Utah Film Commission

U.C.A. 63N-8-101

The Utah Film Commission markets the state as a destination for film, television, commercial and digital entertainment production . It promotes the use of Utah locations, local professional crew and talent, local support services, and the Motion Picture Incentive Program (MPIP). The office also serves as liaison to the film industry, facilitating production needs across the state.

FY 2016 Summary

Utah’s First Film Industry Day. The Utah Film Commission hosted the first annual Industry Day on December 5, 2015. Industry Day is a conference for 200+ professionals and students from film, digital entertainment and education sectors to network and engage in panels on distribution, education, drones and casting .

Preparing Rural Utah to be “Film Ready.” Film Ready Utah is a program built for rural communities to promote their areas for film, television and commercial productions. The program consists of specialized film industry training that provides community leaders the tools to attract incoming production companies . Representatives from four counties (Daggett, Iron, Emery and Wayne) are currently working with the Film Commission to complete the training .

Digital Content Creators MeetUp. Utah content creators and filmmakers have a large presence online, and the digital entertainment industry is quickly finding a home in Utah. AdWeek just declared that Utah is “poised to be America’s next tech and creative hub” . In FY 2016, the Film Commission established a partnership with the Utah Digital Entertainment Network and hosted the First Annual Digital Content Creators MeetUp in order to engage and promote the creative talent in new platforms .

Utah Women in Film Gathering. One of the goals of the Utah Film Commission is to grow diversity within the local film industry. In June 2016, we partnered with Utah Women in Film and Avrec Art House to hold a networking event targeted for women working in Utah’s film industry.

Outcomes

• There were 356 reported film permits issued in FY 2016, and 188 of the projects (53 percent) were issued to rural areas . • 23 films were released in 2016, resulting in Utah landscapes and branding being seen in theaters, at film festivals and on Discovery Channel, Netflix, Amazon, CW, ABC, Lifetime Network and BYUTV .

Reported Film Permits

10%

MISC .

37%

FILM FEATURE, DOCUMENTARY, REALITY TV, STUDENT

52%

COMMERCIALS

• The largest project was HBO’s production of Mosaic directed by Steven

Soderbergh starring Garret Hedlund, Sharon Stone and Beau Bridges .

The production shot in and around Park City and spent an estimated $10 million in the state . • A Chinese production company built a full-scale western town for their period film, Jade Pendant. The film commission worked with private investors to help keep the set in Utah, moving it to a film-friendly ranch in Heber. • In FY 2016, MPIP produced 21 projects that resulted in an estimated 637 filming days, 1,802 local cast and crew hires and an economic impact of $38 .1 million .

Moving Forward

As the entertainment industry is changing and innovating, the Utah Film Commission is adapting to maximize our state’s resources. Utah’s film industry foundation is the base from which we will grow as a leader in the production of film, television, family entertainment and interactive technologies. • Industry growth. We will create opportunities to promote potential and established talent (students, professionals, businesses) within Utah’s creative sector . • Cultivate emerging markets. The Film Commission will convene Utah’s digital community within the existing network of film industry professionals . • Establish rigorous measures & metrics. Working with the Kem C . Gardner Policy Institute, we will capture data about what creative industries brings to Utah. These practices will support our office’s decisions and goals around how to best allocate resources .

For additional information about the Utah Film Commission visit film.utah.gov or contact Virginia Pearce, Director at vpearce@utah .gov or 801-538-8740