ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota has been a popular place to shoot movies and TV shows over the yearsbut the state may soon become even more of a Hollywood destination.
The Explore Minnesota Film Office will be established this summer as a division of the state tourism agency. It will be entirely dedicated to attracting film and television productions.
‘All these people [in the entertainment industry] are very excited because it is transformational,” said Casey Lewis, president of the Twin Cities Local chapter of SAG-AFTRA.
Lewis says that when a movie is shot in Minnesota, it looks like an army is setting up camp.
It could mean millions of dollars for the local economy.
“That’s going to help the wages of Minnesota workers,” said Melodie Bahan, executive director of the nonprofit MN Film and TV. “It’s going to hotels and housing, equipment rentals. It’s going to things that are in Minnesota: vendors and small businesses.”
MN Film and TV has been doing the work that the new Explore Minnesota office will do for years. Bahan says the fact that the office is connected to the state will make the process of attracting productions smoother and less confusing.
The office will promote and administer Minnesota to Hollywood producers Tax credits have already been introduced to stimulate production.
“[It’ll] help filmmakers, producers, studios and networks with locations, with crew,” Bahan said.” Kind of easing the path, helping them navigate different municipalities and permits and all that kind of stuff.
Lewis says Minnesota has tens of millions of dollars in tax credits to spend, and as a result of last year’s writers and actors strikes, he expects Minnesota to be an attractive destination.
“There are so many projects in the pipeline that are backed up, they’re starting to look for locations to film,” Lewis said. “They can’t all film in Los Angeles.”
Bahan says a feature film will be shot here this winter because it requires frozen lakes.
Some WCCO employees are members of SAG-AFTRA’s News and Broadcast Division.
David Schuman
