Gov. Perdue today signed Executive Order #121, reestablishing the North Carolina Film Council, at a ceremony at EUE Screen Gems studios in Wilmington, home to the largest studio lot east of California. The North Carolina Film Council advises the Governor on film industry matters and serves as a forum for film-making concerns and recommendations.
“As I continue working to create jobs and build for North Carolina’s economic future – I believe it’s critically important to maintain and improve North Carolina’s competitive edge in the global film industry,” said Perdue.
In addition to reestablishing the council, the new executive order will add duties related to the following:
· assisting in ongoing development and growth of the N.C. film industry;
· supporting fiscal incentives that help North Carolina remain competitive in recruiting films;
· assisting in developing a marketing strategy for the N.C. Film Office; and
· monitoring the North Carolina film industry and assist in developing protocol to measure filmmaking activities in North Carolina.
Earlier this summer, Gov. Perdue signed a film tax credit bill (SB 943) allowing production companies a 25 percent tax credit for film projects in North Carolina, up from the previous credit of 15 percent.
More than 2,500 North Carolinians are employed in the film industry. In 2008 it contributed $92 million in direct spending to our economy, and $160 million in 2007. Recent major motion pictures filmed in the state include “Nights in Rodanthe,” “Leatherheads” and “The Secret Life of Bees.” The N.C. film industry is also home to the CW Network’s “One Tree Hill” TV series as well as hundreds of commercial and industrial productions each year throughout the state.
More than 800 movies have been filmed in North Carolina. The state is well known for supporting its motion picture industry with a strong infrastructure and a bevy of locations that can stand in for sites throughout the world. North Carolina boasts an exceptional variety of filming locations from the mountains to the coast, and a world-class film industry infrastructure. Wilmington’s EUE Screen Gems recently opened the largest film and television production soundstage on the East Coast.
For more details on the N.C. Film Office, go to www.ncfilm.com.