5 productions approved to be filmed in Utah
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Carter Williams, KSL.com
SALT LAKE CITY (KSL.com) – Five production projects, including a pair of TV series and three films, were approved to be filmed in Utah, state officials said Thursday.
The productions approved by the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development Board to film in Utah are:
- “The Chosen” — Season 2 (VidAngel streaming series)
- “The Outpost” — Season 4 (The CW TV series)
- “Alien County”
- “Michael McLean’s The Forgotten Carols”
- “Twice Upon a Song”
The five productions are believed to create 185 jobs with an economic impact of $6.5 million for the state, Utah Film Commission officials said.
The second season of “The Chosen” was announced in July. The faith-based show, which gained national entertainment headlines before it debuted last year because it became the largest crowd-funded series in history, centers on the story of Jesus Christ and his followers. According to VLF Media & Productions, the show has now drawn in $20 million in crowdfunding and its first season drew in nearly 50 million views across more than 180 countries.
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Film production in Utah County will begin in October, according to the Utah Film Commission. It’s estimated to bring the state $4 million.
“After looking at several locations worldwide, we immediately knew that Utah is the best place to film ‘The Chosen.’ Our production needed a specific look and we found it in Goshen,” said executive producer Derral Eves, in a statement.
“The Outpost,” produced by Syfy (a division of the NBCUniversal International Network), debuted in 2018. Its third season is set to air in October on The CW Television Network. The show’s first season was also filmed in Utah but production for subsequent seasons were filmed in Serbia.
Filming for the fourth season will begin in October and is expected to bring in $1.7 million to the state, according to the Utah Film Commission.
The other three projects were approved by the Community Film Incentive Program for small, local projects.
“Michael McLean’s The Forgotten Carols” will be a filmed production of the popular Christmas theater production, which has appeared on Utah stages for 28 years but won’t this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming is set to begin in Iron County this month with the expectation that it will be available for the Christmas holiday.
“Twice Upon a Song” is a film written and directed by Utah native Savannah Ostler and is a sequel to the 2019 film “Twice The Dream.” Production for the movie is set to begin in Utah County this month.
“Alien Country” is a sci-fi feature film based on various aspects of Utah’s desert.
“‘Alien Country’ was born out of our love for the Utah desert and recreational culture. From demolition derbies, to UFO sightings, to protecting sacred lands, this film celebrates the uniqueness of our home state and therefore had to be filmed here,” said Renny Grames, the movie’s co-director and co-producer.
It wasn’t immediately made clear when and where production will begin.
The Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development Board, which oversees the Utah Film Commission, has now approved a dozen productions since filming in the state was halted during the spring by the COVID-19 pandemic.