The Utah Film Commission has announced the Utah Board of Tourism Development approval of two new productions for state film incentives.
The approved productions, “Houseboard Heroes” and "Prepare for the End,” are supported by the Community Film Incentive Program that fosters up-and-coming local filmmakers and productions.
“The approval of these two projects represents a direct investment in Utah’s next generation of filmmakers,” said Virginia Pearce, director of the commission. “The Community Film Incentive Program not only showcases our homegrown talent and diverse landscapes, but it also helps cultivate a sustainable creative economy from the ground up.”
The approved productions are:
“Houseboat Heroes”
Episodic
Distribution: TBD
Locations: Emery, Grand, Kane and Washington counties
“Prepare for the End”
Feature
Distribution: TBD
Locations: Summit County
As part of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and the Utah Office Tourism, the Utah Film Commission formed in 1974 markets the entire state as a destination for film, television and commercial production by promoting the use of professional local crew and talent, support services, Utah locations and the Motion Picture Incentive Program. The office also serves as a liaison to the film industry, facilitating production needs across the state.
Thousands of productions have been filmed in Utah over the past century, including John Ford’s “The Searchers,” “Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid,” “Thelma & Louise,” “Forrest Gump,” and most recently Marvel Studios’ “Thunderbolts.” Many episodic series have also been filmed in Utah, such as “Westworld,” “Yellowstone,” “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” and the CBS television series “Marshals,” still in production in Summit County.
The Park City Film Festival will kick off its inaugural year Oct. 23, running for three days and showing films in the legendary Jim Sante Auditorium at the Park City library. It’s the same venue where many Sundance films have been shown for years, and the focus will be on independent film and emerging creative voices.
