RALEIGH - Raleigh, N.C. – Last year was a record-setting year for film production in North Carolina with an estimated direct in-state spend of $416,231,538 as released by the North Carolina Film Office, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. This is the highest investment since 2000, when the state’s first incentive program began.

In 2021, 71 productions filed official  registrations with the N.C. Film Office for production activities, with filming in all eight of the state’s prosperity zones. Of the 71 productions, 25 projects were awarded future rebates, following an audit and complete project closeout, from N.C. Film and Entertainment Grant program.  The productions collectively created more than 28,500 new job opportunities including 5,700 crew opportunities for the state’s highly skilled film professional workforce and an additional 1,400 talent opportunities.

Production highlights for 2021 include the following television, streaming, and feature film projects:

• Television/streaming series
  • “Our Kind of People” (Season 1)
  • “The Peripheral” (Season 1)
  • “Florida Man” (Season 1)
  • “The Summer I Turned Pretty” (Season 1)
  • “Hightown” (Season 2)
  • “Welcome to Flatch” (Season 1)
  • “Delilah” (Season 1)
• Event series
  • “Echoes”
  • “George and Tammy”
• Feature films and made-for-television movies
  • “I.S.S.”
  • “The Black Phone”
  • “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”
  • “Along For The Ride”
  • “Line Sisters”
  • “County Line: All In”
  • “County Line: No Fear”
  • “One Summer”
  • “Christmas In Harmony”

Six newly announced recipients (five feature-length films and one made-for-television movie) also contributed to the annual totals.  Those projects, and their grant award, include:

• “One True Loves” - $1,750,000 
• “Breakwater” - $1,050,000
• “Barstow” - $1,375,000
• “Something Here” - $1,333,000
• “The Other Zoe” - $2,850,000
• “Boys Of Summer” - $2,256,000
   

Additionally, non-grant recipients that produced projects in the state were the feature-length film “Abandoned” and national commercials for Huffy, Ryobi, Toyota, and Chevrolet. Reality series “Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks”, “Military Makeover”, and “My Big Fat Fabulous Life”, as well as several travel-related and real estate series, also filmed in North Carolina in 2021.

“It is hard to summarize just how big 2021 was for film production in North Carolina,” Guy Gaster, the Director of the North Carolina Film Office said. “Our state’s film professionals and resources were in high demand, and it was great to see everyone within the industry step up and firmly replant our state’s flag within the industry.  We look forward to seeing the ‘Made in North Carolina logo in the end credits of more and more productions.”  

North Carolina is no stranger to film production. The state is home to a world-renown crew base, well-established infrastructure, and a variety of locations, all of which play a part, along with the North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant, in attracting production across the Old North State. Information on the grant program, as well as productions that have filmed in North Carolina, can be found online at www.nccommerce.com and www.filmnc.com. 
 

For More Information

North Carolina's 25% Film Rebate (via the NC Film and Entertainment Grant)