Filming for TV and movies resumes in Charlotte and elsewhere in NC amid COVID-19
Movie and television production in Charlotte and other areas around North Carolina is resuming amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
That includes a Christmas movie currently being shot in the Charlotte area, and a show for Oprah Winfrey’s TV network that will be both shot here as well as set in the Queen City.
On Tuesday, Gov. Roy Cooper announced five new productions have been approved for North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grants to start production in the Charlotte and Wilmington areas by the end of next month. The incentives add up to more than $27 million.
“Our state’s film industry continues to welcome new projects from prominent production companies,” Cooper said in a news release. “The industry provides good jobs and opportunities for local businesses while showcasing on a big stage what North Carolina has to offer.”
The combined projects are expected to generate more than $107 million for in-state spending and create 8,671 jobs, including 650 crew positions, according to the state.
North Carolina Film Office Director Guy Gaster said the return of jobs for film professionals and the return of spending by production companies in local communities adds welcome economic value during the pandemic.
“We’ve certainly had smaller productions that have remained in production but it is good to have some of the bigger productions resuming,” Gaster told the Observer Tuesday.
Officials with the Charlotte Regional Film Commission did not respond immediately for comment.
Five projects
The five film projects include made-for-television, feature-length film and TV shows, according to the governor’s office:
▪ “Delilah” is a new series from Warner Bros. Television for Winfrey’s OWN network about a headstrong, highly principled lawyer in Charlotte who left a demanding law firm to raise her children. Filming is planned in Charlotte and surrounding areas. It’s eligible for a grant rebate up to $5.4 million.
The series from Craig Wright will star Maahra Hill in the title role, and is set to air next year, according to Variety. Winfrey also is an executive producer, as is York County, S.C., native Charles Randolph-Wright.
Hill also has appeared in “Black-ish,” “How To Get Away With Murder” and “The L Word: Generation Q,” among other shows.
▪ “A Nashville Christmas Carol,” a made-for-TV movie, began filming in the Charlotte area in September. The movie tells the story of a busy film director and producer who is visited by the ghosts of country music past and present, according to the state The production is approved for a grant rebate of more than $1.1.
No network has been announced for the production yet.
▪ “USS Christmas,” a made-for-TV movie about a newspaper reporter who finds love on an aircraft carrier, will film in the Wilmington area and is eligible for a grant rebate up to $1.1 million. The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported this is for the Hallmark Channel, which has made a staple of the holiday movie genre in recent years.
▪ “Parkside,” filming at the EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, is a feature-length film. It’s approved for a rebate up to $7 million.
▪ The second season of “Hightown” for the STARZ series from Lionsgate Television and Jerry Bruckheimer Television will film in the Wilmington area. It’s approved for a grant rebate of up to $12 million.
Production companies must meet direct in-state spending requirements to qualify for the North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant, according to the state. The program is administered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce and promoted by the North Carolina Film Office.
COVID-19 safety
Public health officials and industry trade associations have developed COVID-19 safety protocols at filming locations.
“Each production has its own COVID-19 plan in place,” Gaster said. Productions follow state health department guidelines and industry recommendations.
Along with wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines, Gaster said there are regular virus testings for people on set and wellness check-ins.
“It’s similar to anyone else going back to work trying to mitigate the spread as much as possible,” he said.
According to the North Carolina Film Office website, there are no film-specific guidelines or restrictions for the state regarding COVID-19.
The state’s Phase 2.5 mass gathering restrictions “do not apply to production sets as gatherings ‘for work’ are exempt” according to the governor’s latest executive order, the film office states on its website. Residents from out of state are not required to quarantine.
However, the film group recommends following industry-wide safety guidelines set up by the Labor-Management Safety Committee Task Force and labor unions.
Other productions
Production continues on non-grant projects, as well, including the reality series “My Big, Fat, Fabulous Life” and “Love It Or List It” in the Piedmont Triad and Triangle regions, respectively. Two other Piedmont Triad-based projects recently wrapped production: the feature “Where’s Rose” and the new docu-series “Secrets of the Zoo: North Carolina.”
The Charlotte area has been the site of filming for numerous TV shows and movies over the years, with productions tending to thrive based on the size of state incentives. For instance, several seasons of the TV series “Homeland” and “Banshee,” the first “Hunger Games” movie and “Leatherheads” filmed in the area.
Last year, production companies spent more than $167 million in direct in-state expenses and created 11,820 jobs, according to the North Carolina Film Group website, including the productions of “Halloween Kills”, “The Georgetown Project” and “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”
Gaster said despite setbacks related to COVID-19, this year is shaping up to be a good one for the state’s industry.
“We certainly hope to have additional projects to announce before the end of the year,” he said.
This story was originally published September 15, 2020 at 4:26 PM with the headline "Filming for TV and movies resumes in Charlotte and elsewhere in NC amid COVID-19."