Captain America: The Winter Soldier, is coming full fledged to theaters April 2014, and nothing screams "America" like our nations capital. The D.C. Office of Motion Picture and Television Development gave us a first-hand look at the increase of jobs, city incentives and how in the first time in history, the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Bridge, was shut down for the filming of a major motion picture.
*** Why was Washington D.C. selected for the film? How much of 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' was shot in D.C.? Tell us about the permitting process & any location obstacles you overcame.**
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is partially set in Washington, D.C., so they wanted to film here for authenticity purposes. Approximately 5% of the movie was filmed here. The permitting process involved a number of DC, VA, and federal agencies, specifically for the closing of the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Bridge, which was shut down for the first time ever for the filming of a major motion picture. The bridge was a particularly challenging location because it is a 6 lane (3 in each direction) bridge that spans the Potomac River and it is multi-jurisdictional. The filming also required the coordination of the federal government (FAA) because of the aerial shots from a helicopter. At one point there was a short delay for Marine One that flew overhead. Other filming locations included Dupont Circle, the National Mall, the Occidental Restaurant, and the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum.
*** That’s great that more than 500 temporary jobs were produced due to this film being shot in D.C., on average how many productions take place in the D.C. area each year? And how does that help the D.C. film industry?**
On average, around 300 film, television, and multimedia projects are filmed in the District each year. Major feature film and television productions filming in the District have historically served as a source of local production jobs and a boost to the economy at-large. The filming of these types of productions have contributed to hundreds of bookings in District hotels and supported an influx of business for many DC-based vendors. Last year, film and television production crews spent more than $22 million in the District on hotels, restaurants, permits and other expenses and created temporary jobs for more than 6,400 District residents, nearly double the number of similar jobs in 2011.
*** What incentives does the D.C. Office of Motion Picture & TV Development offer?**
The District government currently has $4 million allocated to its Film DC Incentive Fund. The economic development cluster, under the direction of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, is currently working out the details of how the funds will be dispersed and the process by which applicants will be considered for a portion of the funds. An announcement will be made in the near future on how the funds will be dispersed.
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- What was the experience like meeting the directors, actors and crew from 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier?'**
It was a great experience. The crew was super friendly and professional, and the directors and creative team were a really fun group to work with. It’s kind of funny meeting actors in person after seeing them on the big screen where they appear larger than life. It’s exciting of course but also kind of a letdown because it makes you realize they’re just regular folks like you and me.
It also was pretty interesting because Marvel/Disney is really secretive about their projects while they are filming, but a lot of people had already figured out what the working title was so we were getting a lot of calls in the office about “Freezer Burn”.
*** What are some of the major perks in having a major feature film, such as Captain America, shot in your city?**
In addition to serving as an economic stimulator for the local economy, having major feature projects film here helps with promoting a positive image of the city and it can help to spark tourism.
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- What other films, shows, or projects are set to take place in Washington D.C. in 2014?**
There are a couple major projects in the planning stages but nothing we can confirm at the moment.
*** Anything else you would like to add?**
The nation’s capital is much more than the seat of government and power. It is a desired and much sought-after location for film, television, video, digital media, and interactive content production. Washington, D.C. offers an array of unique, iconic locations that range from historic federal landmarks, memorials, and vistas to bustling business districts and a diverse collection of residential neighborhoods capable of fulfilling the creative requirements of a wide range of projects. The District of Columbia has access to cutting edge technologies and infrastructure required to create and maintain businesses engaged in media industry business activities. The District of Columbia is also home to a large talent pool of experienced media professionals with the creative and technical skills to work on every type of production or media industry business activity.
