CHARLESTON, WV (WOAY)- The West Virginia Film Office promotes the Mountain State in the film industry by providing ways to make films here more easily.
They’ve visited film markets, provided tax incentives, helped foster West Virginia’s first BFA in filmmaking, organized youth workshops, and so much more in the past few years. In this short time that the film office has been up and running again, productions have grown in the state.
“So we’re averaging over 100 productions a year. You know, this year alone we’ll have about 150 productions,” said Dave Lavender, the Director of the WV Film office. “And pretty much if you name a channel, if you name a streamer, we have a show on it. We’ve got some kind of TV show that’s been here.”
With bringing productions here, it brings multiple jobs to the area. The film office has a way for locals to enter a database that filmmakers can use to find locations, crew, and talent. It also grows the local economy from when filming starts to after it airs with a rise in tourism.
Only 38 states give a tax credit to film in their state, and West Virginia’s tax credit is recognized as one of the top ten. How this credit works is after production has completed in the state, they submit their expenses and the office gives them 31% back.
“The thing for taxpayers is that it’s important to know that none of this money would be spent in the state if we didn’t have the tax credit,” said Lavander. “So it’s not money that we’re giving them on the front end, but money that has already been spent here, and we’re giving them a little back to have an incentive to come back.”
Lavender says that if states don’t provide these incentives, companies won’t come to film.
The film office is here to help every type of filmmaker, whether a student, a Hollywood bigwig, or a local; they’re here to help with any project made here in the Mountain State.
If you would like to learn more about filming here or contributing to a film’s production, please visit the website provided below.
westvirginia.gov/wvfilm/
