Hundreds rallied in North Carolina at the weekend over proposed changes to the state’s location filming incentive programme. The concern is that making the incentive non-refundable will discourage productions on the scale of The Hunger Games from filming locally.
North Carolina is considering plans to make its location filming incentive non-refundable. The news has angered production professionals in the state who are concerned that the change would threaten North Carolina’s appeal to productions like Iron Man 3.
Pinewood Studios has signed a Joint Venture Agreement with Seven Stars Media, a global entertainment company based in China. Under the terms of the deal – called ‘Song Lin’ – Pinewood will look at business opportunities in China and provide production expertise.
Marvel’s superhero sequel Captain America: The Winter Soldier has started filming on location in Los Angeles, with shooting also planned for Cleveland, Ohio, and Washington, DC. Avengers Assemble filmed action sequences on location in Cleveland in 2011, doubling the city for New York.
Transformers 4 will film partly on location in China following a co-operation agreement signed between Paramount Pictures, China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises. Paramount will get help with filming locations in China, as well as regional casting for the movie and potential post-production work.
China Film Studio has opened China Film Virtual Stage (CFVS) in the Huairou District of Beijing. The new facility is the first of its kind in China and comprises a green screen environment and virtual set filming services using Previzion systems provided by Lightcraft Technology of California.
A new TV spy drama is filming in Long Beach in eastern New York this weekend, doubling the location for the streets of Washington, DC. Shooting will include special effects, stunt work and vehicle collisions.
A Chinese delegation has toured studio facilities in Dubai as they consider a formal production tie with the Middle Eastern city. Representatives from the China State Administration of Radio, Film & Television (SARFT) toured Dubai Media City and Dubai Studio City.