Rock Island is working on plans to set up a Quad Cities Regional Film Office. This past week, the City Council approved hiring a consultant, with the hope that eventually other communities will join.
Economic Development Manager Tarah Sipes says the film and media consultant is Doug Miller, who’s been involved in bringing film productions to the Quad Cities for 30 years, first helping some Italian filmmakers make a movie about Bix Beiderbecke. The City Council gave the go-ahead on a one-year contract with Miller and his firm, Two Rivers & Associates, to be funded by a $65,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
“He has experience in the industry of course, and knows people who are interested in the type of scenery and the type of skills and the type of people that the Quad Cities offer to a film production,” shared a council member.
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“We’re approaching this as an economic development opportunity. Folks coming in to film pieces here in the Quad Cities bring a variety of people with them – they need hotel rooms, they need food, they need services from people in our community, and so that’s why I’m working on the project,” said Miller.
Sipes says the Quad City Development Group established the Quad City Film Coalition in 1989. It lasted for about 20 years and helped bring millions of dollars worth of productions to the area.
