Five productions — including three with Christmas themes — will be shooting in Utah this year after being approved for state incentives by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) board.
The board, at its most recent meeting, approved the tax credit and cash rebate incentives for the productions, which are projected to generate an economic impact of $6.9 million and create approximately 300 local jobs.
Two films are connected. They are “Christmas at the Madison,” a pair of Hallmark holiday films starring real-life sisters Kimberly Williams Paisley and Ashley Williams. They will play sisters who swap cities to pursue new projects in the 12 days leading up to Christmas.
In one story, city-dwelling restaurateur Jennifer and her son, Simon, travel to a small town in Utah, Jennifer’s hometown, after her uncle leaves them a historic movie theater in his will. She rediscovers her connection to home and family as she works with a handsome handyman. In the other story, younger sister Meg travels to Salt Lake City to help Jennifer’s restaurant staff win an annual Christmas party competition despite the conflicting opinions of the handsome but stern general manager.
“They will be releasing these features at the same time, but it’s kind of two sides of the same coin,” Virginia Pearce, director of the Utah Film Commission, told the GOED board.
The board approved a tax credit of up to $524,147 for 3484 Inc. for the Jennifer-based film. It is expected to spend a little over $2 million in Utah and employ 14 cast, 70 crew and 280 extras. Principal photography is scheduled for April 12-25.
3485 Inc. was approved for a tax credit up to $525,000 for the Meg-centered film, with shooting taking place April 26-May 21. The company is expected to spend about $2.1 million in Utah, including using 14 cast, 88 crew and 280 extras.
Shooting locations for both films have yet to be determined.
“For over 15 years, I’ve chosen to film in Utah as much as possible,” said David Wulf, producer of both films. “The crew base, diverse locations, the business-friendly environment, and the incentives have all been crucial to these particular projects, especially with the uncertainty of COVID-19 and its effects on business in other jurisdictions. Utah’s strong legislative support for keeping businesses open and its commitment to the incentive have all been essential and the main reason I’ve been able to secure and move forward on these particular projects.”
Another Christmas movie, with about $235,250 in spending in Utah, will shoot through April 13 in Wasatch and Summit counties. The GOED board approved a cash rebate of up to $47,050 for Mistletoe Mixup LLC for “Mistletoe Mixup,” a family feature starring Joey Lawrence, Matthew Lawrence and Andrew Lawrence.
The production is expected to employ 13 cast, 20 crew and 12 extras. Andrew Lawrence is the director. The producer is Tim Schaaf.
Written by Park City resident Kaylin Richardson, “Mistletoe Mixup” tells the story of a career-driven young woman who makes a Christmas wish to meet the right partner. Fortuitously, she ends up meeting two in the same day but they turn out to be brothers, and she finds herself in the middle of a sibling rivalry.
“For this project to achieve its potential, the locations have to function as an additional character within the world of the film,” said Schaaf. “There is no other place in the U.S. where you can get small-town charm, stunning mountain vistas and be within a convenient distance of a major airport. Utah is a special place, and we look forward to featuring it prominently in the film.”
3311 Productions LLC was approved for a tax credit of up to $510,648 for “Summering,” a feature drama expected to spend a little over $2 million in Utah, including during principal photography set for June 10-July 30. It is expected to have five cast members, 58 crew and 141 extras. Locations have not been determined but likely will be along the Wasatch Front, Pearce said.
She described the film as “a ‘Stand By Me’ film but with young girls in the roles.” The movie tells the story of four girls in the summer before starting middle school. They discover a dead body while roaming their old stomping grounds and instead of calling the police, they decide to take matters into their own hands.
The director is James Ponsoldt, who also co-produces with Jen Dana.
“We’re thrilled to make ‘Summering’ in an environment with so much timeless beauty, drama and unique personality,” Ponsoldt said.
The GOED board approved a cash rebate of up to $82,268 for Living Scriptures Inc. for “Line Upon Line,” a follow-on series consisting 48 new short videos to provide another view on the Scriptures. Episodes of the animated series will be released weekly on the company’s online subscription platform.
The production, taking place in Utah County through Dec. 17, will involve one cast member and 14 crew and is projected to spend $411,339 in Utah. The director is Thomas Gomez Durham. The producer is Jessica Champneys.
“It’s a dream come true for Living Scriptures to again be animating, especially using artists from Utah,” said Matt Brown, CEO of Living Scriptures. “Utah has such amazing artistic talent, and we are thrilled to be growing our talent locally. Our new and veteran animators and illustrators absolutely love this project, and assuredly it will continue to be our most-watched series.”
