Behind the Scenes! Stand Up For North Carolinas Film Industry!

behindthescenesaig.weebly.com





Lesson 1: Sand, Sun! Movies?
Lesson 2: Role Call!
Lesson 3: Behind the Scenes
Lesson 4: And! Action!

Have you ever been watching something and it looked a little TOO familiar? Did you ever think that it could
have been filmed right here, in North Carolina? From the oil tanker battle in Iron Man 3 to scenes from District
12 in The Hunger Games, many famous movies and shows have been filmed in North Carolina! With all of this
success, what if someone was trying to stop moviemaking in our state? Come explore the different reasons
why filmmakers love North Carolina, while making your own film to convince lawmakers to continue the
industry here!



How do tax incentives help the economy in North Carolina?
How do films impact the way we live?
How has the film industry impacted NC?




Reagan Briggs and Taylor Davenport
SPED 6402 Spring 2014
East Carolina University






Content Research Paper
Introduction
The use of film in the classroom is a great way to bridge a gap between entertainment and
comprehension for struggling students and a wonderful way for gifted students to express their ideas. In a
study done by Rowena Watts (2007), she describes childrens interactions with film as follows: They shrink to
shadows and music, they dance to lights and sounds, their eyes flicking and darting all around the screen,
looking for vectors to lead them to new meaning (p. 103). Students in North Carolina are lucky enough to have
access to a local industry that not only offers a plethora of knowledge about filmmaking, but offers major
benefits to our state economy as well.

A History of the Film Industry in North Carolina
Over the past few decades, Wilmington, North Carolina has become a destination for filmmakers,
looking for an alternative to filming in Hollywood. Wilmington Regional Film Commissions site states that
since 1983, the Wilmington region has continued to be one of the most productive and cost-effective
filmmaking destinations in the world (2013).
According to Amy Hotz (2008), Wilmington's relationship with film essentially began with Academy
Award-winning filmmaker Dino DeLaurentiis. DeLaurentiis discovered the Wilmington area while scouting
locations for Stephen King's Firestarter (Hotz, 2008). He enjoyed working in the region so much that
DeLaurentiis decided to base his DeLaurentiis Entertainment Group Film Studios in Wilmington in 1984.
Although many successful films were filmed in the studios, Dino DeLaurentiis lost the studios due to
bankruptcy and was bought out by the Carolco Company in 1990 (Erickson, 2010). The studios were then
purchased by Carolcon, and New York-based EUE/Screen Gems [bought] the 50-acre lot after Carolco [went]
bankrupt (Foss, 2013). EUE/Screen Gems still owns and operates the studios in Wilmington today.
When DeLaurentis had begun to express interest in the state, the North Carolina Film Office was
commissioned by Governor James B. Hunt in 1980 (North Carolina Film Office, 2014). The North Carolina Film
Offices website states that it is a state agency in the Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development in the
North Carolina Department of Commerce! and is a member of the Association of Film Commissioners
International (2014). The office works in conjunction with regional film commissions, such as the Wilmington
Regional Film Commission to assist filmmakers by providing services that include custom location packages,
scouting assistance and permitting guidance (2014).
As a way of bringing in more productions to the studios in North Carolina, the state began offering tax
incentives to film companies. According to a report by Jon Sanders of the John Locke Foundation, the
incentives changed the industry, especially from 2002 to 2009, when the number of states with film incentives
grew from four to 44 (2012). In his report, he gives an overview of the development of the incentives offered in
our state, beginning in 2005. From 2005-2009, tax incentives for filmmakers included an income tax credit of
15 percent of qualifying production expenses, a credit [limitation] of $7.5 million per film, and refunds if
credit exceeds tax liability (2012). A requirement for filmmakers was that the production company must spend
at least $250,000 in [North Carolina] (2012).
In 2009, the production team for the movie Last Song, decided to film in Georgia instead of North
Carolina, due to better incentives. Because of this, Governor Beverly Purdue changed the incentives offered in
2010. Tax incentives in the state now include an income tax credit of 25 percent, a credit cap of $20 million,
and it continues to be refundable.
As a result of the tax incentives provided by the state and the help from both the North Carolina Film
Office and the Wilmington Regional Film Commission, the Wilmington area has hosted over 300 features,
mini-series, movies of the week, and ten TV series along with numerous commercials and music videos
(Wilmington Regional Film Commision, 2014).

Impacts to the Community
The film industrys migration to North Carolina has brought about significant impacts to the states
economy, particularly Wilmingtons. Southport businesses will earn a large chunk of the millions in revenue
the film Safe Haven, is projected to spend in the region during filming says Cassie Foss, who is a Star News
reporter in Wilmington, NC (2012). Bringing in films and television shows have a major impact on communities
in North Carolina. Not only do people who make films come here to just film, sometimes, they end up staying.
Jon Cornick came to Wilmington in 1991 to film Super Mario Brothers and, according to Amy Hotz
(2011), fell in love with the area [then] returned in 1998 to produce his first feature, Waterproof, and ended up
buying property here. When coming to Eastern North Carolina, many people fall in love with the small town
environment. The small community that they come to is certainly different from Los Angeles or New York.
Not only do those that are in town to help with the filmmaking process feel the welcoming arms that
North Carolina has to offer, but they make an impact on the community as well. David Lyons, who was an actor
in Safe Haven, ate daily at Fishy Fishy Cafe in Southport, NC (Foss, 2012). Manager of the cafe, Lance
Garrison said, The stars come in here regularly. We make sure we respect their privacy and cater to them, but
since were close to the set, weve gotten a lot of traffic from tourists and spectators who are curious about the
filming (Foss, 2012). Some stars even volunteer within the community--in their book Wilm on Film, Amy Hotz
and Jeff Hidek (2010) explain that Chad Michael Murray, [a star on One Tree Hill], helped start a new Pop
Warner football team for kids ages 11-15 (p. 11).
After viewing the movie Safe Haven, which was introduced in theaters on Valentines Day 2013, it
sparked tourism within the Southport community. In the month of June alone, the Fort Johnson-Southport
Museum & Visitors Center saw the number of people who walked through its door increase from just over
5,000 in 2012 to more than 9,100 this year, says Star News reporter Hunter Ingram (2013). The film crew left
a few pieces of the set in the museum for people to come and view. With so much tourism in Southport, it
really helped many local businesses and people.
Dr. Robert Handfield is a professor of Supply Chain Management at North Carolina State University
and is studying the impact of the tax incentive in North Carolina. When asked how the film industry has
positively affected North Carolina, particularly the Wilmington community, Dr. Handfield stated, It has
established an industry in NC. Some people may believe that these are part-time jobs, but the reality is that
there are very few jobs left where people go to work 9-5 anymore (Handfield, 2014).

How Tax Incentives Help
Many productions have been drawn to North Carolina because of its tax credit. In an article by Cynthia
Littleton (2013), she mentions:
Producers are frustrated with the shortcomings of Californias tax credit program, not just in terms of the
relatively small amount set aside for production rebates compared to other states, but also the
limitations in the types of shows that are eligible. (p. 29)
According to the North Carolina Film Office, North Carolina offers a 25% refundable tax credit. The 25%
refundable tax credit is in effect for a single production who report the qualified expenses on their tax return.
Even though North Carolina is paying out a lot of money for this tax incentive, some believe that it is worth it.
The Gaston Gazette newspaper (2014) did an editorial on considering incentives for filming in North Carolina.
They stated that, In 2013, state officials estimate that the film and television productions spent $254 million in
North Carolina ("Editorial: Carefully consider incentives for film," 2014). This figure has not yet been
completed because it does not represent the entirety of what productions have spent, because it does not
count what individual cast and crew members spent while here, or the amount spent by local businesses (and
their employees) that supplied the productions with equipment, food, and services (2014).
North Carolina houses many workers that are involved in the film industry. We did a survey of workers
and asked them what they would do if the film incentives went away, what would they do, and 60% of workers
said that they would move to a state that had an incentive (Handfield, 2014).
The tax credit that helped create a lot of revenue is up for renewal at the end of 2014. The Gaston
Gazette explains that the current General Assembly is reviewing the use of incentives overall, with an eye on
eliminating them, based on political opposition to the idea of picking winners and losers (2014). The reality is
that there are a number of states that have incentives as well--Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, and New York. There
is a risk that if they dont renew it, that that essentially spells the end of the industry in North Carolina
(Handfield, 2014).

Key Elements of Film Production
The most important elements of film varies depending on the source that you consult, but our content
will focus on the simple three elements described by Larry Wild from Northern State University (2013):
preproduction, production, and postproduction. These three elements make up the process that is known as
filmmaking. Wild (2013) defines the steps as follows: preproduction [is when you are] developing the script,
production [is] shooting the script ,and postproduction [is the process of] editing the film and adding the sound
tracks.
According to KidsVid, scripting (preproduction) is the [entire] process of writing down on paper what
the [film] is about (2009). This may include a storyboard, documents, and a site survey. The KidsVid website
explains that storyboards are used to visualize your movie idea, the script is the main document used to
produce the [film], and the producer analyzes all that needs to occur in order for the filmmaking process to
happen.
KidsVid characterizes the production stage as taking the camera out and capturing the magic on video
(2009). This process involves working the camera, getting the best shot, investigating the best camera moves
to use, choosing the correct lighting and microphones (KidsVid). A big part of the production stage is about
checking to be sure that everything is in order. When you are checking your camera, you should be thinking
about the lens, focus, display, and if you will need to do night shots or any other type of special shot (KidsVid).
Thinking about the shot itself is important to do both ahead of time and while filming. The location of the
camera, lights, and subjects are extremely important. When it comes to camera moves, KidsVid lists an array
of creative moves to use, including zoom in, zoom out, pan right, pan left, action within the frame, and following
the action.
KidsVid defines editing (postproduction) as the process of putting all the elements together in such a
way that a story is told (2009). During this time, music and effects are added to what has been filmed and
scenes can be deleted and put in order.

References
Editorial: Carefully consider incentives for film. (2014, January 10). Gaston gazette. Retrieved from
http://www.gastongazette.com/opinion/our-opinion/editorial-carefully-consider-incentives-for-film-
1.260785?page=0
Erickson, H. (2010). Dino De Laurentiis biography. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/87105/Dino-de-Laurentiis/biography
Foss, C. (2012, August 14). Before safe haven hits theaters, it pays off royally for town. Retrieved from
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120814/ARTICLES/120819875#gsc.tab=0
Foss, C. (2013, August 4). Eue/screen gems' studios find their niches in 2 southern states. Retrieved from
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20130804/ARTICLES/130809871
Handfield, R. (2014, January 21). Interview by R Briggs & T Davenport. Consulting an expert.
Hotz, A. (2008, January 23). Explore Wilmington's film history. Retrieved from
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20080123/NEWS/801230502
Hotz, A. (2011, March 27). Filmmaker finds incentive to relocate to Wilmington. Retrieved from
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20110327/ARTICLES/110329720#gsc.tab=0
Hotz, A., & Steelman, B. (2010). Wilm on film: A guide to more than 25 years of film & tv production around
wilmington, north carolina. StarNews Media.
Ingram, H. (2013, December 28). Top stories of 2013, no. 7- safe haven sparks unprecedented tourism.
Retrieved from http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20131228/articles/131229778#gsc.tab=0
Kids' Vid. (2009). Kids' vid. Retrieved from http://kidsvid.4teachers.org/index.shtml
Littleton, C. (2013). Tv drama spreads all over the map. Variety, 321(7), 29-30.
NC Film Office. (2014). Refundable tax credit. Retrieved from http://www.ncfilm.com/incentives.html
Sanders, J. (2012, July 18). N.C.'s film tax incentives. Retrieved from
http://www.johnlocke.org/acrobat/spotlights/Spotlight425FilmTaxIncentives.pdf
Smith, J. (2013, December 2). Loss of film incentives estimated to cost new hanover more than $10m annually.
Retrieved from http://www.wect.com/story/24112681/loss-of-film-incentives-estimated-to-cost-new-
hanover-more-than-10m-annually
Watts, R. (2007). Harnessing the power of film in the primary classroom. Literacy, 41(2), 102-109.
Wild, L. (2003). Film production. Retrieved from http://www3.northern.edu/wild/th100/flmprod.htm
Wilmington Regional Film Commision. (2013). About Wilmington. Retrieved from
http://www.wilmingtonfilm.com/Intro/AboutWilmington/tabid/62/Default.aspx

Consulting an Expert--Dr. Robert Handfield
Dr. Robert Handfield is a professor of Supply Chain Management at North Carolina State University.
Not only does Dr. Handfield serve as a professor at North Carolina State University, but he also writes for a
supply chain management journal and has written a number of books and research articles on supply chain
management as well. Recently, him and a team of researchers have been conducting a study on the film
industry in North Carolina and what type of effect the tax incentives have had on keeping that industry alive. He
has also served on the State of the State: The Future of Film in North Carolina panel that met at the
Cucalorus Film Festival in November of 2013.
We discovered Dr. Handfields involvement in the study through a Justin Smiths article entitled Loss of
film incentives estimated to cost New Hanover more than $10M annually (2013). In the article, Dr. Handfield
mentioned the tax incentives and their benefits to the state, particularly the Wilmington community. Dr.
Handfields involvement with the study convinced us that he would be a great expert to consult.
In order to contact him, we found his information through the North Carolina State University website
and we emailed him to see if he was willing to do an interview with us. As a professor, he was very willing to
speak with students (especially two that are also teachers) in order to give them more information about the
topic. He gave us a great amount of information from someone that has been studying the same topic as we
are.
Dr. Handfield can be contacted at North Carolina State University both through email and phone. His
email address is robert_handfield@ncsu.edu and his phone number is (919) 515-4674.

Annotated Bibliography
Kid-Friendly Books
Frost, S. (2011). Kids guide to movie making: How kids can produce and direct their own movies that
audiences will love. Make-a-Movie Studios.
Designed for students in middle school, this book is a great resource for academically gifted students. The
book includes how-to activities to get kids comfortable with all of the inner-workings of the filmmaking process.
Glassbourg, M. (2013). Learn to speak film: A guide to creating, promoting, and screening your own movies.
Toronto: Owlkids Books.
This book gives information for young filmmakers on the different aspects of filmmaking, from preproduction
and production, all the way to the editing stage. Each chapter delivers instructions on how to get the most out
of each part of the film process as well as encouragement to the reader to keep the creative process alive.
Hotz, A., & Steelman, B. (2010). Wilm on film: A guide to more than 25 years of film & tv production around
Wilmington, North Carolina. StarNews Media.
This guide gives an overview of the history of the film industry in Wilmington. The book splits the history into
sections, such as The Early Years, The Boom Years, Independent Filmmaking, and many more. Although
the text is written for adults, children can easily peruse the book to look for specific films or time periods in the
history of the industry.
Nelson, C., & Harris, F. (2004). Film junkie's guide to North Carolina. Winston-Salem, North Carolina: John F.
Blair, Publisher.
This book serves as a travel guide for film fans to track down spots in North Carolina that were used for filming.
There is information on how to find each of the locations listed in the book, as well as the Star Tracks
sections that talk about the places that celebrities have frequented during their time spent in the state.
Shulman, M., & Krog, H. (2004). Attack of the killer video book: Tips and tricks for young directors. Toronto,
ON: Annick Press.
This guide is an entertaining childrens resource on how to make great videos. This book provides children with
instructions on each stage of the filmmaking process, from the preproduction stage to postproduction. The
guide is full of tips and tricks that would be helpful to any young filmmaker.

Kid-Friendly Online Resources
Kids' Vid. (2009). Kids' vid. Retrieved from http://kidsvid.4teachers.org/index.shtml
This is a kid friendly website that instructs kids on the scripting, making, editing and showing of a video
production. This site gives teachers and students the tools to make a video in the classroom.
Mini Movie Makers. (2007). Mini Movie Makers. Retrieved from http://www.minimoviemakers.com/
This is a website that shows kids tips and tricks on how to make a movie. This website also includes movie-
making news in kid friendly formats.
Kerproof Studio. Retrieved from http://www.kerpoof.com/
This is a kid friendly website that allows kids to make their own cartoon movies. They can pick their own
settings along with their own characters.
Tumbletown Movie Maker Games. Retrieved from http://www.tvokids.com/games/tumbletownmoviemaker
This is a website instructs kids step-by-step on how to make a movie. It is in a animated game format. They
can create and watch movies.
ABCya! Animation for Kids. (2012) Abcya! animation for kids. Retrieved from
http://www.abcya.com/animate.htm
This is an online tool for kids to make their own animated video. It gives kids many tools to make their
animated video.
CONNECTION TO THE THEME

What are INTERACTIONS? You and your partner need to operationalize your own definition of interactions.

Interaction, essentially, is the movement of ideas between people. This communication can happen
with direct conversations between people, or it can happen through media such as books, television, films,
advertisements, and the internet. Any type of communication that can result in an exchange of perceptions
between people. Interactions can result in a change of beliefs, the formation of an opinion, or even the
combination of multiple ideas.
People interact everyday in completely different ways. It can be through speaking, dressing a certain
way, or even the expression of ideas. Interaction involves cultures coming together in different ways. For
instance, when we greet someone, we usually say something like Hello! and we shake their hand. People
from different cultures might say or do something different than this. How we interact with people from different
cultures has an impact on how we live day to day. Having interactions with people from different cultures
creates a certain amount of respect for others.


How is the concept of INTERACTIONS depicted by your topic? Thoroughly explore how INTERACTIONS are
depicted in your topic, especially in relation to your definition.

One of the main ways of communicating ideas in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries has been
through film. In America, our culture has shifted from interacting through print sources such as books,
newspapers, and magazines, to interacting through technology in the form of television, film, and, more
recently, the internet.
One of the most long-standing ways of interacting with people in our own culture, as well as people
outside of our culture, has been through the art of film. Films give multiple people an opportunity to
communicate their ideas to a wide audience. The filmmaking process itself involves the interaction of
numerous ideas--through the formation of the initial idea, to the different ideas presented when writing the
script, the way the director visualizes the script and the way the actors portray the script, even down to the way
the final product is edited. The entire process involves the interaction of hundreds of ideas to create what will
eventually be seen by the masses. The audience who views the film will then interact with the film by taking
their prior experiences and ideas and combining that with what they have just viewed to create a new
interpretation.
Our unit involves students not only exploring the film industry in North Carolina, but they will also be
creating a film product. With students working together to complete a film, they will be interacting with each
other to express their own ideas and formulate new ones. The filmmaking process is very complex because it
involves many roles. Each student participating in the filmmaking process will have to learn and understand
how to collaborate with their peers and accept ideas from others. By interacting with each other, they will
produce a public service announcement for others to watch to get an understanding of the tax incentive and
how it helps North Carolina.
Bringing the film industry to North Carolina has made a huge impact on local business and economies.
Having productions come to the communities in North Carolina has boosted tourism within the state. In return,
with more people coming to visit famous filming sites, these people are visiting and spending money in local
business. For instance, if a film decides to use a particular restaurant in a community, this restaurant is more
than likely going to become popular to tourists. This will then increase the revenue of that restaurant.
Interactions between film production and local business helps our state economy continue to thrive.
The film industry coming to our state has also contributed to a change in culture in North Carolina.
When people from around the country, or even around the world, come to our community, there is an inevitable
interaction between cultures. The ideas that the Hollywood types bring to a region such as eastern North
Carolina may open up North Carolinians eyes to experiences that they could have outside the state. The
culture in our region may open the Hollywood types eyes to a more laidback lifestyle, which is offered in
many of the small towns that are used for locations in North Carolina films.
Our topic, which focuses on filmmaking in North Carolina, concerns a multitude of interactions. Our
definition of interactions spotlights a movement of ideas and a communication between cultures, which is
evident throughout the filmmaking process, as well as the film industry in North Carolina.


TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
Storyboard That
Storyboard That is an online storyboarding program. After creating an account, you are able to create
your own storyboard easily using the drag-and-drop format. Storyboard That allows you to get creative with
your storyboard by coloring your own character and background, along with adding text.
We will be using Storyboard That for the storyboarding process in lesson two of our unit. The students
will be put into partners to work together to create their own storyboard. After creating their storyboard, they will
present their storyboard to the class so that we can vote on the best storyboard.
We chose Storyboard That because it is very user friendly for children. The students will be able to
create a clear and concise storyboard to present to their other classmates with this easy program.

Celtx
Celtx is an online scriptwriting program. The website allows you to create an account where you can
save scripts that you are working on. When you are writing your script, the writing tool helps you to write your
script using the correct formatting. It also allows you to share your script with anyone or save it as a PDF to
your computer.
We will be using Celtx as a way for our students to create the script that they will use for their Public
Service Announcement product. A small group of students will be in charge of using the chosen storyboard to
create the script, which will convey the students ideas about the Wilmington film industry.
We chose to use Celtx because it is user friendly and will allow students to save their work easily. It will
also alleviate time we would have had to use to teach scriptwriting, since the program does the formatting for
the students.
Weebly
Weebly is a unique way to easily create your own website that will cater to anyones technological
needs. It features a drag-and-drop website builder that is easy for people of any age to use. You can
customize Weebly to have videos, links, pictures, and text to make your website more user friendly. Weebly is
especially good for educators because it is easy for young children to use by themselves.
Using Weebly in our unit will allow us to link any useful resources that we want our students to see
easily. Any information that they will need during our lessons can be found in one place by using Weebly.
Using this website will also be helpful to parents so that they can see not only what we are doing in our lessons,
but the final product that students create, which is the public service announcement.
We chose to use Weebly because we are both familiar with the website features. We have used
Weebly before in previous graduate school classes, along with creating Webquests for our students. With
Weebly being used often in schools, students will already be familiar with the layout of the website.
Edmodo
Edmodo is a website that allows students and teachers to connect in an environment that is safe and
very similar to social media (thus very appealing to students). The site allows for teachers to post assignments
and quizzes, show students deadlines through the calendar feature, and have class discussions online.
During camp, our students will primarily use Edmodo for discussion purposes. Students will post
responses to our various Points to Ponder throughout the unit, update their classmates on their filmmaking
progress, and even respond to the guest speakers we plan on inviting to the class.
We chose to use Edmodo because many students in Pitt County Schools are familiar with the website.
It is also accessible through a computer or through an app on an iOS device. It will also show how students
ideas may have changed throughout the camp and how their opinions may differ from their classmates.
Digital Cameras
We will use digital cameras to film the actual public service announcement, as well as take photos
during the film process. The digital cameras will serve as a great tool to easily move around with to use in
different places. Students will be able to film inside, outside, and all throughout the building we will be in. This
will be helpful and save time.
iMovie
iMovie is a film editing program created by Apple. The great thing about iMovie is that it can be used on
a Mac, iPad, or even an iPhone. Since many students are familiar with these types of devices, iMovies user-
friendly interface becomes even more accessible for students. iMovie gives you the ability to upload videos,
pictures, and music straight from your device. You then have the ability to edit your film by adding text, effects,
or animation in order to create your final product.
Students will use iMovie in order to create their Public Service Announcement. They will use the photos
and video that they take on the iPads to put together their final product, using the effects that they choose.
They will be able to either use this program on iPads or Macs, depending on what we can provide them.
We chose to use the iMovie program because we are both very familiar with the program, having used
it for projects in the past. It is great that the program is also very user-friendly, so that we can spend the
majority of our time assisting students in the creative process of making their film, rather than teaching them
how to use the program itself. We also love how it can be used on either a Mac or other iOS device, which will
make it easier for us if we are limited to certain devices.

CONTENT OUTLINE

I. History of film in North Carolina
A. Governor James B. Hunt commissioned the North Carolina Film Office in 1980
B. Academy award-winning filmmaker Dino DeLaurentiis introduces Wilmington to Hollywood in
1983
1. He decided to start the Entertainment Group Film Studios in Wilmington in 1984
2. He lost the studios due to bankruptcy and was bought out by the Carolco Company in
1990
C. EUE/Screen Gems bought the studios and still runs it today
D. Popular films made in North Carolina:
1. Iron Man 3
2. The Hunger Games
3. Dawsons Creek
4. Safe Haven
II. North Carolina tax incentives
A. North Carolina began offering filmmakers tax incentives to persuade them to film in the state.
B. Tax incentives have gone under changes in recent years.
1. From 2005-2009
a) income tax credit of 15% of production expenses
b) credit limit of $7.5 million per film
c) refunds if credit exceeds tax liability
d) Production company must spend at least $250,000 in the state
2. From 2010-present
a) The production team for the movie Last Song decided to film in Georgia instead
of North Carolina, due to better incentives
b) Governor Beverly Purdue changed the incentives offered, in order to attract
filmmakers again
(1) North Carolina offers filmmakers a 25% income tax credit
(2) To receive incentives, filmmakers must spend at least $250,000 in North
Carolina
(3) The state offers refunds for money filmmakers spend over $20 million
III. Impacts of film making on Wilmington community
A. The industry has helped the economy in particular communities
1. Workers from outside the state some purchase property in the area
2. Workers spend money at local restaurants and hotels
B. Increases in tourism within the state
1. Tourists visit film sites that they have seen in movies and television shows
2. Pieces of some sets and props have been left behind in places such as the Fort
Johnson-Southport Museum & Visitors Center
C. Movie productions and actors contribute to the community
1. Chad Michael Murray started a football team for young kids in the Wilmington
Community
2. Film crew of Safe Haven left props from the movie to the Southport museum
D. Creates jobs for people in the community.
1. Wilmington has local film crew that can get hired each time a film is made here
IV. Process of making a film
A. Sequence of production
1. Preproduction
a) Storyboarding
(1) Animation of the movie describing the different camera angles
(2) Plans out different scenes in the order of which they will occur
b) Script writing
(1) Scripts should include exactly what the actors are going to say
(2) Stage directions should include what the actors should be physically
doing
c) Designing sets and props
(1) Set should contribute to the scene
(2) Props are anything the actors need to use
d) Advertising
(1) Any type of advertisement for your film should attract an audience to view
your product
2. Production
a) Blocking
(1) Director tells the actors exactly where they should be on the set
b) Shooting techniques
(1) Keeping the camera steady
(2) Using correct lighting
(3) Framing the subject
(4) Zooming in and out
(5) Transitions in the movie
(6) Length of scene
3. Post Production
a) Putting shots in order
b) Musical additions to film
c) Special effects
V. Roles of film production
A. Screenwriter- writes the script
B. Director- directs actors and crew to create a visual version of the script
C. Producer- oversees the production stage, may also help create the conditions of the film, such
as finding funds for filming
D. Actors- portrays the characters in the script, on screen
E. Camera Operator- films the scenes being portrayed
F. Film Editor- puts together different scenes and adds effects, as needed
G. Set Designer- designs the sets to be used on film
H. Prop Master- designs and keeps track of all props




















LESSON #1
Sand, Sun! Movies?


I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND
CONTENT



LESSON OBJECTIVE

The students will demonstrate knowledge of North
Carolina tax incentives by writing a reflection on
how those incentives benefit filmmakers, the
community and the state.

POINT TO PONDER

Tax incentives are the only element that attracts the
film industry to North Carolina.


ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How do tax incentives help filmmakers and how do
they benefit the community through positive
INTERACTIONS?
How do different roles INTERACT in order to
contribute to the filmmaking process?

CONTENT

Outline the content you will teach in this lesson.


" History of film in NC
# Governor James B. Hunt
commissioned the North Carolina
Film Office in 1980
# Academy award-winning filmmaker
Dino DeLaurentiis introduces
Wilmington to Hollywood in 1984
# In the late 1980s and 1990s, North
Carolina brings in films like Bull
Durham and Dirty Dancing
# Television production Dawsons
Creek comes to Wilmington in 1998
and stays for six seasons
# One Tree Hill comes to Wilmington
after the filming of Dawsons Creek
wraps up and stays for nine seasons
# North Carolina Governor Mike Easley
creates tax incentives to bring
productions to the state in 2006
# Popular films made in North Carolina:
$ Iron Man 3
$ The Hunger Games
$ Dawsons Creek
$ Safe Haven
" North Carolina tax incentives
o North Carolina offers filmmakers a
25% income tax credit
o To receive incentives, filmmakers
must spend at least $250,000 in North
Carolina
o The state offers refunds for money
filmmakers spend over $20 million
" Roles of film production
o Screenwriter- writes the script
o Director- directs actors and crew to
create a visual version of the script
o Producer- oversees the production
stage, may also help create the
conditions of the film, such as finding
funds for filming
o Actors- portrays the characters in the
script, on screen
o Camera Operator- films the scenes
being portrayed
o Film Editor- puts together different
scenes and adds effects, as needed
o Set Designer- designs the sets to be
used on film


II. PRE-PLANNING



What will students UNDERSTAND as a result of this
lesson? How does this connect to the Essential
Question?

Students will understand how tax incentives benefit
filmmakers, the community and the state.
Students will understand that different roles go into
the filmmaking process and that each of those roles
will contribute to a successful film product.
This connects to the essential question by showing
how tax incentives have brought the film industry to
the state and how it benefits the community, as well
as how the different roles INTERACT with one
another.

What will students be able to DO as a result of this
lesson?

Students will be able to write a brief reflection about
how their opinions have changed related to why the
film industry is in North Carolina.
Students will be able to correctly match famous
people in the film industry to their correct job title.


III. PLANNING



HOOK

Describe how you will grab students attention at the
beginning of the lesson.

BE CREATIVE.

Show final battle scene from Iron Man 3 (link on
Weebly). Ask students where they think this could
have been filmed. Do they think it could have been
filmed in North Carolina? Show students a photo of
the Port of Wilmington (see Weebly site) and
explain that the location is in Wilmington.
(3 minutes)

INSTRUCTION

Explain Step-by-step what you will do
in this lesson. Be explicit about ties to Points to
Ponder, Essential Question, and Interactions here.
Include ALL support and teaching materials with your
unit.

Give a brief history of films that were made
in North Carolina and how it all started. We
will give this history through the use of a
Prezi presentation (link on Weebly). (15
minutes)
" Give students individual KWL chart. Explain
that they should think about why the film
industry in North Carolina is so successful
(as well as how this industry INTERACTS
with the community). They should list these
ideas on K column. Then they should think
of what else they would like to know and list
this in the W column. (5 minutes)
" Have students brainstorm a list of roles used
in the film industry. Put a list of most
common filming roles on the board. Have
students briefly turn to a partner to talk to
them about their prior knowledge about
these roles as well as how the different roles
INTERACT to create one film. (5 minutes)
" Display list of important roles in the film
industry along with their descriptions on the
board (Powerpoint is on Weebly site).
Around the room will be centers that have
the name of a famous person in the industry
with a description of their responsibilities.
Explain to students that their job is to match
the famous person with their role. In order to
do so, they will be given index cards, where
they should write the name of the job, fold it
up and put it in the basket at the correct
center. (10 minutes)
" For each center, reveal to students what
famous person they matched the role with. If
all of the students agreed upon one person
(for the most part), have a volunteer explain
to everyone why that is a match. If there was
disagreement, have volunteers defend their
choices and come up with the correct
answer as a class. (10 minutes)
" Play a quick I Have, Who Has game with
the roles and their descriptions. (3
minutes)
" Give students back their KWL charts (from
beginning of lesson) and have students write
down what they have learned about the film
industry in North Carolina. Have students
talk about how their prediction differs from
the real reason the industry is here (tax
incentives). Also talk about whether or not
their prediction still serves as another reason
the industry might be here (does it serve as
an added bonus?). Students will then get on
Edmodo and reflect on how their opinions
have changed, using a rubric to guide them.
(10 minutes)

ASSESSMENT

(Performance Task) What will the students DO to
demonstrate that they have mastered the content? Be
specific and include actual assessment with unit
materials.

Students reflections will serve as their assessment.
We will use the attached rubric to assess their
responses. (10 minutes)

(This shows the students knowledge of the tax
incentive portion of the lesson objective and the
short that students will post on Edmodo will show
their knowledge of their role).

DOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENTS HAVE
MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE? YES OR NO

ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
See Weebly site for additional online resources.
Wilmington Film Industry KWL Chart - Lesson 1
What I Know What I Want to Know What I Learned

















Center Materials


























I Have, Who Has Game

I am the screenwriter. Who
designs the sets to be used on
film?
I am the director. Who oversees
the production stage, helps
create the condition of the film
and finds funding for the film?
I am the Set Designer. Who
directs actors and crew to
create a visual version of the
script?

I am the producer. Who puts
together different scenes and
adds effects for the film?

I am the film editor. Who
portrays the characters in the
script and on screen?
I am the actor. Who films the
scenes being portrayed?
I am the camera operator. Who
writes the script?

Edmodo Reflection Rubric- Lesson 1
Not at all Somewhat Completely Total
Student has
correctly explained
why the film
industry is drawn
to North Carolina.
0 2.5 5

Student has
explained how
their opinion of
what brings the
film industry to the
state/
0 2.5 5

Total Score (out of 10)


































LESSON #2
Role Call!


I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND
CONTENT



LESSON OBJECTIVE

Students will demonstrate understanding of the film
process by INTERACTING with a partner to create a
storyboard to map out their Public Service
Announcement.
Students will understand the importance of the tax
incentives by INTERACTING with a Wilmington
business owner via Skype interview.

POINT TO PONDER

The positive impacts of the film industry outweigh the
money put forth in tax incentives.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How have the tax incentives helped businesses in
the Wilmington community?
How does storyboarding impact the filmmaking
process?

CONTENT

Outline the content you will teach in this lesson.


" Impacts of film making on communities.
# Jon Cornick moved to Wilmington
after producing two movies in the area
# By introducing people to the
Wilmington area, many of these
people come to love Wilmington and
sometimes move there. This brings
homeowners into Wilmington.
# David Lyons was an actor in the
movie Safe Haven. He ate daily at the
Fishy Fishy in Southport, NC.
# People working on a film will spend
money at a local business when in
turn helps generate the Wilmington
economy.
# The cast of One Tree Hill held a
football game in Wilmington to raise
money for scholarships.
# James Lafferty raised money by
hosting a charity basketball game for
GirlsInc
# After filming the movie Safe Haven,
the Fort Johnson-Southport Museum
& Visitors Center had a visitor
increase from 5,000 in 2012 to more
that 9,100 this past year.
" Process of making a film (preproduction).
# Storyboards are used to map out your
thoughts when beginning the
filmmaking process
" Definition of a Public Service Announcement:
" Messages made to raise
awareness or change attitudes and
behavior towards a social issue.


II. PRE-PLANNING



What will students UNDERSTAND as a result of this
lesson? How does this connect to the Essential
Question?

Students will understand how the filmmaking process
begins through the creation of storyboards. Students
will also understand the positive impacts the film
industry has had on the Wilmington area.
This connects to the essential question because
students will show the importance of tax incentives
through the content that they include in their
storyboard

What will students be able to DO as a result of this
lesson?

Students will be able to create a storyboard to map
out their PSA, which will include the positive impacts
mentioned by the Wilmington business owner.



III. PLANNING



HOOK

Describe how you will grab students attention at the
beginning of the lesson.

BE CREATIVE.

Show students video highlighting popular Wilmington
film sites (link on Weebly). Discuss with students-
other than the tax incentives, why would Wilmington
be a good location to film? (4 minutes)




INSTRUCTION

Explain Step-by-step what you will do
in this lesson. Be explicit about ties to Points
" Discuss the positive impacts that the film
industry has had through its INTERACTIONS
with the Wilmington community. Mention
examples such as restaurants, hotels,
tourism, and the jobs that it creates. We will
to Ponder, Essential Question, and Interactions
here. Include ALL support and teaching materials
with your unit.

give this information through the use of a
Prezi presentation. (10 minutes)
" Have students pair up and think of 2-3
questions they would like to ask a Wilmington
business owner about how their business has
been affected by the film industry. (5 minutes)
" If students have trouble coming up with
questions, teachers can get them
started with the following guiding
questions: How do you believe your
business has been impacted by the
local film industry? Do you think that
your business would be negatively
impacted if the local film industry were
no longer around? Do you believe that
the film industry helps create jobs in
your area? How so?
" Skype interview with Wilmington business
owner, using the questions that the students
came up with. (15 minutes)
" Explain that we will be creating a Public
Service Announcement on the Wilmington
film industry. The purpose of a Public Service
Announcement is to make the public aware of
issues within a community and how they may
be solved. Our particular issue being that
some lawmakers are trying to take tax
incentives in North Carolina away. Show
students PSA example (on Weebly site). Ask
students what they noticed about the PSA. (5
minutes)
" Ask how we could use a PSA to help the
Wilmington film industry. As a whole group,
come up with a list of important facts that we
may want to include on the PSA. Explain to
them they need to focus on the
INTERACTIONS between the film industry
and the community. Have students get into
partners, where they will do a quick outline of
their PSA in their COW notebook. (10
minutes)
" Explain to students that we are going to be
mapping out our Public Service
Announcement using a strategy called
storyboarding. Show students the first half of
the Toy Story- Storyboarding video (link on
Weebly- stop at 5:35). Remind students that
we will not be creating an animated video, but
we will still be following the same process. (7
minutes)
" Put students in the groups that they will be
creating their PSA in. Explain to students that
they will be using a website called Storyboard
That to create a Storyboard of their PSA.
Display the website to show students how to
navigate throughout the site. Have them
create a storyboard that maps out the PSA
using the storyboard maker at Storyboard
That, using a rubric to guide them. (link on
Weebly) (15 minutes).
" Show the rest of the Toy Story-
Storyboarding video. This part of the video
shows how the storyboard compares to the
final product. (4 minutes)

ASSESSMENT

(Performance Task) What will the students DO to
demonstrate that they have mastered the content?
Be specific and include actual assessment with unit
materials.

Students will respond to the essential questions
stated at the beginning of the lesson (How have the
tax incentives helped businesses in the Wilmington
community? How does storyboarding impact the
filmmaking process?) on the Edmodo site. We will
use the attached rubric to assess their responses. If
time runs out, students will complete this part at
home.

DOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENTS HAVE
MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE? YES OR NO

ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
See Weebly site for additional online resources.




















Storyboard Rubric- Lesson 2
Not at all Somewhat Completely Total
Title Box includes
title of PSA and
students' names.
0 2.5 5

Content in
storyboard is
related to North
Carolina film
industry.
0 2.5 5

Storyboard gives
students' views on
the tax incentives
possibly being cut
in North Carolina.
0 2.5 5

Storyboard
persuades the
audience of
importance of tax
incentives or
cutting tax
incentives.
0 2.5 5

Order of events in
PSA is obvious.
0 2.5 5

Storyboard
includes digital
illustrations from
StoryboardThat
program.
0 2.5 5

No errors in
grammar, spelling,
or punctuation.
0 2.5 5

Total Score (out of 35)



















Edmodo Reflection Rubric-Lesson 2
Not at all Somewhat Completely Total
Student has
explained how the
tax incentives for
the film industry
have helped
businesses in the
Wilmington
community.
0 2.5 5

Student has used
examples from
Skype interview
guest in their
response.
0 2.5 5

Student explains
how storyboarding
impacts the
filmmaking
process.
0 2.5 5

Total score (out of 15 points)





























LESSON #3
Behind the Scenes


I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND
CONTENT



LESSON OBJECTIVE

Students will demonstrate knowledge of script
writing by INTERACTING with their group
members to create a script for their PSA.
Students will demonstrate their opinions that
they have formed about the Wilmington film
industry through the script that they write
together.

POINT TO PONDER

You can change the publics opinion through
the use of film.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How can we convey the importance of the
Wilmington film industry through a Public
Service Announcement?

CONTENT

Outline the content you will teach in this lesson.


" Elements of Scripts
# Setting- where it takes place
# Dialogue- what the characters
say
# Stage Directions- what the
characters do
# Types of Shots
# Extreme Close-Up- Subject
exceeds the boundaries of the
frame
# Close-Up- Frames a persons
face, cuts off at midneck, usually
shows entire head.
# Medium Close-up- Frames
head and upper torso, cuts off at
mid-chest.
# Medium Shot-Frames a
subject from the waist up
# Long Shot- Frames the subject
from the feet up or may be
slightly further away to show
motion
# Wide Shot-Camera is far away
from the action
# Types of Angles
# Low Angle-To film this shot,
the camera is placed lower than
the person or object to be filmed
# High angle- the camera must
be placed above the actors or
objects
# Dutch angle-the camera has to
be tilted to the right or left




II. PRE-PLANNING



What will students UNDERSTAND as a result of this lesson?
How does this connect to the Essential Question?


Students will understand how they can show
the importance of the Wilmington film industry
by creating a script to show their reasoning.
Students will understand the multiple
elements of a script (dialogue, stage
directions, etc.).
Students will connect this knowledge to the
essential question by creating a PSA that
conveys the importance of the Wilmington film
industry.

What will students be able to DO as a result of this lesson?

Students will be able to INTERACT with their
group members in order to create their PSA.


III. PLANNING



HOOK

Describe how you will grab students attention at the
beginning of the lesson.

BE CREATIVE.

Play game Guess that Script and have
students talk about what they notice about
each script and what each script entails.
(download from Weebly site) (5 minutes.)





INSTRUCTION

Explain Step-by-step what you will do in this lesson. Be
" Show students Sample Script
(http://www.readwritethink.org/files/res
ources/30683_script.pdf). Discuss the
different elements that are included
explicit about ties to Points to Ponder, Essential Question,
and Interactions here. Include ALL support and teaching
materials with your unit.

(setting, types of shots, etc.). (5
minutes)
" Explain to students that after
storyboarding, the next part of the
process is scriptwriting. We will be
using an online program called Celtx
to complete this process. Display the
Celtx website (link on Weebly site) and
show them how to navigate site. (5
minutes)
" Students will work in their PSA groups
to create their script for their PSA. It is
up to the students to decide how many
will be on camera (they can take turns
holding the camera or one person can
be designated as the camera operator,
etc). (30 minutes)
" Bring students back to the whole
group. Discuss the progress that has
been made from each group. Explain
to students that we will now be doing a
table read within each group so that
everyone is familiar with the script. As
the students read through the script,
teachers will walk around the room to
INTERACT with the groups and to
discuss the different parts of the script
that were included, such as the actions
and types of shots being used. (10
minutes)
" Explain to students that when filming,
different shots and angles can be used
to make a film more interesting. These
shots and angles INTERACT with the
other elements included in the script to
capture the audiences attention. Give
students the handouts to use as a
reference
(http://www.readwritethink.org/files/res
ources/30683_shots.pdf) and
(http://www.readwritethink.org/files/res
ources/30683_angles.pdf). Go through
the different types of shots and angles
on the note sheets and then have
groups discuss amongst themselves
what types of shots and angles they
can use in their PSA. They can add
this new information to their scripts on
Celtx. (10 minutes)

ASSESSMENT

(Performance Task) What will the students DO to
demonstrate that they have mastered the content? Be
specific and include actual assessment with unit materials.


Students will write a reflection on Edmodo,
where they explain how their script conveys
the importance of the Wilmington film industry,
as well as how the public may react to it. We
will use the attached rubric to assess their
responses. If time runs out, students will
complete this part at home. (5 minutes)

DOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENTS HAVE
MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE? YES OR NO

ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
See Weebly site for additional online resources.

Edmodo Reflection Rubric-Lesson 3
Not at all Somewhat Completely Total
Student explains
the importance of
the Wilmington film
industry to the
community.
0 2.5 5

Student explains
how their PSA
script will show this
importance.
0 2.5 5

Total points (out of 10)




















LESSON #4
And! Action!


I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND
CONTENT



LESSON OBJECTIVE

Students will demonstrate their knowledge of
operating a digital camera by putting their script on
screen.
Students will demonstrate knowledge of editing by
using iMovie to add transitions, music and other
appropriate effects to their PSA.
Students will capture their opinion on the Wilmington
film industry by creating a persuasive PSA.

POINT TO PONDER

Film is a powerful tool that can be used to persuade
an audience and even create jobs within a
community.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How does a community benefit from the
INTERACTIONS with a large industry such as the
film industry?

CONTENT

Outline the content you will teach in this lesson.


Impacts of film making on communities.
This year marked the second annual NC Film
Rally in Wilmington, NC.
Rally is sponsored by Wilmington Regional
Film Commission.
People attending the rally try to convince
lawmakers to keep tax incentives by
explaining the benefits of having the film
industry in the community.
Digital Cameras- tool that you can use to record
IMovie- production software tool used on
Macbooks or iPads
Effects can be added
Publishing can be done to complete product


II. PRE-PLANNING



What will students UNDERSTAND as a result of this
lesson? How does this connect to the Essential
Question?
Students will understand how to operate a digital
camera, edit their film, and appropriately show their
opinion through film. This connects to the essential
question by showing the targeted audience ways the
public can benefit from the film industry in
Wilmington.

What will students be able to DO as a result of this
lesson?

Students will be able to correctly operate a digital
camera to film their work, use the iMovie program to
edit their work, and INTERACT with their audience to
demonstrate their opinion on the Wilmington film
industry.


III. PLANNING



HOOK

Describe how you will grab students attention at the
beginning of the lesson.

BE CREATIVE.

Show FILM=JOBS rally video (link on Weebly site).
Have the students discuss with their groups how
their PSA relates to the video. (4minutes)

INSTRUCTION

Explain Step-by-step what you will do in this lesson.
Be explicit about ties to Points to Ponder, Essential
Question, and Interactions here. Include ALL support
and teaching materials with your unit.


" Have students discuss with their groups the
qualities that the speaker in the video had
and decide whether or not he successfully got
his point across. How can they use
strategies that are similar or different from his
to make their PSA more persuasive? (4
minutes)
" Explain to students that they will now begin
filming their PSA. Hand out digital cameras
and briefly explain how to operate them
(more specific instructions will come when we
know how to operate them). (4 minutes)
" Students will work in their groups to film their
product. Teachers will INTERACT with
groups to assist them as needed. (30
minutes)
" Show students example video (link on
Weebly site) that was created by the
teachers. Once students have watched the
video ask them what their opinion of the video
was. Was it exciting? Was it persuasive?
What could we have done to improve it? (5
minutes)
" Pull up the same video in iMovie (display
using LCD projector). Explain that we will now
be using the program to edit our work in a
way that will make it more interesting. Show
students how to navigate iMovie by adding
effects such as music, transitions, credits,
etc. Have the students participate by giving
teachers ideas throughout the editing
process. (10 minutes)
" Give students the rubric that will be used to
evaluate their PSA. Have students come up
with a tentative plan of edits that they could
make in iMovie on their PSA. They may want
to write this list down in their COW notebook.
Explain to students that their plan may
change when they are actually editing, but it
is a good idea to start with a plan. (10
minutes)
" When students come back to work on their
products, they will be expected to get on
iMovie and finalize their PSA. Teachers will
INTERACT with groups to assist as needed.
(40 minutes)

ASSESSMENT

(Performance Task) What will the students DO to
demonstrate that they have mastered the content?
Be specific and include actual assessment with unit
materials.

Using rubric provided, students will demonstrate their
knowledge of camera operating, editing, content and
views by completing their PSA.


DOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENTS HAVE
MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE? YES OR NO

ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
See Weebly site for additional online resources.
















Public Service Announcement Film Rubric-Lesson 4
Not at all Somewhat Completely Total
Students' opinion
is stated in the
PSA.
0 2.5 5
Students'
argument is
persuading to their
audience.
0 2.5 5
Students correctly
discuss tax
incentives in North
Carolina.
0 2.5 5
Students discuss
the impact the
industry has had
on the Wilmington
community.
0 2.5 5
Students add
appropriate effects
using iMovie.
0 2.5 5
Overall, the film is
attractive and
enjoyable.
0 2.5 5
Total points (out of 30)