Need For Speed’s Scott Waugh Returns to Utah to Shoot New Action Feature

Pete CodellaNews

The Utah Film Commission today announced that the Governor’s Office of Economic Development board has approved three new projects for state film incentives, expected to spend more than $12 million collectively on the ground.

March 2016 will see Need for Speed (2014) Director Scott Waugh return to Utah to shoot feature film Six Below, a production that has been approved for a state incentive. Line produced by Grant Gilmore, who is familiar with Utah from his work on The Sandlot, Six Below is the true story of a snowstorm that strands former professional hockey player Eric Lemarque on a mountain top for eight days, where he is forced to take drastic measures and come to terms with his addiction in order to survive. The production will showcase some of Utah’s iconic winter landscapes and spend an estimated $2 million in the state.

“I had such a great experience in Utah shooting Need for Speed, and I really wanted to return to film in the state again,” Waugh said. “Two of the great things about Utah are its vast topography and reliable crew base.”

Virginia Pearce, director of the Utah Film Commission, commented: “Home to the Greatest Snow on Earth® and the Mighty Five® national parks, it’s no surprise that Utah is becoming recognized as a destination for filming adventure genre productions. From Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Thelma & Louise to Pirates of the Caribbean, 127 Hours and Need for Speed, we are utilizing our diverse locations and carving out a niche for Utah as ‘the adventure state.’”

Feature film Wind River has also been approved to receive an incentive and is due to begin shooting later this month. Directed by Taylor Sheridan, writer of the Academy Award-nominated Sicario, and starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen, Wind River tells the story of a hunter forced to confront his past when he joins a rookie FBI agent on a quest to solve a murder. The production plans to hire over 100 local cast and crew and spend an estimated $8.5 million in Utah.

“Aside from the breathtaking scenery,” Sheridan said, “there were very practical decisions that made Utah so attractive: the impressive Park City Studios and their proximity to mountain locations, a large pool of talented crew and an extremely helpful and efficient film commission. This unique combination of factors is why we chose Utah over locations such as New Mexico and Calgary, Canada.”

Fischer Productions will begin shooting the next season of its reality automotive series, Kindig Customs in Utah this year. The ten episodes will follow the creative genius of Utah business owner David Kindig and his team as they turn out one-of-a-kind vehicles for demanding clientele in his automotive shop. Completely shot and edited in Utah, the series plans to spend nearly $2 million in state.

“We are always happy to welcome talent back to Utah, and our team, along with local crew, remains committed to ensuring that filmmakers have all the resources they need for projects to run as seamlessly as possible,” Pearce said.