KINGSTON SPRINGS, Tenn. (WKRN) — Filming for a movie about Davy Crockett is underway in Crockett’s home state of Tennessee.
Cast and crew said they love filming in Tennessee; the variety of the terrain, the weather, hospitality and delicious food are among the reasons, and with a little more help from the state, they said Tennessee could become the Hollywood of the South.
It’s Week 4 of shooting “Savage Lands,” a film set in 1815 being shot on a 900-acre property in Kingston Springs, with English actor William Moseley, known for his work on “The Chronicles of Narnia,” serving as “the king of the wild frontier.”
“I’ve been shooting muskets, I’ve been riding horses, I’ve been fighting guys left, right, and center, so it really couldn’t be more fun,” Moseley, whose face was painted with war wounds told News 2.
Tennessee was at the top of the list for the filmmakers for historical accuracy of the story. A 25% production grant from the Tennessee Entertainment Commission helped subsidize the film, an incentive the team said isn’t as generous as neighboring states.
“There’s no reason why Tennessee can’t be competitive with Georgia and Alabama and North Carolina, and even Kentucky. They can increase their incentives to make them competitive. This could become a major destination for film makers,” producer Michael Mailer explained.
Productions like “Savage Lands,” serve as important pieces of the state’s economy, creating new incomes, increasing growth in infrastructure, and generating additional tax revenues. In 2021, the entertainment industry generated an estimated $751 million in gross state product for Tennessee, creating over $483 million in new earnings for local workers, according to TEC.
Executive Director Bob Raines said they have requests in to the governor for additional funding.
“I would really encourage the governor to invest in a few more film studios to really get the film market going here. I think for tourism, it’s a massive thing, you know? Tennessee has an incredible history. It’s a rich state, it’s a beautiful state, it’s a state that really needs to be on the map and in the movies,” Moseley stated.
From 2014 to 2022, Tennessee employment in motion picture and video production grew 82%, according to Raines, a number that will likely rise with films like “Savage Lands” in the works.
“I would love to keep shooting in Tennessee. This particular story will hopefully lead to prequels and sequels, all of which will shoot most likely here. Although if we ever get to the Alamo, who knows where we will shoot that, probably Texas,” Mailer laughed.
“Savage Lands” will wrap filming in Kingston Springs at the end of next week. They will then look at selling the movie, saying it may play in theaters or on a streaming service.
You can visit the film’s website where they have started a campaign with opportunities to contribute.