They/Them/Us Wrapping Filming in Columbus
They/Them/Us Wrapping Filming in Columbus
(Columbus, OH) — Film Columbus is excited to show continued support for the new film They/Them/Us. Shooting will wrap at the end of August with post production starting soon after. Starring Joey Slotnick (The Blacklist, Too Big to Fail) and Amy Hargreaves (13 Reasons Why, Homeland), the film is one of the first in the country to shoot under the new COVID-19 guidelines.
Additionally, this will be the first film produced under the umbrella of Columbus Pictures, a non-profit entity of the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) created in 2018. Columbus Pictures assembles potential local film-funding resources into one central source for filmmakers to solicit for investment in Columbus-produced films. While CAPA does not invest its own funds in film, Columbus Pictures is a way for CAPA to help establish Columbus as a premier destination for national and international film production, elevate the city’s global profile, and create a local cinematic arts community that bolsters the economy and expands the creative class.
Written and directed by Columbus resident Jon Sherman, They/Them/Us has also been approved for the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit. “I’m so excited to be able to shoot this movie in my adopted hometown,” says Sherman. “I’ve been working for a few years now with the wonderful film community here and this city is one of the best kept secrets in the country. It will be great to see it represented on screen.”
The film employs 20-30 local crew and 10-12 interns from Kenyon College, Columbus College of Art and Design, Otterbein University, and The Ohio State University. “Having films shot and produced here in Columbus is all about creating jobs,” stated John Daugherty, film commissioner for Columbus and the surrounding region. “These are local jobs that feed into the Columbus economy. In several independent economic impact studies from around the state, the return on investment for film projects is about $1.90 for every $1.00 spent.”
There have been multiple recent whitepapers and guidelines for filming during the pandemic from various guilds, unions, and film commissions from around the globe including specific guidelines from Film Columbus that set out recommendations for this new era of filming. “It will be a while before things get back to ‘normal’…whatever that is,” said Daugherty. “Safety for cast, crew, and community is always our number one priority. This is definitely a new way of filming that will take a lot of compromising and a lot of time to fully adapt.”
They/Them/Us tells the story of Charlie and Lisa, two divorced parents in their 40s who meet on a dating site, fall madly in love, and move in together way too soon. Single parents of four complicated teenagers, They/Them/Us is the story of how they manage the challenges of parenting while trying to maintain a healthy adult relationship.
“I give a lot of credit to Jon and his producer for moving forward with their project. It’s been really tough, but it puts people back to work when they really need it,” says Daugherty. “I’d like to REALLY thank the residents of Columbus and specifically Victorian Village and German Village for their cooperation while streets were blocked and parking spaces were blocked. It’s a huge help to not only this film but the film industry in Columbus as we continue to grow.”
About the Greater Columbus Film Commission
The Greater Columbus Film Commission (Film Columbus) aims to grow the film industry in Columbus and central Ohio by creating jobs and providing significant economic impact for the area. Film Columbus Strives to build Columbus as a top city for film education, exhibition, and production. Film Columbus is a division of the Greater Columbus Arts Council and is primarily supported by funds provided by the City of Columbus. For more information, visit filmcolumbus.com.
About Columbus Pictures
Through local investment in locally produced films, it is the mission of Columbus Pictures to establish Columbus as a premier destination for national and international film production thereby raising the city’s global profile and creating a local cinematic arts community that bolsters the economy and expands the creative class in Columbus. Columbus Pictures is a nonprofit LLC whose sole member is the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA). Columbus Pictures never invests directly into a film; a separate LLC is created for each film. CAPA manages all administrative duties for Columbus Pictures.
