VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A movie inspired by Pharrell Williams's childhood will be filmed in Virginia, officials announced last week, but how does the film industry here compare to other states?
It turns out Virginia's incentive program is much lower than other states.
While the story takes place here, Andy Edmunds, the director of the Virginia Film Office, says the movie still could've picked a different location and created sets to make it look like they were here.
Virginia Beach
Pharrell Williams' musical to film in Virginia
"The economics will drive where the project is going to go," Edmunds told News 3. "It's art and there's commerce involved."
The untitled coming-of-age musical is set in Virginia Beach in the summer of 1977 and is inspired by his childhood neighborhood, which he has talked about in interviews over the years.
"I was raised in Atlantis Apartments not even a mile from here on section eight, and now we are on this section of the beach, and I'm super grateful," he told CBS News in 2019 during the Something in the Water festival.
The Virginia Film Office is part of the Virginia Tourism Corporation and works to land big projects for the Commonwealth.
Watch previous coverage: Pharrell Williams' untitled musical to film in Virginia
"When they come into a region, they touch all parts of the economy, everything from buying paper clips to renting helicopters, so it's a very desirable industry," said Edmunds.
Virginia, like other states, offers incentives and tax breaks to try and get these projects to come to Virginia.
Virginia's program is about $11.5 million, compared to over $1 billion in Georgia, which has seen big movies like the Marvel series filmed there.
"We really have a nominal amount to work with, but we're very thankful for the tools we have to work with," said Edmunds.
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For example, Hidden Figures, which told the story of three African American women and their pivotal role in the early years of the U.S. Space Program at NASA Langley, was filmed in Georgia.
Pharrell was a producer of the movie.
"He was confused why they were not telling this story and shooting this movie in Virginia, so then Pharrell educated himself to learn more about incentives," said Edmunds.
Now, his homegrown story is being told here in Virginia.
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"Really, the value will in be Virginia Beach being able to exploit the marketing of the film and the message about Virginia Beach in a very positive way," said Edmunds.
Gov. Youngkin also applauded the film coming to Virginia.
"Of course, there are other states that have much more advanced film industries than Virginia," he told News 3. "When we have a chance to really make a marquee kind of statement like this it's great for the Commonwealth."
