Question: What is the role of the Nevada Film Office, and what impact does it have on the state’s economy?
The Nevada Film Office (NFO) helps more than 600 movie, television, documentary, commercial and other media productions film in Nevada every year. Why is this important to you? Here are five great reasons:
First, the box-office power of celebrities like Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Drew Barrymore and others who have starred in movies shot here recently, translates into advertising and marketing dollars for the state of Nevada, worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This value applies to television programs and TV commercials as well, as hundreds of those productions shoot in Nevada every year. A single commercial or product placement position inside an episode of CBS’s CSI or NBC’s Las Vegas costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, and being seen in a Superbowl spot costs millions. Yet, there we are, getting that exposure for free every time our locations are used and shown. As the credit card commercial might say, “Priceless!”
Second, hundreds of millions of people around the world see these movies, TV programs and commercials. The Nevada images are imprinted on those potential tourists. This generates visitor volume and curiosity about many aspects of the state a tourist might not otherwise consider. The NFO receives calls from tourists asking when and where TV shows will be shooting, because they want to plan their travel to coincide. We hear from tourists asking where to find certain spots they’ve seen in movies and documentaries, which they want to visit personally. Tourists are fascinated by what they see on the big and the little screens.
Third, when these movies, TV programs and commercials shoot here, they spend tens of millions of dollars in hard cash, pumped directly into Nevada’s economy as first-tier spending for everything from accommodations, transportation and food, to hiring locals, renting equipment, utilizing our vendors and services, and more. This economic development means a significant revenue stream that helps diversify our economy.
Fourth, filming utilizes existing community infrastructure, which generates more “bang for the buck” from standing resources. Properties and places earn new income that doesn’t require new expense on their part, as filming puts the assets to a new use. The community capitalizes on an industry that is environmentally friendly and low-impact, since productions are required to leave a location in the same condition (or better) as when they found it.
Fifth, filming of all kinds draws new permanent resources to our state. Skilled and semi-skilled people move here for jobs in media production, bringing their diversity, experience and families with them (and their friends and relatives and associates as future visitors). They become part of our citizenry and our economy, obtaining housing, buying goods and services year-round, enrolling their children in our schools, adding their talents and enriching Nevada’s abundant resources in myriad ways. They add to our growth and contribute to every economic aspect as they integrate into Nevada.
The NFO was founded in 1983 as part of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development. Our mandate is to attract and facilitate media of all kinds (from motion pictures, television and commercials, to documentaries, music videos, Webcasts and new media, and everything in between), while promoting Nevada resources. We assist with locations, scouting, photography, intergovernmental liaison, problem-solving and brainstorming. We do research, provide extensive reference materials, compile and distribute directories of locations, vendors, services, crew and staff, and other talent. We do extensive public outreach and education. We proactively pursue the industry through sales, marketing and advertising, and participate in trade shows, conventions and conferences. The many hundreds of productions that shoot here each year indicate we are accomplishing our goals.
In the last six fiscal years alone, the NFO has helped to channel nearly three-quarters ofa billion dollars into Nevada’s economy, as filming of all kinds has averaged over $120 million a year. Despite the devastating effect on location travel caused by the 9/11 attacks, we’ve sustained our growth while many states have dramatically lost filming contracts (up to 70 percent in some locales). For several years in a row, we’ve been voted one of the top 10 filming locations for independent filmmakers.
We do all of this for the reasons shown above, and we love what we do. Our motto is, “Do it all, do it right, do it now, and do it with a smile.”