MAINE, USA — A 2022 study from an economics professor at UMaine found that the film and video production industry in the Pine Tree State has an economic impact of nearly $30 million.
While the state is already home to a number of people working in the film industry and shooting movies right here in Maine, what can be done to grow that number even more?
The Maine Film Association helps advance filmmaking in the state.
Emma Gregg is president of the MFA and said "We want to make this state a great place to live and work as a filmmaker." To that end, the MFA provides education, advocacy, workshops, panel discussions, film festivals, and more for those involved in the craft.
"We also work on the state level to promote tax incentives and educate lawmakers on the economic benefit of film production to this state," Gregg said.
Kyle Walton is treasurer of the MFA. He described the current film production environment in Maine as "filled with potential."
"There's a statewide bench of talent, whether that's in front of the camera or behind," Walton said.
He added there is already a lot of activity in terms of the Maine film front. For people that work in film, television, and podcasting, the state has been able to absorb talent from advanced media markets.
Tax incentives
As for what the state can do to try and attract the eye of even more movie producers and directors looking for locations to shoot their projects, finances play a big role.
Louise Rosen is a member of the MFA board. She told NEWS CENTER Maine work is being done to update a piece of legislation called LD 1334, which is Maine's film production tax incentive bill.
She said the legislation isn't about lining the pockets of Hollywood. It aims to stimulate businesses in hospitality, lumber, hardware, paint, and more that support the film industry.
"We all know people who would love to film here. They just need a little more economic encouragement to do that," Rosen said.
Lisa Q. Wolfinger is co-owner of Lone Wolf Media. It's an independent television production company that's been in business for more than 25 years in Maine with a history of working with media entities like ABC, Hulu, PBS, The History Channel, and more.
Wolfinger told NEWS CENTER Maine her company has benefited from existing tax incentives. And while she's grateful, if Maine wants to attract more media production, Wolfinger said it's going to take a major investment on part of the state. And it'll take time.
"The big question is how ambitious does the state of Maine want to get?" Wolfinger said.
And even beyond investment, Wolfinger said Maine needs the right people to further build a bigger film industry.
"You've gotta be very focused about what you build," she said. "[I'm] talking about building a sound state [and] a huge location database, making sure there's enough local crew."
That includes workers who can staff a project's art department, wardrobe, hair and makeup, and more. On top of that, a bigger film industry luring more projects to Maine would need a big enough pool of extras and actors.
What Maine offers
While Boston attracts a lot of film projects because of Massachusetts and its infrastructure, Gregg said Maine offers crews pristine nature, coasts, snow, mountains, forests, and more.
"Maine will never rival a big city. [But] you don't come to Maine to film in a big city. You come to Maine to film its beautiful nature," she said.
Gregg said filmmakers who shoot in the Pine Tree State find wonderful hard-working professionals, a giving community, and a lack of ego, the Maine work ethic.
When a project films in a small town, it's exciting for that close-knit community to work with the crew, she added.
Gregg worked on a film in Harpswell called "Blow the Man Down," during a January to March period and said that's typically a time when few people are in the town. But as the crew filmed there, they hired extras, ate at nearby restaurants, and rented their Airbnbs.
Comparing Maine
Wolfinger has done plenty of work in Virginia and compared the state of the film industry there to Maine.
Virginia has been able to attract a number of historical series, she said. Steven Spielberg's film "Lincoln" was filmed there, as was HBO's "John Adams" series. In 2021, the film "Raymond & Ray" was shot in Virginia.
She credited the expansion of that state's film industry to a colleague named Andy Edmunds, director of the Virginia Film Office.
"Maine has these beautiful landscapes. There are scripts out there set in Maine, but they end up shooting in Canada," she said. "And the reason is because they look at Maine and don't get the support they need."
The state isn't equipped for anyone who wants to come in and film an episodic series, but the state could do big feature films, according to Wolfinger.
Young talent
Plenty of industries in Maine are looking at how to retain younger talent so those workers don't move out of state. Maine's film industry is no different.
Gregg said recent film school graduates want to stay home but are afraid there's not enough work. But the MFA introduces them to the industry here. The president said it's exciting for people to feel like they don't have to move away.
"It represents opportunity," she said.
Rosen told NEWS CENTER Maine a surprising number of graduates from Southern Maine Community College studying film wind up continuing onward to Emerson College in Boston, one of the premiere film programs in the U.S.
"Wouldn't it be great if more people graduate and come back to good jobs in that industry?" Rosen said. "It would be game-changing. We want more of them to stay."