From left: Ross Breitenbach, head of unscripted and brand development with Wrigley Group Media, Wrigley Group CEO Joe Livecchi, Wrigley Media Group and LEX Studios owner Misdee Wrigley Miller, and Tim Sabo, studio manager and producer at LEX Studios.
Even from the outside, LEX Studios has the air of something state-of-the-art. Encompassing more than 50,000 square feet of production space, LEX Studios has everything that a movie and television production company could need. From studio space to soundstages, greenrooms, and screening areas, the production facility rivals anything one might find in Atlanta, New York, or Chicago.
The goal, according to owner Misdee Wrigley Miller and studio manager Tim Sabo, is to provide studio facilities, production and logistical services, and location support for production companies, studios, and filmmakers across the country. They aim to be the go-to facility for movie and television production outside of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta.
Started four years ago in the former Woodhill Cinemas building on Codell Drive, the studio space held its grand opening in late June. Miller said the facility was created to give production companies an alternative that was on the same level as facilities in cities accustomed to film and television production.
“This place had been abandoned for at least 10 years. It was very scary,” she said. “But it had 40-foot ceilings and was very soundproof. We knew it would work, but we knew that we needed to do it right. When the film incentives got reinstated, I thought, we’ve got these incredible incentives, we’re going to do everything we can to attract production to come to Kentucky, but we have no soundstages… I found a consultant who had built stages in California. We made the changes to build the size stages we have right now.”
The facility also features offices for all elements of a production, Sabo said.
“We have almost 30 offices here,” he said. “We have multiple productions going on here at one time. A lot of times, you have your production manager and crew over here, and then you have your art directors, makeup, and wardrobe as well. It just works great here because we’ve got the space for them.”
Additionally, the facility features dedicated high-speed internet access to ensure production companies can easily transfer files to video editing companies or special effects companies if needed.
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Available facilities at LEX Studios, located in the former Woodhill Theaters on Codell Drive, include meeting and dining areas, a wardrobe room, dressing rooms, and two large studio spaces.
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Sabo highlighted that production companies can rent out space to do pre-production planning, filming, and screenings all in the same place. By creating a space that is a virtual one-stop shop, he said, the facility hopes to lure filmmakers to the area and promote Central Kentucky as a filming location.
Alongside the facility’s sister company, Wrigley Media Group, the studio is already developing content and assisting other companies in producing films and television shows.
The facility’s appeal extends beyond its production space. Being located in Kentucky makes it a place where production companies can take advantage of film and TV tax incentives.
The Kentucky Entertainment Incentive (KEI) Program, part of the Kentucky Department of Economic Development, provides up to $75 million in tax credits for companies bringing film and television projects to the state. So far this year, the state has approved more than $32 million in tax credits for nearly three dozen productions, including at least eight in Fayette County and the surrounding area.
Among the incentives are a refund of 30 to 35 percent on scripted, unscripted, and reality projects. That tax credit applies to everything from set construction and operations to audio/visual equipment and services and payroll expenditures. Production companies may also be eligible for additional tax credits based on which county they do their production in.
What makes KEI so attractive is that it’s a cash refund instead of a credit, Sabo said. And, he noted, the refund applies to all out-of-state talent and crews, making it very attractive for out-of-state companies. Companies receive a 30 percent tax credit for using out-of-state talent and a 35 percent tax credit for using in-state talent.
“We’re doing everything in our power to help any companies that come to us see that they can save 30 cents on every dollar,” he said. “We’re just dead set on making sure that when a production is budgeting and thinking about where to film, when they’re looking at Connecticut, New Mexico, Atlanta, they’re also thinking that we’re in that mix, because we’re one of the best incentivized states in the country.”
The goal, according to Miller and Sabo, is not just to promote LEX Studios, but to show that Central Kentucky is a great location for filming.
“Almost all of our marketing strategy is twofold — it’s to promote the stages and to promote the state,” Sabo said. “We take the stance that any production that comes to Kentucky is good for everybody.”
Miller added that there’s a desire to provide workforce development opportunities as well.
“One of the first things that gets asked of us when productions are looking to come in is ‘What does your crew base look like?’” Miller said. “It’s not bad. We can pull from Cincinnati and Louisville. But I think more importantly, we need to develop our own robust workforce… that becomes such a great economic driver for Kentucky.”
Sabo expressed his hope to further improve entertainment production by fostering bootcamps to help everyone from actors to key grips get their feet wet in film and television production. LEX Studios also collaborates with students from Asbury University and the University of Kentucky’s film programs.
“We’ve got to expand this out to cover all aspects of production,” he said. “I want to do a soup-to-nuts bootcamp where we take a project, whether it’s a pilot or short film, and throw people into this production, not to make a profit but to teach them. For people who want to be involved in this industry, we’ll have these productions going on where they will be able to get that experience and see what’s going on.”