Birmingham City Council Approves Funding to Bring More Film, TV Productions

Birmingham city leaders approved new funding Tuesday aimed at bringing more film and TV productions to the Magic City.

The Birmingham City Council approved an agreement allocating $160,000 to Create Birmingham to continue attracting film and television projects. Officials said the investment will help boost the local economy and position Birmingham as a filmmaking destination.

Film Birmingham Director Lee Shook said the funding will help market the city as film friendly while also supporting local filmmakers.

“We would really like to see us position ourselves as a great sort of mid-tier city that we hope to grow into a bigger film hub,” Shook said. “For great indie filmmaking, we are primed and ready to go. We have so much to offer with assets, resources and crew, and we are here to help as the film office.”

City leaders said attracting productions brings more than just cameras it brings in more cash. Birmingham City Councilor Hunter Williams, who represents District 2, said having productions in the city benefits different industries.

“Not only is there a visibility for our city, but also when you have the crew in town and all of the different components that come with filmmaking, from rentals to everything else, the city of Birmingham wins tremendously,” Williams said.

Birmingham has already hosted notable productions, including “The Rivals of Amziah King,” which stars Matthew McConaughey and was filmed in the city in 2023. McConaughey recently spoke highly of his experience in Birmingham on a podcast, which is the type of exposure Create Birmingham hopes to continue generating.

“He was singing our praises as Birmingham and about what a great experience he had here,” Shook said. “For someone like him to come to our city, fall in love with the place, the food scene and the culture of the people, that’s a great calling card for us.”

While Shook said he cannot name specific upcoming projects, he said viewers can expect to see more movies and television shows filmed in Birmingham in the near future.