Episode Details

I love Minnesota; in fact, on June 29th, there I'll be, beside one of its 10,000 lakes, ready for America's 250th birthday. (It's the best place to spend the Fourth.)

It's also a great place for filmmaking so I talk about that with deputy director of Explore Minnesota Film, Nell Lawrenz-Wareham. This was recorded at the beginning of the month so apologies about any confusion about application deadlines.

I am quite certain if we support filmmaking in Minnesota, they'll be back around this time next year.

In this episode, Nell and I talk about:

• how she got involved in film and became deputy director of Explore Minnesota Film;
• why Explore Minnesota Film transferred from a nonprofit to its current incarnation and what that means for other state film organizations;
• the pitch for filming in Minnesota;
• what might surprise you about filming in Minnesota;
• the 30 year anniversary of FARGO (1996), which was filmed in Minnesota;
• the biggest challenges facing Minnesota's fim commission right now;
• what festivals and project markets stand out for her;
• the wide range of incentives available to you in Minnesota;
• the 10,000 Stories Fund;
• what she hopes she can talk about regarding Explore Minnesota Film in the future.

Nell's Indie Film/Filmmaker Highlight: ISH MEETS A MERMAID (2025), dir. by Jonathan Thunder; Abby Harri

Memorable Quotes:

" Most of our permits are free. We can get back to you on an application in under 30 days. We have $92 million in a tax credit pool waiting for you."

" And this is also a place where artists can afford to live and stay."

Links:

Follow Explore Minnesota On Instagram

Explore Minnesota Film Website

The 10,000 Stories Fund