Panelists offer insight to benefits of filming in New Hampshire
The Filming in New Hampshire Panel was led by Van McLeod, Commissioner of the NH Department of Cultural Resources, Karlina Lyons, Chair of the Programming Committee, at Portsmouth Public Media, Inc. and Matt Newton, Director of the NH Film and Television Office. The panel discussed how open New Hampshire’s doors are to filmmakers and took the time to answer questions from the audience about their experience filming in the state.
All too often, the only question asked when choosing a state to film in is, “What tax incentives can you offer?” While New Hampshire doesn’t offer tax incentives, the state also doesn’t require general film permits. Aside from beautiful locations and a rich cultural history, panelists raved about the strong community environment New Hampshire provides to filmmakers.
Karlina Lyons pointed out that film premieres and events in New Hampshire have been very successful in the past. Matt Newton elaborated, expressing the importance and benefit of the partnerships that he has built with local business, communities and governments. Building relationships between filmmakers and the communities creates a two-way street that injects revenue into local businesses and helps filmmakers stay under budget.
The community based environment that New Hampshire has created for its filmmakers caters well to independent films and as such, independent filmmaking is growing and becoming an important part of the state’s culture and economy. Thursday’s NH Day & Night is a testament to this fact: NH Day filled venues like the Loft and the Music Hall, screening over 50 films with ties to New Hampshire.
Anyone who has a good experience filming in New Hampshire is encouraged to provide that feedback to the Governor’s office or directly to Matt Newton.
Continuing celebrating the 14th Annual New Hampshire Film Festival with us. Plan your day with our Festival Schedule and head to the Box Office if you still need to grab your tickets.