Steve Mortimore convinced Glasgow to host a zombie apocalypse and also secured a Navy ship for Brad Pitt’s upcoming World War Z. He talks to TLG about planning the end of the world and finding studio space for one of the biggest movies ever made.
Marvel’s superhero sequel Iron Man 3 has filmed action scenes around the TCL (formerly Grauman’s) Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Shooting took place over one night earlier this week.
Film production in North Carolina is likely to level off in 2013, the state film office has stated. North Carolina racked up over 4,000 production days in 2012, including Marvel’s Iron Man 3, but the film office has reiterated that big-budget features are unlikely to be regular annual visitors.
North Carolina could gain a new studio if it keeps its generous location filming incentives on a long-term basis. Wilmington’s EUE/Screen Gems Studios is currently North Carolina’s main filming facility.
Manchester’s Sharp Project, a digital and production complex in north-west England, will expand to better cater for national and international projects. Two new stages of more than 35,000 square feet will be built, as well as space for production offices and dressing rooms.
Greater Fort Lauderdale, just north of Miami in Florida, has launched a new local filming incentive shortly after being visited by Marvel for Iron Man 3. The city will offer a cash rebate of up to USD150,000 per project for qualifying film and TV productions.
Iron Man 3 has wrapped its North Carolina shoot and the state’s EUE/Screen Gems Studios is now better equipped as a result of the USD200 million project. Securing the Marvel film has been a major regional boost, delivering around USD90 million locally.
Tax experts in the US have criticised the value of filming incentives and say that state authorities are increasingly disillusioned. They argue that local economic benefits are short-term and that US communities are tired of being used as doubles for elsewhere in the country.