Mount Pleasant Magazine Sept/Oct 2019

www.MPBusinessMag.com | www.BestOfMP.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com MPB mp business is on a level playing field for diversity of locations. One can wonder or question how the state can make money with rebating nearly $15 million a year, but, even with rebates, television and movie productions have huge impacts on the economy — for the better. “It’s a big job creator,” said Melton. “You’re obviously hiring a lot of local people to work on these movies, and, in the end, it helps the state build its own film industry.” Ongoing work means a need to build infrastructure, sound stages and more, which leads to jobs for local developers and engineers, police and fire, as well as sound stages that can be rented out. “It’s a long-term commitment, but it pays off and has certainly been working for Georgia,” Melton noted. Economic gains aren’t simply limited to paying on-set crew members either — though in almost 15 years the industry has provided hires for nearly 36,000 residents. Since 2005, Lee shares, the film industry has brought in more than $338 million in-state spending, as well as more than $1.7 billion in travel spending. People flock to the Palmetto State both by seeing the beauty of places like Boone Hall in “The Notebook” or hearing Danny McBride tell Jimmy Kimmel in front of millions of viewers why he moved his family here. “Companies are spending millions of dollars, and it’s directly benefiting the state’s merchants,” said Tom Clark, South Carolina Film Commission project manager, who compares the industry to a cargo plane dropping heaps of cash throughout the state. Yes, some runs off with the rebates, but so much more soaks into the economy. “There are the hotels and the suppliers of port-o-johns, dog walkers, cleaning services, food and restaurants, anything a person who lives here or visits as a tourist would need,” said Clark, adding, “There was a lumber company that would have had to lay people off, but one of the production companies needed lumber and kept them in business.” The CFA — and even HBO senior executives who recently spoke with Lee and Clark — want to grow the film industry in South Carolina, but the cap is a hindrance. According to Clark, the majority of production companies will not make their movie or TV series in a state without a film incentive; whether or not there’s funding available is typically one of the first questions asked. But that rebate money goes fast. “Companies line up to come to South Carolina because they want to get here first,” explained Melton. “They love the diversity of the locations, the architecture, the history, bridges, plantations, Lowcountry and mountains. We are fortunate to be able to offer so much.” Locations are prime here in the Lowcountry, where Lee joked of how a movie of the week that was set in Africa, Cuba, all over the world — was once shot entirely in Beaufort County. So many desired filming spots can be found right here in Mount Pleasant, too, many of which are featured on “Outer Banks”: Shem Creek, The Wreck, the Geechee Docks, the Old Village. Other spots you’ll spy on TV or in movies include Dunes West, privately-owned homes that residents rent out to the production crew, the downtown clothing store Ben Silver, College of Charleston, The Citadel, Edisto Beach and Lowndes Grove. Clark stated, “It’s silly to think a state our size could do what Georgia does, but if you could attract more business and have more incentive money, there’d be more jobs, more spending in the marketplace, more tourism.” Shooting for “The Notebook” with Noah and Allie. Jamie Lee Curtis and David Gordon Green on the set of “Halloween.” Photo courtesy of Dan Rogers. Photo by Melissa Moseley.