Scene One: On set, fluorescent lights dangle from the metal rigs in the ceiling. Thick black cables weave between colossal tripods and sound stands. Camera lenses gleam against the spotlight patiently waiting for the director’s command.

Despite the constant chaos, there’s an unspoken rhythm to it all.

A headrest lies crookedly around the director’s neck, their eyes flicking between the camera and the actors. The camera crew moves methodically to capture every little moment. The lighting crew adjusts the color filters and light levels to fit the vision. Producers linger near the monitors, taking calls and answering messages about budgets and scheduling.

Then, a single voice cuts through the room as the air stills and movement ceases.

“Action!”

The process sounds simple — a director, a camera, a script and a vision. These are what most people believe make up the film industry.

But it’s so much more than just that.

The film industry consists of diverse individuals who come together to create a single product. Directors, producers, writers, cinematographers, costume designers, actors and makeup artists all contribute to the end result.

Opportunities are endless in this field, with various jobs all throughout the system available. There is a low barrier to enter the profession, especially in Louisville.

With a tax incentive, new Senate bill and infrastructure project, Louisville’s film industry has steadily begun to grow. New programs and projects allow for more individuals to get involved.

“It’s a burgeoning industry in Kentucky,” said Laury Christensen, the president of Women in Film Kentucky, a non-profit promoting opportunities for women seeking to enter the industry. “It’s very exciting and I still feel like we’re at the very beginning.”

Louisville’s film industry has boomed substantially over the past decade, with more films produced and jobs created.

As I researched this story, I initially did not understand why film productions were coming to Louisville. There had always been an interest for film but not much action within the past decade.

I thought, “Why Louisville and why right now?”

Through this story, I understood that this growth is largely due to financial incentives to attract film productions toward Kentucky.

In 2022, the film industry generated over $200 million in revenue, producing hundreds of jobs within the state. But now, in 2025, legislation and funding to fuel the growth of Kentucky’s film industry has expanded even further.

In February, Sen. Philip Wheeler filed Senate Bill 1 (SB1). It passed favorably in the Kentucky Senate and House, and Gov. Andy Beshear signed the bill into law by March.

This law has allowed for the expansion of film incentive programs through the addition of an administrative Kentucky Film Office. This department will support and market film production for the commonwealth.

Additionally, the office regulates the Kentucky Entertainment Incentive (KEI) Program. This project aims to encourage the entertainment industry to choose locations in the Commonwealth for production operations. Within this initiative, Kentucky Film Tax Incentive has become the catalyst for the state’s increased employment opportunities and emerging role in the industry.

With the fourth highest rate in the country, it offers refundable tax credits of up to 35% on qualifying in-state production costs.

This means that if a movie spends $1 million shooting in Kentucky, the filmmakers can receive up to $350,000 back due to the tax credit.

The incentive encourages filmmakers to localize productions, creating jobs and boosting the economy.

“Dead Man’s Wire” is one notable film that has recently boosted Louisville’s film scene.  Shot in the heart of downtown Louisville, the crime-thriller features high-profile actors such as Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Cary Elwes and Al Pacino. With a $13 million budget, the movie created local positions for those looking for work in the field.

“The growth in independent film has been phenomenal here,” Christensen said. “We have an incredible film incentive, which I think in turn is appealing for people who want to go into film as a career choice.”

At the same time, infrastructure developments have pushed Louisville’s film scene to a new level.

The Kentucky General Assembly allocated $10 million toward the redevelopment of the Louisville Gardens Sound Stages. This construction will add over 40,000 square feet of production space to shoot feature films and commercials.

An additional 40,000 square feet of office space will also be available for production companies to lease during shooting times, enabling Louisville to become a prime filming location.

This development not only aids the growth of the city’s production sites; it also creates more jobs. Through this project, over 50 new full-time jobs will be introduced.

Construction is set to begin later this year, giving Louisville the potential to grow into the next Hollywood.

Scene Two: The wheels of the board hummed against the pavement, each push propelling it forward. Sneakers kicked off the ground, creating a rhythm among the clatters of missed landings. Its culture lies in boldly-painted ramps and uneven sidewalks, a common area for practice.

Neither film school nor initial curiosity about the filmmaking process brought Mike Thompson into the film industry. Skateboarding was what started his journey.

As a kid, Thompson gained a love for movies, going to the video store every weekend. However, his interest really began while skateboarding in his early teens. He frequently took photographs of other skateboarders, growing fond of the community. The culture of the activity drew him in, creating his jumping off point into the film scene.

But unlike most filmmakers, Thompson did not go straight to film school after this initial interest. He actually did the opposite.

Until his late twenties, Thompson had never participated in productions. However, after starting design school, he began working at advertisement agencies.

“I got involved in commercial production and realized I could apply all the things I used to love about filming skateboarding and all the things I love about movies into commercials,” Thompson said.

From that point on, Thompson’s career grew into what it is today.

Now, he works as a lead editor at Nadus Films, a documentary production company based in Louisville. He is also an independent filmmaker, creating and directing multiple short films.

His most renowned piece, “Blackbird,” competed in multiple film festivals and received a variety of awards.

Similar to Thompson, actor and CEO Neil Mulac’s introduction to the film industry wasn’t linear. It started with his mom and dad, passionate film enthusiasts who raised him on old black and white movies and inspired his love for acting. However, his career in film truly began when he entered the University of Louisville theater department.

After that, he was all in.

“I got to do tons and tons of plays, I started doing improv, started a troop,” Mulac said. “That’s really where I learned to act with a lot less fear.”

While continuing to work as an actor in commercials and film, Mulac wanted to start something new. Initially, he began coaching new actors, helping them with headshots, auditions and improv, but it soon grew into a business: Everything Cinema Productions (ECP).

Offering services such as private coaching, audition self-taping and workshops, ECP provides assistance for youth with dreams of entering the industry.

In addition to his business, Mulac has continued his work as an actor, most notably playing the role of an FBI agent in “Dead Man’s Wire.”

While many seasoned industry leaders like Thompson and Mulac embody Louisville’s film scene, youth filmmakers have recently taken a larger role.

Final Scene: The set contains a mixture of exhaustion and relief. Once alive with constant motion and excitement, the director stands by the monitor, body tense and eyes fixed.

The actors deliver their last lines, silence falling over the crew.

“Cut!”

Applause and laughter cuts through the atmosphere, as the producers exchange smiles with once another. Actors embrace one another, their makeup streaked with sweat.

The film is completed, but the hours of continuous work and late nights remain.

More of Louisville’s youth are growing their passion for filmmaking through the creation of short films or studios.

Jesse Raymond, 17, a senior at Ballard High School, is one youth that has kickstarted his enthusiasm for film.

“COVID and the lockdown is really what got me into it,” Raymond said. “I started watching movies a lot more and really just kind of analyzing how they were made and really behind the scenes.”

Inspired by this initial interest, Raymond’s work in film creation began after receiving his first camera. After learning how to use it, Raymond began writing video scripts and taping short films.

In his sophomore year, Raymond created a film studio with three other high school students called “Kings Covet Films.” With its creation, Raymond has used it as an opportunity to follow his passion.

For him, this is just the beginning. Whether directing, screenwriting or editing, Raymond sees himself in a career within the field.

“It’s definitely something I want to pursue,” Raymond said. “Just being in the industry in general is really the main goal.

John Sheesley, 17, a senior at Atherton High School, is another up and coming youth filmmaker.

After receiving camera and microphone equipment from his friend’s dad, Sheesley was determined to try the art.

He first took a short story and turned it into a script to create a piece for his film studies class. Through this process, Sheesley found his love for directing and editing.

“I think I’ve always sort of been a storyteller,” Sheesley said. “And I think that I just found that making that film, beginning to work with the emotions and the visuals to tell that story was what I liked best.”

As the new tax incentives and sound stages bring more film to Kentucky, Raymond and Sheesley alike are representative of the rising passion for this burgeoning industry. The next generation of talented youth will continue to change the film sector, one scene at a time.

This story was originally published on On the Record on April 23, 2026.