We do not help individuals or companies find local money for film projects. However, we have developed the following list of grants and other funding sources that are available for filmmakers.
We are fortunate to have several respected film school programs in the Piedmont Triad region. While there are many area universities and colleges that offer film courses, here are links to the Universities and Community Colleges that offer a degree in film.
If you have no experience, please send us a resume and we will keep it on file as some production companies are willing to hire someone with little to no experience as production assistants. For your first production job (without any prior training or experience) it is recommended that you volunteer your assistance while you gain experience and began to make connections with other professional crew within the region.
Many production companies will reach out to local film programs within the region’s universities, colleges, and community colleges seeking out interns for projects.
You must have at least 2 professional credits in a specific technical role, etc. to be listed in that category on our website and in our production guide. If you qualify you can add yourself to the database here.
We are proud to have several prestigious film festivals in the Piedmont Triad and throughout NC. Click here to learn more!
You are not required to check in with us, but we strongly encourage you to contact our office before you begin filming. We can offer information and assistance with your project, and we will keep your information confidential unless you request otherwise.
The film incentive applies to films with a minimum budget of $3 million. However, the Piedmont Triad Film Commission office will provide support for projects with any size budget.
The film office can provide assistance in gaining permission to shoot at city and county sites, give you information on road closure procedures, and with any special production resources not available within your film school. We are also happy to help advise you about locations in the region. However, many locations registered with our office will only allow filmmaking on their premises with a location fee and production insurance that professional companies will provide. Location choices may be more limited for student filmmakers without a locations budget. We are proud of the film school programs in our region and make every effort, time permitting, to assist their productions.
Production offices are extremely busy and cannot field hundreds of calls from job seekers as they are preparing to film. That is why most film production companies provide fax numbers or an email address only. Production companies are not trying to avoid you; they are simply trying to do their work and control interruptions. The film commission will provide a fax number or email address to crew for the production company only if they provide it to us for that purpose.
When a production company comes to town, they will set up a production office and hire an extras casting coordinator. You can check our website’s Facebook posts or news tab and also the NC Film Office website, www.ncfilm.com, for information on projects being filmed in NC. If contact information is not provided, it is because the production has not opened an office or has not yet allowed the release of that information. Please do not send headshots to our office.
There are many local classes offered for acting. It’s best, if you have no experience, to first take lessons or try acting for regional theaters. If you have experience, your best bet for acting jobs is contacting a talent agency for representation.
Piedmont Triad Acting Classes and Community Theaters
Actor’s Group 336-201-6051 https://www.actorsgroup.net
Community Theater of Greensboro 336-333-7470 https://ctgso.org
Stained Glass Playhouse – 336-661-4949 http://stainedglassplayhouse.org
Triad Actor’s Co-op 336-510-8501 http://www.actorsco-op.com
Winston-Salem Little Theatre 336-748-0857 https://www.ltofws.org/acting-classes
Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance – 336-723-7777 https://www.theatrealliance.ws
Talent Agencies
Artists Resource Agency, Inc. 336-349-6167 http://www.artistsresourceagency.com/html/contact_us.html
Directions USA, Inc. 336-292-2800 https://www.directionsusa.com/landing
Marilyn’s, Inc. 336-292-5950 https://marilynsagency.com/
The Burns Agency 336-744-5037 https://www.theburnsagencyonline.com
Professional film production companies will pay to rent homes, businesses, and other locations. The amount paid for use of property varies depending on the type of shoot (studio feature film, independent feature film, commercial, still shoot), the size of the productions budget, how many hours and days they’d be on the property, how many people will be on the property and whether or not the property owners are supplying anything else other than the site, for instance, electricity.
If ever approached by a production company about filming at a property you own, please contact us at info@piedmontfilm.com. We will be able to verify the legitimacy of the production and advise you, if needed, on typical day rates for your specific property.
Thank you for your interest in listing with the film office. We rely on home and business owners to cooperate with filmmakers as these production companies come to the region and hire many locals and spend money on a myriad of businesses. Professional film production companies will pay to rent homes, businesses, and other locations.
If you have a digital camera, please take exterior shots of your home, business or property including:
• a shot of the front of the property
• a shot from the front of the property towards the front yard and then same with the back side of the property
• all property, including interior shots if it’s a business establishment or home (often best taken with a wide lens from opposite corners of a room).
• add any other interesting shots of and around the property
Please email photos of your property to info@piedmontfilm.com. Please include your contact information (name, address, home phone and cell phone) and a description of the location.
The official mission statement of the Piedmont Triad Film Commission is to create job opportunities, generate revenues, elevate regional visibility, and advocate economic development within the Piedmont Triad counties. These goals are accomplished by promoting and marketing the twelve-county Piedmont Triad region in order to recruit and facilitate the creation, production and filming of motion pictures, television programs and visual commercial advertisements with the region.
The film office serves as a resource to filmmakers providing an extensive photographic library, location scouting and pre-production and production assistance. We have helped find affordable office space and housing for visiting film companies as well as acted as the liaison with local governments. The locations photo archive includes thousands of photos that cover a range of locations of visible landmarks as well as residential neighborhoods, farms, lakes, industrial parks and college campuses. Recruiting films doesn’t require a costly upfront investment and brings outside investment in to the community. The film commission is a member of AFCI, the Association of Film Commissions International.
The film commission does not fund films, produce films or distribute films. The office does not serve as an employment agency or talent agency. It does post free listings of crew contact information on its website and in its annual production guide.