the wave continues
We are quite fortunate to have had a surge of growth with so many film & television productions actively crewing up and casting in the Mid-Atlantic region. Turn: Washington’s Spies, Lincoln, Ithaca, Point of Honor, Coming Through the Rye, Killing Kennedy, Field of Lost Shoes, Wish You Well, Killing Lincoln, Lake Effects, House Hunting, Texas Rein, among others, were all based in Virginia, and more and more productions are looking to film in the region in the future. Thanks to the Virginia Film Office for encouraging, incentivizing, and facilitating these vast opportunities for cast and crew who live and work here, we are all benefiting from it.
So, how can we do our part to keep this wave of production going? How can we sustain this activity and encourage more productions to come here? We certainly have the talent, dedication, and work ethic for the long hours and hard work that it takes to make a movie or shoot a TV series. Deeper than that, though, each of us has the ability to make a difference on an individual level. We can each seek to hone our craft as professionals, on a consistent and ongoing basis. It may seem small and even rhetorical at first, but it makes an unbelievable difference to visiting productions when a crew member knows the latest technology or is well versed in a new approach to his or her work. Equally important is having a good foundation – knowing the basics, such as terminology, behavior on set, protocol, and proper interaction with department heads. These are the nuances that make a professional great, and an experienced, well-rounded pool of such local professionals is what it will take to compete with other hot production bases.
We’re all aware of the stiff competition for production. Films and television shows often flock to Atlanta and New York because the talent and crew have skill and experience, reflected in their resumes. Commercials often shoot in Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago for the same reasons. We here in the Mid-Atlantic have begun to build those credits on our own resumes, but it is up to us to keep pushing, to seek newer and more challenging experiences, and to be at the top of our game concerning technology and advances in our craft. The projects that are basing here in the Mid-Atlantic region are hiring local crew members and actors but we are, on a daily basis, competing with more seasoned crew members and actors from other areas not only on the bigger film, TV, and commercial projects, but on some of the smaller ones too. We can stay in the game by constantly refining our skills and professional attitudes, along with keeping a fierce dedication to bringing our best to each production we work on.
There is active potential for more industry growth in Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic in the near future. I’m happy to report that I get more and more calls checking my availability as a casting director and/or as a producer every week, and I am excited to see a much bigger wave of production about to hit. More series, more films and more commercials! But we must, together, be ready to receive it. Every person that considers themselves part of the Mid-Atlantic film community must challenge themselves and continue refining their skills (both in craft and in personal professional environments) so that our region wholly raises the bar, and the visiting productions are so confident in the local base of talent that there won’t be a perceived need to bring the majority of crew and cast with them.
I’m thrilled to not have to travel across the country to do my job. I want production here in my home region to continue to grow and flourish. Certainly, work begets work and actual credits on big projects speak volumes, but what else can we do – at a personal level – to increase the cast and crew base here? We have to constantly educate ourselves, seek mentors, read and research the latest developments in our crafts. We must practice as much as possible and collaborate with other pros to advance our own knowledge, to learn how to be not only better co-workers and communicators, but better professionals ourselves. This is the only way to be at the top of our game. I’m never satisfied with knowing how to cast or how to produce; there are always better ways, new methodologies, more actors, new technology. I’ll do everything I can to be an active participant in my own career and I hope it helps grow the industry in the region.
We here at arvold want to facilitate whatever we can; we want to be a part of community growth and education. There are classes, speakers, articles, video tutorials, and more out there—we want to know what you turn to, who and what have made an impact in furthering your craft and professional development as a filmmaker. We want to help grow the region into the next long-lasting hot spot for production. Will you join us?
Your ideas are welcome, please email your thoughts to info@arvold.com. Let’s challenge ourselves and continue to grow as a filmmaking community!
looking forward,
erica
CLICK HERE for a recent news story about film production in Virginia.