What Locals Are Saying About Film in Utah
The production "Skinwalker Ranch" has driven tourism to our area in a way that we have never experienced. People from around the country come to check out the ranch because of what they saw on screen, staying in our motels, eating at our restaurants. It is having an impact on our communities.
I consider the crews I've worked with like my family. Some of them have been in the Utah Film industry for over 50 years! This industry has given jobs to hundreds, even thousands, of local workers and artisans, ranging from actors, directors, and camera crews to truck drivers, carpenters, electricians, nurses, and caterers. The amount of people working on an individual set is staggering!
"If the film industry quits coming to Utah, my income and career would collapse. I've been able to make a living and provide for a family of 7 because of all the film projects going on in Utah."
I own a catering business that I have owned and run for the past 11 years. My catering business is completely dependent on the film industry. 100% of my customers are from film. If we lose the tax incentive, I lose customers, and my business cannot survive. Without the film industry, I will be of business.
When "Yellowstone" moved to Montana, I personally took a loss of approximately $200k per year. This was disappointing and frustrating considering that the show has now been picked up for up to a 5th season. Many of us lost work and income because Utah was unwilling to offer a tax incentive that kept us competitive enough to keep the production in our beautiful state! Such a loss for all involved.
Utah is primed to continue to receive a large influx of work as LA slowly loses production due to high overhead. Losing feature films to competing cities kills our market and our jobs. I hope my future keeps me shooting and hiring in Utah, but that will ultimately depend upon incentives, grants, and the consistent growth of my local film community.
