Senators propose plan to more than double North Carolina’s film grant program

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - A bipartisan measure would more than doubling North Carolina’s Film and Entertainment Grant Fund, which attracts movie and television productions to the state.

Senate Bill 268 would add an additional $34 million a year through 2023 to the grant program. The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Mike Lee, a republican who represents New Hanover County and and Sen. Paul Lowe, a democrat who represents Forsyth County.

The grant in its current form is $30 million.

It is moving through Senate committees; we don’t yet know if and when the full Senate will vote on the measure.

Wilmington began the year with four productions filming at EUE/Screen Gems Studios and on location throughout the community, including Starz series Hightown, a Blumhouse Production thriller, FOX’s This Country and a movie called International Space Station. Some of those productions have wrapped filming, while others will wrap up soon.