miniddy4的部落格

Source: Star-News, Wilmington, N.存倉C.Dec. 27--Last year, the local film industry experienced a renaissance. Shaking off the dust of years of small-budget and made-for-TV movies and repeat television business, the industry ushered in the production of four major feature films -- "Iron Man 3," "Safe Haven," "The Conjuring" and "We're the Millers" -- that revitalized the cinematic reputation of the region and contributed greatly to the $278 million spent by the film industry in 2012 in the state."Before these films, it had been a while since we had a big feature that people really knew about to come out of Wilmington. We were sort of becoming known as a TV town," said Johnny Griffin, director of the Wilmington Film Commission.This year, all four films burst onto the big screen, making headlines for setting the box office ablaze and pulling in more than $1.8 billion worldwide. But for the local film industry, which in no way benefits from the financial success of the films, what does it mean to have four blockbusters under its belt moving into 2014?Bill Vassar, executive vice president for EUE/Screen Gems Studios, for one, believes that success draws attention."I've always felt that people in the entertainment business have a slight bit of superstition. They see successes somewhere and they want to be associated with it," Vassar said. "We have the infrastructure, the crew, the studio and the equipment here, and having four successful films, let alone in one year, is confirmation of that. It speaks for itself."Griffin, who travels to Los Angeles during the first quarter of each year to promote the local industry to potential projects, said that successes like "Iron Man 3" and "The Conjuring" give him and his colleagues something to talk about when competing with other production facilities."The first thing people ask us is, 'What's happening in Wilmington? What is shooting there now?' When you can start to rattle off a whole list of films that people know, it gives them something to remember. It keeps the excitement growing," Griffin said.But since the last of the four films finished production late last year, only two notable features have shot in the area -- "Tammy," a road trip movie starring Melissa McCarthy and Susan Sarandon, and "The Squeeze," an independent golf comedy. But Griffin said that "a lull isn't a bad thing," and the industry has had several TV shows to fill the void, including "Under the Dome" and "Sleepy Hollow."When it comes to attracting new projects, Aaron Syrett, director of the North Carolina Film Office, said rel儲存tionships with studios and companies that Wilmington and the state have cultivated during past productions can be beneficial."From a business aspect, studios see that we can handle projects like 'Iron Man 3' and 'We're the Millers' and that has provided repeat business from them. Crew members and studios are remembering North Carolina and why they came here in the '80s and '90s in the first place," he said.New Line Cinemas is a good example, Syrett said. After the studio found success with producing the adventure film "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" in 2011 in Wilmington, it opted to return the next year to produce "The Conjuring" and "We're the Millers."Now, the industry is focused on next year, the final year under the state's current incentive program, which gives qualifying productions a 25 percent tax credit on money spent in the state. With the livelihood of the industry directly linked to the incentive, which expires at the end of 2014, all eyes are on the state legislature, which will decide next year whether to keep the incentive, alter it or let it disappear altogether.As of now, there are no films confirmed to shoot in the region in 2014. But despite those looming vacancies, Griffin and Vassar, who are in constant contact with potential projects, are both optimistic the industry is headed for a busy new year."I was just walking around the lot today trying to determine where we are going to put everyone if we are as full as I expect," Vassar said.Hunter Ingram: 343-2327On Twitter: @WilmonFilmBOX OFFICE REVENUE BOX"Safe Haven" (Feb. 14)Budget: $28 millionDomestic: $71 millionFun fact: It is the third high-grossing Nicholas Sparks movie, behind "The Notebook" and "Dear John.""Iron Man 3" (May 3)Budget: $200 millionDomestic: $409 millionWorldwide: $1.2 billionFun fact: The film's opening weekend haul of $174 million is the second highest-grossing weekend of all time, behind only "The Avengers.""The Conjuring" (July 19)Budget: $20 millionDomestic: $137 millionWorldwide: $316 millionFun fact: The film is the highest-grossing supernatural horror film since 1999's "The Sixth Sense," which earned $293 million."We're the Millers" (Aug. 7)Budget: $37 millionDomestic: $150 millionWorldwide: $269 millionFun fact: The film is the second biggest road trip movie behind "Wild Hogs," which grossed $168 million in 2007.Totals:Domestic: $767 millionWorldwide: $1.856 billionCopyright: ___ (c)2013 the Star-News (Wilmington, N.C.) Visit the Star-News (Wilmington, N.C.) at .starnewsonline.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉