WS Chronicle

This year has been another record-breaking one for North Carolina’s budding film industry.

Year-end projections show productions had direct in-state spending in excess of $376 million and created more than 4,100 well-paying crew positions for the state’s highly skilled workforce. All told, productions created nearly 20,000 job opportunities – including talent and background extra positions – for North Carolinians. These numbers eclipsed last year’s record-breaking $220 million in spending and 3,300 crew positions.

All told, nearly 50 productions registered with the state film office and filmed in North Carolina in 2012.  Those productions amassed more than 4,100 production days with filming taking place in more than 30 of the state’s 100 counties.

“It is amazing to see what has taken place the past two years in North Carolina,” said NC Film Office Director Aaron Syrett. “Not only were we able to exceed our record-breaking numbers from 2011, but we continue to grow throughout the state”

A number of popular films and television shows have been shot in North Carolina this year, including “Iron Man 3,” the second season of the award winning television drama “Homeland”  and “You Are Here,” which was largely filmed here in Winston-Salem.

State officials say that much of the success from the past two years for the film industry can be attributed to the bi-partisan, tax credit incentive legislation championed by Gov. Bev Perdue in 2010.  Under the incentive, productions receive a 25 percent refundable tax credit based on their direct in-state spending on goods, services and labor.