Lexington Film Office to Train Local Location Crews

Production services firms and local crew members in Central Kentucky can expect a larger trained talent pool as the workshop builds local skills.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Remote Work

Lexington Film Office to Train Local Location Crews

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FilmLEX, the official film and entertainment office of Lexington, Kentucky, is partnering with Location Managers Guild International on a two-day workforce workshop titled "From Page to Place: The Art of Location Management" on November 6 and 7. Students from eight regional colleges and universities will take part, alongside local crew members and emerging talent.

Why it matters

The workshop is aimed at strengthening Lexington's local production workforce and building the infrastructure needed to support a film and television industry in Central Kentucky. For operators in the region's creative and production services, it signals a growing pool of trained local crew and location support talent.

The workshop draws students from eight regional colleges and universities over two days, while Kentucky's production tax credit runs 30% to 35% under a $75 million annual cap and a $10 million per-project cap. The source does not report how many participants will move into paid production work.

The players

FilmLEX

The official film and entertainment office of the city of Lexington, Kentucky, which promotes local production and coordinates industry partnerships.

Location Managers Guild International

An industry organization representing location managers, the professionals who scout, secure, and manage filming sites for productions.

Macaroni Art Productions

A production company founded in Midway, Kentucky, by local celebrities Steve Zahn and Rick Gomez.

The details

Participants will take part in industry discussions, hands-on training, mentorship, and networking with LMGI professionals including Andrea Keener, Todd Christensen, Mike Fantasia, and Dennis Muscari. Location management is the function that finds and secures filming sites, so training locally in that role gives Central Kentucky crews skills productions would otherwise import. FilmLEX was launched two years ago by Lexington's convention and visitor's bureau, and Kentucky's Entertainment Initiative Program began in 2022.

2022: Kentucky's Entertainment Initiative Program launched.
Two years before the workshop: FilmLEX launched by Lexington's convention and visitor's bureau.
November 6 and 7, 2026: "From Page to Place" workshop held.

Market Landscape

Kentucky's Entertainment Initiative Program, launched in 2022 with a 30% to 35% production tax credit, set the incentive framework this workshop builds on. The partnership positions Central Kentucky to meet the crew and location demand those incentives are meant to attract.

Production services firms, location scouting businesses, and hospitality operators in Lexington should watch for a growing local crew pool as these students and emerging talent enter the industry. Businesses that supply lodging, equipment rental, or location access to productions may see the local talent base expand over the medium term.

The takeaway

Operators in film-adjacent services should track whether local crew hiring increases as the November 6 and 7 workshop graduates enter the workforce. Watching Kentucky's incentive program caps is also worthwhile, since they determine how much production activity the region can draw.