Lowell Generates $2M from Gervais Film
As most people in Lowell already know, British actor Ricky Gervais is directing his first feature film in the city of Lowell, which is titled This Side of the Truth. From the movie trucks, to the movie sets, to the traffic delays and detours, signs of filming could be seen in downtown Lowell. There have been actor and actress sightings - Rob Lowe and Jennifer Garner, and it’s been a neat experience having a big-time movie being filmed in Lowell.
While the filming may be a bit of an inconvenience to city residents, the city of Lowell and its business are certainly being rewarded financially from the selection of Lowell for this film. According to an article in the New York Times,
“The city of Lowell, 45 minutes northwest of Boston, has welcomed Mr. Gervais and his film crew with open arms. The former mill town and birthplace of Jack Kerouac is reaping an estimated $2 million from the production for the local economy.”
In exchange for filming in Lowell, the production company received a tax credit from the state of Massachusetts which will save them upwards of $3 million. These types of benefits should continue to draw similar filming and other ventures to Massachusetts cities. The cities already have the charm and welcoming residents, so the tax credits should make it a no-brainer.
Residents of Lowell are no doubt excited to watch Gervais’ film, but in the meantime, it’s great knowing how the filming has positively impacted city businesses.
Tags: Jennifer Garner, Ricky Gervais, Rob Lowe, This Side of the Truth