‘Small Town Girl’ Builds Opportunity

CHISHOLM, Minn. – ‘Small Town Girl’, a mystery film with a message set in the 1970s, is about to wrap up filming in Chisholm and the surrounding areas.

The film script landed in northern Minnesota due to the benefits of stackable local rebates offering up to 45% back, which is an incentive that benefits both filmmakers and the local community.

“At a small town movie, northern Minnesota is attractive, obviously, because of the rebates, and our studio has, you know, sort of laid the groundwork for crew and talent development in the area,” said Matt Roy, head of production at Lost 40 Studios. “So we started talking about how we could get this project up here and sort of envision it for this area.”

The impact goes beyond the set. The production is supporting small businesses, creating jobs, and giving local artists and first-time crew members the chance to grow in the industry.

“As a business owner in Chisholm, I want to see the industry grow. It’s good for my business,” said Roy. “It’s good for everybody’s personal business. You know, as an individual, you’re a contractor, so the more work that’s around the area, the more you’re able to feed your families.”

The decision to film locally in northern Minnesota seems to be paying off, as many locals have joined in the making of this film.

“About 70% of our crew are from northern Minnesota,” said Bill Cooper, producer and director, Lost 40 Studios. About even more than that, are part of the acting and part of the cast in this so from our perspective, from an artistic standpoint, we’re putting a lot of people to work, giving them a lot of experience so that they can continue to grow as artists.”

The filmmakers say they are aiming to have a finished product by the end of this year once the filming and editing process wraps up.