KY Governor Andy Beshear Welcomes the West Kentucky Film Commission at Madisonville Launch

When the state (or Commonwealth) in which you live becomes an attractive destination for Hollywood filmmakers, a huge press event at one of its finest entertainment centers is the perfect spot for the official launch.

Governor Andy Beshear Welcomes Film Commission

The invaluable Kentucky Entertainment Incentive (KEI) has made it very affordable for directors to use the wonderfully cinematic cities and landscapes of the Bluegrass State as settings for their work. Governor Andy Beshear is just as excited as the rest of us that Tinseltown is paying such close attention to us. It makes something like the all-new West Kentucky Film Commission not just an exciting new business but a necessary one.

After championing the collaborative efforts of leadership in Madisonville/Hopkins County, Oak Grove, Owensboro, Bowling Green, Paducah, Henderson, Franklin, Central City, and others, Governor Beshear spoke of how the commission is one way we can "share the things we love about Kentucky with the rest of the world."

The West KY Film Commission

And on the financial front, the following comment was music to my ears...

According to a recent report in Bloomberg, Kentucky is leading the nation in increased spending on film production, clocking in at 800% higher than the next state.

 

Naturally, the governor dropped the names of Hollywood A-listers Ethan Hawke, Gus Van Sant (a Louisville native), and Dustin Hoffman, who have filmed movies in Kentucky over the last two years.

The West Kentucky Film Commission already has a soundstage in Owensboro in the old Malco and Legacy Church building.

It joins the Eastern Kentucky Film Commission and the Southern Kentucky Film Commission to form a filmmaking collective that will help the Commonwealth rival already-established non-Hollywood production centers like Atlanta and Vancouver.

As someone who has always believed Kentucky was ripe for film production, this is some of the most exciting news I've ever heard as a lifelong citizen in the Bluegrass State.