Latest News

July 23, 2008

Wilmington, NC – EUE Screen Gems Studios, home of the largest studio lot east of California, is building the largest film and television production stage on the east coast, it was announced today by Chris Cooney, COO and President of EUE Screen Gems Ltd. “We’ve submitted the plans, applied for permits, begun preliminary clearing and ordered materials.  This is the real deal, it’s happening, this is our Dream Stage.”

The soundstage is part of their 50-acre facility in Wilmington, NC.  The “Dream Stage” will be a column-free 37,500-square-foot expanse with a grid height of 45 feet and dimensions of 150 feet by 250 feet.  The stage will include a 60-foot by 60-foot indoor tank with a depth of 10.5 feet.  This will be one of the largest and deepest indoor production tanks in North America.

“This new stage will attract larger and more technologically advanced productions to North Carolina,” said Bill Vassar, Executive Vice President of EUE Screen Gems Studios. “The design and location of the new stage fits in with the existing studio work flow.  It’s central to studio support services such as production offices, shops, wardrobe areas, warehouses and equipment.  It is in right proximity to the existing nine stages on the lot.”  Completion is expected by early spring 2009.

Film, television and commercial production companies spent $160,215,900 in North Carolina for 2007, according to the North Carolina Film Office. The state recently hosted production of major motion pictures Leatherheads and Nights In Rodanthe and continues to be home to the CW Network’s “One Tree Hill.” The new Dream Stage is expected to further boost the state’s production activity.

“In North America, this is the third largest stage with one of the largest indoor production tanks. The capabilities of the new facility will make North Carolina even more attractive to producers,” said Aaron Syrett, Director of the North Carolina Film Office. “It exemplifies EUE Screen Gems continued commitment to the future of the film and television industry in North Carolina.”

“The soundstage will be unrivaled and completely funded by the private sector,” said Johnny Griffin, Director of the Wilmington Regional Film Commission, Inc. “This sends a message to the international film industry that EUE Screen Gems believes in Wilmington as a major production center.”

EUE Screen Gems’ existing nine stages range in size from 7,200 square feet to 20,000 square feet. Stage #4 includes a tank that is 25 feet by 39 feet by 4 feet deep. The facility features spacious production suites with bullpen, art rooms, kitchen, extensive offices with furnishings, digital phone service as well as high speed Internet access, a commissary, and Screening Theater with 35mm and HDTV projection ability. It also contains multiple mill, metal, plaster and paint shops plus wardrobe facilities with laundry as well as prop and set dec warehouses.
 
“The studio lot has a company managed, full service lighting, grip and power business. Local staff with production experience maintains the company owned stage and location equipment.  They take care of it as if it were their own,” said Vassar. “In fact, the more than 1,000 local production crew people take personal care of the equipment and the studio lot.  It’s amazing how well it all works here.”
 
EUE Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, NC has been the home to more than 300 film, television and commercial productions.  Television projects include “One Tree Hill” for Warner Bros. Television; “Little Britain USA” that airs beginning in September on HBO; the upcoming HBO series “Eastbound and Down”; and “Dawson’s Creek” for Columbia Pictures Television.  Recent film projects include the September 26 release from Warner Bros., Nights In Rodanthe; The Secret Life of Bees for Fox Searchlight; The Marc Pease Experience for Paramount-Vantage; Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever for Lionsgate and A Good Old Fashioned Orgy for Endgame. 
 
EUE Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, NC is a division of EUE Screen Gems Ltd, a multi-faceted media company based in New York City. Chris Cooney, President and COO of EUE Screen Gems Ltd has a six-decade legacy of producing film, television and commercial projects of the highest caliber. Recent successes have included advanced technology projects for Samsung and Universal Music that involved the creation of branded content distributed on the web and smart phones.  “The Rachael Ray Show” is produced for CBS Productions at the EUE Screen Gems Digiplex in Midtown Manhattan.  The CBS daytime drama “Guiding Light” produced over 3,000 episodes at the New York City facility.