St. Louis Is Ga-Ga Over Clooney Film

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replying the story in its archived form does not constitute a re-publiccation of the story.

I doubt you've heard, but George Clooney is coming to Saint Louis to shoot a movie. To know that, you'd need to own a television or radio, read a newspaper, or talk to anyone within a 100 mile radius of this town. The Jason Reitman-directed Up In The Air is starting to set up shop in our fair town and, though it's not every day an ER star visits the Gateway City, you'd think it was the second coming of Christ. "This town has gone ga-ga over this project." says Gary Hansen of IATSE Local 493, the studio mechanics union that'll provide crew members for the film. "They haven't even set up a production office yet and already I've gotten dozens of calls about people wanting to be extras, we've supposedly had George Clooney sightings, it's nuts." Though Hansen fears St. Louis' overzealous reaction to the news may perpetuate our stereotype as a cowtown, he admits, with advertising and commercial production work down sharply, the big budget project comes at just the right time. "Our members go from project to project, we live off commercials. Something like this allows us to work and have healthcare for the year."

Director Jason Reitman considers buying an electric razor with his massive tax credit

As much as St. Louisans would like to believe our town's charm and visual appeal caused Hollywood to come knocking, the almighty dollar played a larger role than any. Knowing the massive economic impact such a project brings with it, state officials dangled the tax credit carrot in front of producers just in time to sway them in our direction. Missouri currently boasts the highest tax credit available in the United States, offering up to $1.5 million to studios willing to set up shop. Though some estimate Up In The Air could bring St. Louis as much as $50 million, Hansen has a more conservative estimate of $30 million and says tax incentives could be a double-edged sword. "The film business is fickle, they'll go wherever they get a good tax credit." says Hansen, "It's a fine line to walk though, because we don't want to just give our town away." Be that as it may, there's likely no stopping the hype train as Mr. Clooney and the rest of the crew inches closer and closer to the film's mid-February start date. In the meantime, those wanting to be extras should keep an eye on the Missouri Film Commission's project hotline. Until then, the wait continues.