CLEVELAND, Ohio — It's a growing global industry and Ohio is starting to cash in.
All sorts of movies have filmed here and education is one of the keys to keep production thriving.
In 2018, Cleveland State University’s School of Film and Media Arts open as Ohio’s only stand-alone film school.
“The purpose of the school is to create a workforce here in Cleveland that will stay in Northeast Ohio and work on the films that come into town and create new work also,” explains Professor and Founding Director, Frederic Lahey.
“More work will definitely come our way in Cleveland and Ohio if the state legislature increases the state tax incentives.”
The current number is at $40 million, which Lahey says is substantial and brings in good traffic, “but in order to justify building studios and having a series here, that’s going to take an increase in tax incentives.”
Recently the CSU film school received a combined donation of $1 million to build a 75 seat screening room and create The Odyssey program; a summer camp for high school students.
“In high school to be working in video, we want to give them the tools, the same as we’d be teaching, grammar and good writing skills, to teach them how to communicate most effectively,” he says.
Lahey says participating in a global economy, like the film industry, is a linchpin to successful communities.
“When we have skilled storytellers who can create compelling characters and bring audiences into the lives of Cleveland characters, that’s a huge thing for our local community.”
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