UPDATE: The series “Turn” has a casting call planned for February 9. They are searching for men between the ages of 18 and 40 to play background roles. The call is from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at 4300 Carolina Avenue in Richmond. Click here for more details.
RICHMOND, Va. (RichmondBizSense.com) – In 2011, the story of Abraham Lincoln rained Hollywood dollars down on Richmond. Now the local economy is seeing the spoils of the Revolutionary War.
Local warehouses, plantations, tow truck operators, restaurants and hardware stores have seen an influx of business from the filming of “Turn,” AMC’s new Revolutionary War-themed series being produced in the area.
That includes “everything from buying paper clips to renting helicopters,” said Andy Edmunds, director of the Virginia Film Office, the state agency that helps bring TV and film productions to the state. “They really do touch all aspects of the economy.”
“Turn” has made parts of Richmond and Central Virginia to look like Long Island, N.Y., during the Revolutionary War, where the story is set.
Actress Heather Lind, playing Anna Strong, films a scene with Jamie Bell, playing Abraham Woodhull. (Photo by Antony Platt/AMC)
According to AMC, “Turn” is a spy thriller about a Long Island farmer who goes behind enemy lines to help George Washington’s army. It is based on the book “Washington’s Spies” by Alexander Rose and premieres April 6.
The crews first arrived in town to film the show’s pilot in April 2013 and started filming the first season in November.
In October, the show’s production company, Stalwart Films, leased 181,951 square feet of warehouse space near Richmond International Raceway in Henrico County, according to Colliers International.
“Turn” filmed on location at Scotchtown, Patrick Henry’s onetime home in Hanover County.
“It’s a nice boost to the economy,” said Mary Edmonds, who works at the Tuckahoe plantation.. “It brings people here who wouldn’t normally be.”
