Gov. Bob McDonnell and AMC announced Friday that Turn (working title), a new series for AMC being produced by AMC Studios, will be filming in Central Virginia. The pilot for the film was shot in the Richmond area earlier this year and AMC recently reported that it has ordered a ten-episode season of the show to premiere on AMC in 2014. Turn is based on the nonfiction book “Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring” by Alexander Rose. The story is centered on a band of young soldiers and civilians who were part of a top-secret spy ring that assisted George Washington and helped America to win the Revolutionary War.
The first season of the series will begin shooting this fall and be completed in the spring. Turn was developed and is being written by Craig Silverstein (Nikita) and stars Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, The Adventures of Tintin). Executive Producers are Silverstein and Barry Josephson (Bones). AMC is the television home of some of the most popular dramas in cable television including Mad Men, The Walking Dead and the recently-ended Breaking Bad, created by Virginia native Vince Gilligan. AMC Studios produces The Walking Dead and the upcoming 2014 AMC series Halt and Catch Fire, as well as Turn. The studio division of AMC also co-produces Low Winter Sun and is currently in production on the pilot Line Of Sight, directed by Jonathan Demme.
McDonnell remarked, “I am pleased to welcome AMC and Turn back to the Commonwealth to film this series. Our administration has been committed to putting in place policies that help the private sector create good jobs for Virginians, and one way we have successfully achieved this is through encouraging and facilitating the production of more films and television shows in the state.”
“Virginia is obviously the perfect setting for a Revolutionary War drama. While other states were seriously considered due to very aggressive financial incentives, we are glad we were able to work so productively with Governor McDonnell and the Virginia Film Office to bring Turn to an ideal production location that shares significant history with the events we are depicting on screen,” said Stefan Reinhardt, senior vice president of finance and studio operations for AMC.
Virginia Film Office Director Andy Edmunds commented, “Landing an original television series is an important milestone for our industry. Long-term job opportunities for cast, crew and other related businesses will be a major catalyst towards growing a sustainable and thriving production industry in Virginia. AMC simply produces some of the best content in the business, and we are proud to be partnering with them on this outstanding series.”
The film industry in Virginia plays a significant role in the state’s economy. In 2011, total economic impact of the film and television industry in Virginia was $394.4 million, a 14.5 percent increase over 2010. In addition, 3,817 jobs were attributed to the film industry in 2011, up from 2,651 jobs in 2010.
Turn will be eligible for Virginia incentives based on actual expenditures in the Commonwealth, and other added-value deliverables including Virginia Tourism advertising. The economic impact of Turn shooting in Virginia is estimated to be $45 million per season. For more information about Virginia’s film industry, visit the Virginia Film Office website atFilmVirginia.org.
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