Film productions reel in $4.1M for SLO County
Film production in San Luis Obispo County is on a roll, creating an estimated $4.1 million economic impact last year, Visit San Luis Obispo County announced Feb. 27.
As of January, more than 180 production leads had come through the county’s Film Commission, a department of Visit San Luis Obispo County, for projects including independent feature films, television programs, commercials, catalog shoots, music videos and documentaries.
Each production impacts the economy beyond just the costs of film permitting. Productions and their crews, ranging from five to more than 100 people, use local services, stay in hotels, dine at area restaurants and purchase fuel, Visit SLO County said in a statement. In 2013, there were 183 reported filming days, which translated to about 365 hotel room nights.
The Film Commission acts as the liaison for production companies and location scouts, connecting them to specific sites, local services and lodging as well as helping production teams acquire the proper permitting in each community.
The commission also builds awareness of the county as a filming destination. “We have seen a lot of great response from the location scout familiarization tours we hosted the last two years,” Lauren Tognazzini, a Film Commission liaison, said in a statement. “It has increased awareness of our county as a filming destination, and we have been able to showcase the diverse geographic backdrops we can offer all within a short distance.”
Notable credits include Animal Planet’s “Redwood Kings,” ABC’s “The Taste,” History Channel’s “Top Gear USA,” and commercials featuring Ford, Mercedes, Porsche, Mazda, Volvo, Maserati, Subaru, Jeep, Land Rover and Microsoft, among others.
