Coming to a City Near You!
Missouri Film Office Makes New Home at MU

Office Will Help Improve State's Economy

Columbia, Mo., February 10, 2006 — When the film The Game of Our Lives was shot in Missouri in 2003, more than $17.9 million was spent in the state. According to a study by state Rep. Ed Robb, this had an economic impact of more than $52 million for the state. The primary reason why this film, along with upcoming ones in Cape Girardeau, Kansas City and St. Louis, was produced in Missouri was due to the Missouri Film Office, which officially is now a part of the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The film office, created in 1983, as part of the Jefferson City-based Missouri Film Commission, was responsible for bringing in 168 productions to the state last year. The productions ranged from full-length feature films to television commercials. Each of these productions, according to Office Director Jerry Jones, created a tremendous economic impact on the state.

"It's not just feature films that affect us," Jones said. "We've had commercials with budgets of more than $4 million shot in the state."

While the film office will continue to bring in filmmakers across the country, it also will use the tools that MU has to offer, such as its new information technology program, offered through the College of Engineering, which will focus on media engineering that includes filmmaking and digital editing. The School of Journalism and College of Arts and Science also will benefit from the film office, according to Steve Wyatt, statewide program director of business development programs at MU Extension.

"It's not just an MU effort," Wyatt said. "This is a statewide effort to bring movies to Columbia. By recruiting films to Missouri, we are supporting local economic development and creating incredible learning experiences for students across the state."

Wyatt said the plan is to use the MU Extension's 114 county offices to provide local connections for potential filmmakers as well as build a network of Missouri's colleges and universities to support the film industry.

Stephens College also will play a vital role with the film office. The college offers a degree program in digital filmmaking and the office has used several Stephens students as interns. Jones said they have been very supportive of the film office's efforts and have served as an excellent resource.

"The film office's move to Columbia brings wonderful opportunities for Stephens, in the context of our digital filmmaking degree program, to collaborate even further with various local and statewide entities and for them to increase their collaboration with us," said Stephens College President Wendy B. Libby. "We view the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with the film commission and the University as a logical extension of our already active work in the film arena. Stephens is very interested in making Missouri a destination and resource for aspiring filmmakers and those already in the film industry."

The film offices move will save the state $50,000 by reducing its budget to $150,000. The state will pay MU $150,000 per year for up to three years.

The Missouri Film Office is a program of Missouri's business development programs. For more information on the Film Office, visit www.mofilm.org

Originally released: Sep 23 2005
Jeffrey Neu
Sr. Information Specialist
573-882-3346
NeuJ@missouri.edu