SUMTER, S.C. — This week, crews from a popular franchise film franchise were in Sumter as they filmed a new movie, set to be released this year.
Over 2000 miles away from Hollywood, crews were out in front of the Sumter County Courthouse on Wednesday filming God's Not Dead: In God We Trust, the fifth movie in the God's Not Dead franchise.
Michael Scott is the executive producer of the movie and says crews have been out since Monday and included over 400 local actors as extras.
"It's really debating the issue of whether God belongs in the public square, and what His role is. I think it's an interesting movie, probably a subject timely around election time, and all that type of stuff," he adds. "[Sumter] was the perfect location, loved it. People of Sumter have opened up everything for us and have been wonderful, welcoming."
Scott adds that picking Sumter was easier, thanks to financial incentives for filmmakers.
According to the South Carolina Film Commission, "productions that spend a minimum of $250,000 in state are exempt from state and local sales and use tax on supplies." Also, the commission says a "qualified production is eligible for a wage rebate up to twenty-five percent (25%) for the persons employed in conjunction with the South Carolina production."
"I would say if people are coming to film, South Carolina is a great place to do it. They're open for business, they want it, and they're super helpful," Scott says.
Local businesses say they're also hoping to see some financial impacts of the national spotlight too. Gray Schuler is the owner of the Sumter Original Brewery, located just blocks from the film site.
"We've been doing a lot of downtown development of the last 10-15 years," he says. "I just think that's just bringing more insight; that (Sumter)'s not just some little town from South Carolina backwoods, it's going and we're doing a lot of great things there."
Other than the courthouse, scenes were filmed inside the Sumter Opera House, too.
Seth Reimer is the cultural manager at the Sumter Opera House and says he's been impressed with the level of production on display.
"This was one of those last-minute searches and they found us." he says. "The next week they came out and visited and then they were here on Monday. The community really stepped up and provided a number of things that they needed, not just on set, from hotels, to sets and scenery."
We're told crews completely packed up the equipment and are headed to the Upstate to finish more scenes. The film's release date is scheduled for September.