Do Montana Based TV Shows And Movies Effect The Local Economy?

Montana is a popular place, and it appears that its popularity will continue to grow.

By now you're familiar with Montana being a prime location when it comes to film.  Many movies are filmed here, while others are based in the state.  One of the most recent movies with Montana roots is the new film, Father Stu.

Father Stu is based on the true story of Stuart Long who, after a pretty colorful past, would go on to become a Priest in the Catholic Church and serve in Helena. The movie was filmed in and around both Butte and Helena and has an all-star cast.

So with all of those movies and tv shows being filmed here, are we seeing a financial benefit for Montana?  Actually, yes we are.

According to new information from the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research, the wildly popular show Yellowstone brought 70 million dollars to the state just in Season 4 alone.  In a press release, the University went on to say that the show has had a major impact on Montana and its economy.  Here are some highlights of the study.

• 527 permanent jobs in the state, not including the 624 Montana residents who were employed during filming as extras.
• $25.3 million in annual personal income for Montana households.
• $85.8 million in additional gross receipts for Montana businesses and non-business organizations.

Consider this, in 2019 alone there were 122 productions filmed here in Montana according to the study. This of course would include Film, TV, Documentaries, etc. It's probably a good bet to think that those numbers will only increase over time.  Montana is one of many states that offer tax breaks when it comes to filming.

Mix than in with the majestic mountains and beautiful background and I suppose we will be seeing a lot more Montana on the big screens.