FILM NEWS: Farm Studios brings Hollywood-style film and TV production to Arkansas with 9500 square foot studio and production facility

Film production and the potential for film jobs in Northwest Arkansas just got a significant boost as a trio of investors, including Jason Netter (Kickstart Entertainment), along with Zak and Tom Heald ((Intercut Productions) have joined forces to create Farm Studios – a new, state-of-the-art film and media production studio located in Hiwasse, Arkansas.

Now open for business, Farm Studios sits on 4.5 acres of farmland off Dickson Road, near Highway 279, that has been transformed into a private Hollywood-style backlot designed to serve a wide variety of film, television, and media production needs. The facility includes a 9,500 square-foot soundstage, the largest within a 500-mile radius of nearby Bentonville, Arkansas. The stage is equipped with a 50-by-90-foot cyclorama wall and a 30-by-50-foot light grid. Additionally, the facility hosts a 3,000 square foot set construction workshop.

“This location was selected because of its close proximity to Northwest Arkansas’ vendor community, hotels and restaurants, as well as being a 15-minute drive to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, which boasts direct flights to all major cities within the States,” said Zak Heald, one of the studio’s partner investors. “It is legitimately made-to-order to provide for the demands of film and television production.”

Versatile, and designed to meet nearly every need for productions, large and small, Farm Studios will provide rentable production space for any film, television series, commercial, and multimedia content. In addition to the rentable shooting space, the facility will offer production offices, a hair & make up room, VIP lounges, state-of-the-art conference room, and a full kitchen.

The addition of a vibrant film studio and production hub is expected to translate into the creation of both temporary and sustainable jobs in the area via employment opportunities for Arkansas’ freelance creative talent. In addition, both incoming and local productions will contribute to the economic growth of the state, due to spending with local businesses, companies, and vendors hired by those productions.

Recently, HBO’s “True Detective” shot in Northwest Arkansas, and Jason Netter points to the success of that production as an example of what they hope to build on in the area with Farm Studios. “Our objective is to add another prime incentive to shoot here in Northwest Arkansas,” said Netter, “Farm Studios is accessible for all sizes and scopes of projects, while maintaining competitive pricing. That, added to Arkansas’ tax rebate program, and a supportive Arkansas Film Commission under the leadership of Christopher Crane puts a lot of positives on the ledger for producers deciding where to shoot their next project.”

Netter, an Emmy Award-winning producer of films like WANTED, and TV series like “Preacher”, sees the potential for major film and television projects like those being drawn to the area. The rapid ascension in the film industry’s eyes of the Bentonville Film Festival, with filmmakers from around the country and the world attending the festival with their films each year, is another indicator of the potential for business and entertainment industry synergy for the creative film community.

Netter also cited the natural beauty of the region as an essential draw for film cameras, saying, “This place is simply amazing. The diverse landscapes – from the plains to the mountains – and changing seasons will provide our clients with many natural production opportunities to add to the interior work we’ll be able to accommodate on our soundstage.”

Along with the many production-friendly features that Farm Studios will provide, the facility will also serve as a hub for creativity and a gathering place for local industry professionals and students of the craft. The studio will also partner with area schools, colleges and universities to provide digital media, film and broadcast students with access to a world-class facility, equipment and professionals that will support education, assist, and help grow the local community of creative talent.

For a full introduction to Farm Studios and the various services offered, visit http://farmstudiosnwa.com/.