Quiet on set. Before a film or limited series makes its onscreen debut, a cast, crew, and filming location need to be booked. And, it should come as no surprise that Charlotte is a rising star for productions.

Take "The Hunting Wives" as an example. The Netflix series filmed across Charlotte is airing in less than one month.

From providing a landscape for financial services and a bustling downtown area to a mountainous backdrop, here are some reasons the Queen City catches the attention of major studios and streaming giants.

Visitors to nearby Monroe will notice its historic downtown area as a backdrop in Judy Blume's "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret." | Photo via WCNC

💰 It pays to film in NC

“We help lead the charge,” said Guy Gaster, Director of the NC Film Office. “Our job is to recruit movies, TV shows, even national commercials to film here — and spend money here.” One big draw? A 25% rebate for qualifying productions. That kind of production spending often translates to local jobs and a boost for small businesses — from caterers to coffee shops.

“If we can get to $200 million in production spending this year, that would be a win for the state — and Charlotte usually sees about a third of that,” said Gaster.

"Show me the money!" Yes, but there's more.

🌆 Ideal landscape

The Queen City offers a combo that filmmakers love.

“You can get major metropolitan looks and, within 30 miles of Uptown, find that small-town, anywhere-USA vibe,” said Gaster.

For example, the television series "Blue Ridge" is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but was filmed around the greater Charlotte metro area.

"Thanks, in part, to some of that landscape, especially in places like Gaston County, we're able to pull off this kind of mountain look, that can be believable when added with some B-roll footage," shared Gaster.

Bonus: our traffic isn’t nearly as bad as Los Angeles’ (shocking, we know).

Film productions add hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars to Charlotte's local economy. | Image courtesy of WCNC

⭐️ The real stars of the Queen City

Newsletter Editor Maria, here. I once spotted Katy O'Brian while grabbing coffee at Lottie's in Uptown. In 2024, we spotted Brittany Snow and Malin Akerman in South End, while filming "The Hunting Wives." Fun fact: some of the filming also took place in the upcoming River District.

Local crews are the real stars — next time you spot a film crew downtown, remember they’re fueling local jobs and small businesses.

“It’s your neighbors, your fellow PTA members,” added Gaster. “When you sit through the credits, most of those names are North Carolinians."

So next time you see a street closed for filming, smile — you’re watching Charlotte step into the spotlight.

🎥 What to watch

Speaking of rolling those credits... here are two projects set to debut this year:

Netflix’s "The Hunting Wives" debuts Sunday, July 21
"Roofman" in theaters Thursday, Oct. 3

Bonus: keep an eye out for details on the untitled Christy Martin biopic coming soon.

While you wait for those new releases, consider watching one of these blockbusters filmed in our neighborhood.