Written by new-contact on May 14, 2014. Posted in On Location

New film studio planned for central Illinois

A new studio facility in development in central Illinois in the northern US could help boost the state’s production industry by complementing Cinespace Chicago Film Studios. Heroic Age Studios will be based in Mount Zion, a three-hour drive from Chicago.

The new facility is being developed in a former school building and will include a small 16-foot-high sound stage, green screen facilities and edit suites, reports Reel Chicago. On-site lodging will also be available in the building for crew from out-of-town.

“In order to get everything that we will offer under one roof, you’d have to go to Chicago,” Heroic Age Studios’ founder and co-owner Eric Hector told the outlet: “It’s our goal that the sound stage and its related facilities and equipment will make us even more of a haven for producers of all sorts.”

Added Central Illinois Film Commission President Dean Williams to the outlet: “The new studio should be a great addition to the state’s film industry and economic boon to Downstate Illinois.”

It’s our goal that the sound stage and its related facilities and equipment will make us even more of a haven for producers of all sorts.

Eric Hector, Founder/Co-Owner of Heroic Age Studios

Cinespace Chicago Film Studios is the largest facility of its kind in Illinois and recently hosted the Young Adult sci-fi adaptation Divergent. It’s also the base for the major Dick Wolf TV productions Chicago Fire and Chicago PD, which helped increase Chicago’s 2013 location filming statistics by 20% on the previous year.

Producers are attracted to Illinois partly because of the competitive 30% filming incentive, although even that will not be enough to prevent Summit Entertainment taking the Divergent sequels to Atlanta.

Given its size, Heroic Age Studios will be appealing to smaller shoots, but could help stimulate the state’s production industry outside Chicago.