Five new film productions have been cleared to start rolling throughout North Carolina, signaling a possible return of the state's film industry amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to Gov. Roy Cooper's office, all have COVID-19 safety plans to protect those working in front of and behind the camera.
Two of the five productions will film around the greater Charlotte area. One is a made-for-television movie titled "A Nashville Christmas Carol." It will tell the story of a busy film director and producer who is visited by the Ghosts of County music past and present.
The other is a new series for the Oprah Winfrey Network titled "Delilah." It will focus on the life of a headstrong lawyer in Charlotte who left a demanding law firm a decade ago to care for her children.
Three other productions will film in the Wilmington area. One is a made-for-television movie called "USS Christmas" about a newspaper reporter who finds love on an aircraft carrier. Another is a feature-length film titled "Parkside" that is a relaunch of a classic franchise with a modern twist. The second season of the STARZ television series "Hightown" will also film in Wilmington.
The new projects come after several productions had to stop work in March, according to the Charlotte Film Commission.
The governor's office says the new productions have all implemented COVID-19 safety plans. Altogether, the five productions could receive roughly $26.6 million dollars in incentives.
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