazon and Netflix rushing to create content for a streaming audience that swelled during the pandemic. That demand may have cooled slightly, but Griffin pointed out that, historically speaking, 2022 has already been an extremely good year for the industry.

"If we stopped right now, we'd still have more business this year than we did" from the five-year span between 2016 and 2020, Griffin said. "But we're only part way through."

In addition, according to the N.C. Film office, spending by the industry has created about 4,900 jobs statewide so far this year, with many if not most of those workers living in the Wilmington area.

The $180 million number is based on rebates approved for production companies through the North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant, which pays for up to 25% of qualifying expenses and purchases made in the state. It's a $31 million program funded through the General Assembly, and production companies must pass an audit before receiving any money.

Last week, the N.C. Film Office announced that five productions had been approved for grants, three of which were filmed in Wilmington: indie feature “Providence," starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt ($1.75 million rebates); Starz Network crime drama "Hightown" ($10 million); and Amazon Prime series "The Summer I Turned Pretty" ($13.6 million).

“ABG and Her Monster," a feature that shot in and around Charlotte, got a film rebate of $600,000, and Hallmark feature “To Her with Love,” which will shoot in around Rowan and Mecklenburg counties, was approved for a grant award of $975,000.

Earlier this year, N.C. Film Office announced a grant for the Wilmington-shot, Spectrum Originals/Paramount+ country music series “George and Tammy," and two for features that were shot outside of the Wilmington area: country music film “Something Here" and the romantic comedy “The Other Zoey," starring Heather Graham.

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According to Guy Gaster, director of the North Carolina Film Office, the productions "essentially are pre-approved for their maximum award at the start of production and then the actual rebate is paid following the full completion of the project and an audit of the production’s spending by a North Carolina-licensed CPA."

Griffin said that during a recent trip to Los Angeles, industry folks he met there were bullish on shooting in the Wilmington area. He said he expects to announce several more projects looking to shoot here later this year.

He added that the industry is trying to read the tea leaves about whether social legislation, like abortion bans in other states, could potentially have an impact in North Carolina.

"It's a little early to say," he said. "The industry is looking at it."

Recently, "Eric Larue," a film that marks the directorial debut of Oscar-nominated actor Michael Shannon, relocated to Wilmington after originally being scheduled to shoot in Arkansas. Filmmakers decided not to shoot in that state after Arkansas passed an abortion ban.

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In the past, North Carolina has lost the film business when the old state tax credit was repealed by a Republican-dominated General Assembly, ushering in those lean years between 2016 and 2020. The state also lost business over the "bathroom bill" signed by then N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory that required people to use public restrooms corresponding to the gender on their birth certificates. That law was later repealed.

Griffin pointed out that most production companies don't generally take a stance on social issues, but they do take filmmakers' views into account.

"If the (artists) carry enough weight, the (studios) have to honor that," he said.

In addition to studio-driven film and TV projects, independent film is having a good year in Wilmington as well. Honey Head Films just wrapped production on its first feature, "A Song for Imogene," and writer/actor/director J.R. Rodriguez will premiere his romantic comedy "Remember Yesterday" on Aug. 11 at the Point 14 theater in Wilmington.

The makers of indie golf comedy "Birdies" have found success with a direct-to-consumer approach, and Wilmington filmmaker Nakia Hamilton has had his work highlighted at the N.C. Black Film Festival in Wilmington and at the Charlotte Black Film Festival.

What's shooting in Wilmington?

It's shaping up to be a busy summer and fall for Wilmington's film industry.

"Hightown" is set to wrap filming this month, and three more projects are in pre-production.

Two are TV series that was recently renewed for second seasons: Fox comedy "Welcome to Flatch," which shoots in the Burgaw area, and Amazon's "The Summer I Turned Pretty," which uses a lot of beach locations.

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"Eric Larue" is also set to start filming here in August.

Coming soon

It's already been a busy year for the release of projects shot in the Wilmington area, with horror films "Scream" and "The Black Phone" making strong box office showings.

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In addition to the first seasons of "Flatch" and "Pretty," Netflix movie "Along for the Ride" made a minor splash on that streaming service and several Hallmark and Lifetime movies that shot here also debuted.

The next big Wilmington project likely to see the light of day is “George & Tammy," which stars Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain as country music couple George Jones and Tammy Wynette. It's expected to debut sometime this fall.

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Netflix dramas “Florida Man” and “Echoes” don't yet have air dates.

Likewise, four feature films shot in the area have yet to announce release dates: “Breakwater,” a thriller starring Dermot Mulroney and Mena Suvari; “One True Loves," a romantic comedy/drama starring Simu Liu; “Boys of Summer," a coming-of-age thriller starring Mel Gibson and Mason Thames ("The Black Phone"); and “Providence," which just wrapped shooting earlier this summer.

Contact John Staton at 910-343-2343 or John.Staton@StarNewsOnline.com. 

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Film industry numbers strong in Wilmington, N.C. halfway through 2022