Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today that the amc television series TURN will be returning to Virginia to film its second season.
Based on Alexander Rose’s book Washington’s Spies, TURN is a historical thriller set during the Revolutionary War that recounts the story of America’s first spy ring. TURN features Abraham Woodhull(Jamie Bell), a farmer living in British-occupied Long Island who, along with his childhood friends, is part of a group of spies called the Culper Ring. This unlikely team of secret agents works with George Washington during the War for Independence, and in the process, creates espionage techniques still in use today. Season 2 picks up the story of Woodhull and his compatriots as they work to balance their ordinary lives and pursuits with the extraordinary circumstances in which they find themselves.
Governor McAuliffe commented, “The first season of TURN was exciting, entertaining and educational, and I never missed an episode. We are delighted to welcome amc back to Virginia for Season 2. We are proud to be associated with such a high-quality endeavor that also provides jobs and financial benefits for Virginia workers and businesses. I want to thank amc for continuing to share this great American story with the world, and for bringing such bounty to the Commonwealth.”
amc Networks Executive Vice-President of Original Programming, Production, and Digital Content Joel Stillerman stated, “Virginia has been an absolutely ideal home for TURN. The Virginia Film Office, the Governor’s Office, and the Virginia film community have been incredibly helpful in bringing the vision for this show to life, and the abundance of great locations and support resources have surpassed our expectations. It’s just a great place to make high quality television.”
“We believe in the value that film and television production brings to the Commonwealth,” said Maurice Jones, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “Projects like TURN help to lay the groundwork for a strong and vital industry that will provide significant benefit for Virginia.”
Virginia Film Office Director Andy Edmunds noted, “This is another huge win for Virginia. A television series is a gift that keeps on giving for the production industry in the Commonwealth. We are thrilled that the ongoing job and infrastructure expansion that occurred during Season 1 will continue. We also worked with amc to create a broadcast commercial promoting Virginia that was shown during each episode of TURN, thus shining a spotlight on the state’s exceptional tourism assets.”
The Virginia Tourism Corporation has also established a statewide tourism trail that features locations from the filming ofTURN, as well as other Colonial-era sites across the state. Locations from the series include several plantations as well as Old Towne Petersburg. Other statewide Revolutionary War-era destinations of interest include Mount Vernon, Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg.
TURN, Season 2 will begin filming this fall in the Richmond area, and is eligible to receive a Virginia film tax credit and grant. The exact amount will be based on the number of Virginia workers hired, Virginia goods and services purchased, and deliverables including Virginia tourism promotions.
In 2012 the economic impact of the film and television industry in Virginia totaled $328.4 million and provided 3,061 jobs with $50.5 million in tax revenue.
For more information about TURN please visit www.amctv.com/shows/TURN/about.
For information about Virginia tourism opportunities surrounding TURN, including the TURN Trail, please visitwww.Virginia.org/turn.
For information about Virginia’s film production industry, please visit the Virginia Film Office website atwww.FilmVirginia.org.