‘Birmingham is rich with talent, rich with location’: More movies filming in Magic City

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 15:37:59 GMT

Birmingham is Becoming a Filming Hotspot

Birmingham, renowned for its rustic charm and vibrant cultural hub, the city has slowly transformed into a popular filming location for many film crews. Birmingham Film Office, an initiative of Create Birmingham, has been actively involved in connecting movie productions with the Magic City.

Birmingham’s Appeal for Filmmakers

The city offers numerous locations, such as Rickwood Field, filmed in “42” in 2012 and Mountain Brook’s Slim’s Pizzeria where “The Shift” was filmed recently in 2023.

Jessica Moody, the Director of Programs and Operations for Create Birmingham, mentioned a couple of reasons behind this growing appeal. She noted that the state offers substantial incentives to filmmakers, including a 25% reimbursement on locally-spent funds and a 35% return on all local Alabama state hires.

“It’s not just inexpensive to film a movie here; it’s also cost-beneficial,” says Moody. The Birmingham Film Office works closely with film productions to scout necessary locations based on the script requirements.

Bonus Point: Time-Efficiency

Another advantage Birmingham offers film crews is the relative proximity between locations. “You can get everywhere in Birmingham in less than 30 minutes, which is huge for filming because you start paying your cast as soon as you pick them up from location,” explains Moody.

Impact on Local Businesses

Local businesses also benefit from the filming process. For instance, Slim’s Pizzeria, usually closed on Sundays and Mondays, was used as a filming location during their non-operating hours. This earned the place a location fee without affecting the regular business routine.

Owner John Rolen describes the buzz being brought by Hollywood into town as “super cool”. He recalls how the film crew filled up his restaurant, slightly redesigned the place but made sure to maintain the essence of the eatery.

Giving Back to the Local Community

According to Moody, a $10 million film could potentially leave $5-6 million on location. This circulates through local economic streams – being spent on accommodation, hiring local crew, renting equipment, and dining – significantly boosting the local economy.

If you have a location that you believe should be featured in the next blockbuster, you can add it to Create Birmingham’s location database here.