Chattanooga is bursting at the seams with excitement over news that Legendary Entertainment is preparing to shoot a movie about the life of Baseball Hall-of-Famer Jackie Robinson at Engel Stadium in May. The upcoming film, “42,” would be the first since “Water for Elephants” in 2010 to bring the glamour of Hollywood to Scenic City. The chance to rub elbows with Harrison Ford aside, the production would also bring a boost to the local economy.
It’s already inspired questions, such as why Chattanooga was selected as a shooting location, why filmmakers aren’t shooting more movies in the city, and what local residents can do to turn that around. Barry Schuch, independent TV producer and treasurer of the Chattanooga Film Society, offers answers.
What’s your background in film?
I went to film school at BYU, worked at Disney MGM in Orlando for a while, and then came to Chattanooga, where I produced a TV program for Turner South cable network called “Junkin.’” It won two Southeast Regional Emmy Awards. I recently produced a documentary about Elia Kazan’s “Wild River,” which was shot in Tennessee in the ’50s. Currently, I’m putting together the funds to do a documentary about a local personality.
Talk about the Chattanooga Film Society and its goals.
It started when local people involved in film and video began meeting once a month for breakfast at Greenlife. It was just a way to network, to get to know other filmmakers and to learn about the opportunities for work that were out there. It developed into the Chattanooga Film Society about a year ago.
We’re a 501c3. We want to create an environment in which filmmakers will want to make their movie.
I’m also a board member of the Association for the Future of Film and Television, which is based out of Nashville. They’re a 501c6. They’re trying to get the state legislature to pass incentives that will lure filmmakers into Tennessee.
Our incentives are nowhere near where they need to be. Films are going to Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and other nearby states because those states offer more attractive incentives. We’ve lost I don’t know how many projects to Georgia. Craig Brewer, who wrote and directed the remake of “Footloose”, is from Memphis, and he wanted to shoot the film there. But when the studio learned it could save $2 million by going to Georgia, it changed locations, even though the setting is a small Tennessee town. That’s not unusual. In 2009 and 2010, about 35 films were shot in Georgia, whereas about 20 films were shot in Tennessee during that same time period.
Incentives are just part of what brings a movie to an area, though. Filmmakers also need a good crew base. So, one of our initiatives is to create an environment in which we have plenty of trained crewmembers. That will mean creating programs in various schools that would allow people to develop the skills they need to work in the film business. Southern Adventist University already has a great program.
Are most of the skills for which filmmakers are looking technical in nature?
Yes. When a group like that comes in, they’ll hire grips, electricians, production assistants and so on, and we want them to be able to hire those people locally and not have to import them. We’ve got a good grip company in town - Department Blue. They have a lot of gear and do a good job. But people have complained that we don’t have a solid crew base. But that’s because skilled people go to where the jobs are. A lot of the skilled filmmakers in Nashville and other areas in Tennessee have migrated to Georgia. We’re fighting against that. And one way we can to that is through incentives, and another way is to continually train people that can fill those positions when they’re made available.
What does Chattanooga have in place now that’s appealing to filmmakers?
There aren’t too many vintage ballparks around. That’s an advantage. And we have a train. “Water for Elephants” would not have come here had it not been for the train. But really, our area offers everything except an oceanfront. We have mountains, valleys and rural, urban and suburban areas, so aesthetically, it’s a great place to shoot. That’s just one factor, though. The factor that really drives the decision-making is money. So we’re trying to deal with that.
What about facilities?
I’ve been hearing for a long time that Chattanooga needs a sound stage. While a sound stage would be a great advantage, when people shoot on location, they’re doing it to save money; it’s not about shooting on a sound stage and building sets, it’s about finding locations like Engel Stadium or an existing train track where you can shoot without spending a lot of money.
Where are you with your work on these initiatives?
They’re ongoing. As far as marketing the region, we have a Chattanooga Film Society Web site (www.chattanoogafilmsociety.org) and Film Chattanooga Web site (filmchattanooga.org).
One of your initiatives is to create a Chattanooga film festival. Talk about that.
We’re trying to create a destination film festival. There are some small festivals in town, but we’re looking at having a major film festival within five years. Chattanooga would be a great place for one. I believe we’ll be able to make that happen.
What kind of economic impact can a movie have on a region?
The people who shot “Hannah Montana” in Tennessee probably spent $20 million on the film, and then another $10 million on hotels, food, fuel and everything else they needed. They hired a crew here, and they hired more than a thousand full-time employees. So money was spent on the production and then the crew spent money here. So, Hanna Montana brought about $30 million to Tennessee.
What do you mean by “film?” You’re not just talking about theatrically released movies, correct?
The Chattanooga Film Society wants to create opportunities for anyone who wants to work in film, video, television, or even industrial videos. We want to train people to go out and earn an income doing what they love. And that includes a host of things in the media realm.
What can someone who doesn’t have ties to the movie industry do to help the Film Society achieve its goals?
Membership in the Chattanooga Film Society is open to any film enthusiast. Membership costs $25 annually, and allows you to participate in our events. For example, Chattanooga is a host city for the Southern Circuit, a circuit of independent films. They select a certain number of films and a certain number of cities as destinations, and then they put the filmmakers and their films on the circuit.
We’re about to screen the sixth and final movie of this year’s series at Loose Cannon. Anyone can come and see it. You’ll get to experience a film you’d probably never see otherwise, and you’ll get to interact with the filmmaker. The cost is $10. The movie is called “Lunch Line.” It’s about school cafeteria food.
The movie industry can be a hard nut to crack.
You might recall last summer there was talk of a Helen Hunt movie that was going to shoot at Baylor. It was a done deal.
Nothing is a done deal until the director shouts “Action!”
Exactly. People will call me and say, “Did you hear about such and such?” And I’ll say, “They can pull the plug in a heartbeat.” It might be funding or some other issue. The Harrison Ford movie was originally going to feature Robert Redford in that role. So even though the movie is scheduled to shoot at Engel Stadium, it’s still evolving. A location manager could come across another location. I hope it comes to pass.
Say a young person is interested in becoming a filmmaker. What can his or her parents do to encourage him or her?
Tell them to become a lawyer. (Laughs.) No, I’m kidding. It’s a great business. Certainly, education is important, but so is experience. There are a lot of guys working as grips or electricians, and they might not have a formal education, but their work gives them experience, which opens doors. It says you’re willing to pay the dues to get to where you want to be. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to go to film school. There are other places to get the training that will allow you to get hired onto a film project.
Any final thoughts?
Our goal is to make Chattanooga a great place to live and work in the film business.