Posted 10:38 PM 8/24/2012 : Movies shot in Tucson bring taste of tinseltown
Two independent movies shot in Tucson made their debut in local theaters today.
"Goats," a film about an estranged Tucson boy as he prepares to leave for college, was shot partly in Tucson and partly in New Mexico.
The other movie, called "Ingenious," stars Jeremy Renner, and is a rags-to-riches story in the novelty business. That film was shot almost entirely in Tucson.
"It really adds the Tucson magic to the film and I think the people who see this will recognize it and appreciate it," said Tim Flood, a producer for "Ingenious."
Both films were shot a couple of years ago at a time when the state had an incentive program for filmmakers in Arizona.
Shelli Hall, director of the Tucson Film Office, said the current state of the film industry in Arizona has worsened since the state put an end to tax incentives for those wanting to make a film in the state.
"We aren't getting feature films like we used to," Hall said, adding later: "In all of Arizona we have not had a feature film shoot here since the program ended."
However, with the release of these films, proponents of the film industry in Arizona are hopeful.
"We're hopeful that the fact that we're releasing this now brings more filmmakers to Tucson," Flood said.