01-03-2025
Lights, camera, 'Soundstage'; Lights, camera, 'Soundstage'; Film and Television Studio opens in Owensboro
OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEHT) — Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear was in Owensboro for a special announcement that could catapult the Commonwealth's presence in the entertainment Kentucky Sound Stage, a new film studio has made its way to Frederica Street.
After visiting 53 of Kentucky's 120 counties, Kristi Kilday says she and Jeremy Winton made a spur of the moment drive down to Owensboro last April that ended in happy tears.
It's lights, camera, action on a new era of film and production. Previously a Malco cinema theater , a state of the art facility will house recording studios and production stages.
'Our highlight is a virtual production panel, and what that means is a 30 foot screen by 11foot tall. So, that means we can be literally anywhere. The movie Mandalorian was entirely filmed on the same equipment,' says Kilday.
In attendance for the grand opening, was Owensboro's Mayor Tom Watson and Governor Andy Beshear.
Co-Founder Jeremy Winton was born in Owensboro and says the Commonwealth is a filmmaker's dream.
'Kentucky has every landscape there is. We have mountains in the east…flatlands. We have great bodies of water. We have small towns…big towns,' says Winton.
Kilday says the city's family feel made her emotional.
'After the tour, I got into the car and started crying. Jeremy's like 'oh my god, what is wrong?what happened?' I said 'nothing'. There's just something special about this place,' says Kilday.
She says the Kentucky Entertainment Incentive program is a bonus.
'The producers get 35% or 30% back of the spending that they do in Kentucky. A lot of people say 'why are we giving these Hollywood people all of this money?'…the plus side is Kentucky's the winner. When we have $75 million of incentive money available to giveaway, it's $250 million of revenue at minimum coming into the state,' says Kilday.
In conjunction with the incentive, the goal is to create options for filmmakers, content creators and musicians looking to pursue their dreams close to home.
Just this week, Senate Bill 1 advanced. If approved, it that would create a central hub to oversee the State's entertainment industry.
'…bring together some of the talent that we have to make sure that they are active in it. I think the Economic Development Cabinet has done a great job in administering this incentive. I'm still just wanting to make sure that if it comes through, we can continue the good work we've done,' says Governor Beshear.
By the end of the summer, they'll have welcomed crews for 12 films through their doors.
The facility will bring hundreds of jobs to the area, with their first employee starting on Monday.
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