Staff Report

COLUMBIA -- A grassroots non-profit organization has been formed to promote the film industry in South Carolina. Comprised of working film industry professionals and members from the business community who have an interest in growing movies within the state, FilmSC is dedicated to advancing the film industry in South Carolina through education, professional training, networking and advocacy.

FilmSC will focus on four main areas: creating high-paying jobs in the motion picture industry for South Carolinians, strengthening South Carolina’s motion picture and television production infrastructure, developing educational opportunities to help residents find jobs in the motion picture industry and establishing an environment where creative talent and new media industries can flourish.  

“From July 2006 to June 2007, the film and television industry in the state of South Carolina was an amazing success story,” said Martin Bluford, president of FilmSC.  “ ‘From Army Wives’ in Charleston to ‘Leatherheads’ in the Upstate, ‘Asylum’ in Rock Hill to ‘Who’s Your Caddy’ in Aiken, our state was selected for six feature films, two television pilots, as well as numerous commercials. Over 7,100 high-paying jobs resulted, with more than $64 million in direct expenditures invested in our state’s economy. Since early summer, the pace of film production in South Carolina has plummeted and FilmSC is working hard to turn that around.”

FilmSC’s board of directors is composed of Bluford, manager of High Output, a motion picture lighting company in Charleston; Tom Morris, a construction coordinator from Sullivan’s Island; Geoff Herbert, a feature film and television key grip from Greenville; and Todd Stuart, CFO of Mad Monkey, one of South Carolina’s leading commercial production companies based in Columbia.