When you think of great locations for shooting movies you may not think of Alabama, but Lee Shook is on a mission to change that.
As Jefferson County Film Strategist for Film Birmingham – a position funded by the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham’s Community Catalyst Funds – Shook acts as a liaison between film production and city agencies. Film Birmingham is an initiative of Create Birmingham and serves as the film commission for the Greater Birmingham region. Shook’s job includes exploring the potential for a soundstage or production hub facility that would help facilitate more film projects coming to the area and working to unite the 36 municipalities of Jefferson County with the goal of making the area a more film-friendly region.
“A rising tide lifts all boats, and we want to get everybody together on the same page so that we can bring more business and economic opportunity through film to our county and to our cities,” Shook said.
The Alabama Department of Commerce projects that for every dollar Alabama invests, the state gets $7 in return spending. In 2023, films shot in the Birmingham area had a combined budget of $58 million, $32 million of which was spent locally.
“We can make it easier for filmmakers to come in, find what they’re looking for, go shoot in your area, and bring money into your community,” Shook said. The economic impact goes far beyond space that a filmmaker may rent for a shoot.
“When they’re coming into your community, they’re buying gas, they’re buying food, they’re hiring local caterers, they’re staying in hotels.”
So, whether a movie is filmed in Morris, Irondale, or Hoover, surrounding areas can benefit, too.
Statewide there is support for strengthening Alabama’s film industry. On Feb. 18, Senate Bill 177 was introduced to rename the Alabama Film Office to the Alabama Entertainment Office, increase the maximum expenditure threshold eligible for a rebate and the annual cap on incentives, and allow a cap of $3 million in unspent incentives to be carried over to the next year. Meghann Bridgeman, the former president and CEO of Create Birmingham who spearheaded numerous initiatives to drive economic growth in the local film industry, was named director of the Alabama Film Office in September.
Meet Lee Shook
Lee Shook’s first love is music. As a radio DJ, music writer and photographer, and concert promoter and producer, the proud Alabama native has been an integral part of the Birmingham and Southern music scene for more than 15 years. But this passion for music also led him to filmmaking, shooting music videos and documentaries.
Writing for publications like Oxford American, The Wire, Paste Magazine, Birmingham Magazine and Tuscaloosa News has helped Shook develop communication skills that come in handy as he meets with mayors and city council members in his current position. Because of his experience as a concert producer and promoter, he understands all the moving parts a filmmaker must manage when making a movie. Shook is tapped into the local creative arts scene and has long been a champion of the South’s unique history and heritage.
“What a great opportunity to be able to help people like myself and my friends, and to help bring more business to the area and help people get hired and shine a spotlight on all of the good things that are going on here that we need to celebrate,” Shook said of his position.
Through a grant from the Community Foundation’s Catalyst Funds, Shook was first hired on a part-time basis in March 2024 to survey the Greater Birmingham area’s film landscape. After recognizing the great economic impact that the film industry could have on the region, the Catalyst Council voted in fall 2024 to provide additional funding to expand the position to full time. Community Catalyst Funds, established in 2009 and led by an eight-member Catalyst Council, are philanthropic venture funds used for transformational opportunities in the Greater Birmingham region.
Shook has been quite busy over the past year meeting with mayors and city councils.
“The idea of uniting the county is a really exciting thing for me,” he said.
He’s been visiting high schools and colleges looking at local programs that prepare students for careers in filmmaking. Whether they’re working in theatre, photography, making movies, visual effects, music videos, or animation, Shook’s goal is to retain talent.
“How can we tap into young talent and get them to not leave for Atlanta or L.A.? How do we get them to stay here?”
Shook is often out and about making sure aspiring and emerging filmmakers know about the workshops and networking nights Film Birmingham hosts and all the opportunities available at Sidewalk Film Festival.
Additionally, Shook has been looking at policy proposals and possible infrastructure investments the community can make, as well as spearheaded the development of several online resources.
The ReelScout database is designed to identify locations and other assets that could be used in films.
“A lot of people don’t realize all the amazing things we have in our communities,” Shook said. “I grew up here in Birmingham, and I’ve been blown away by learning more about all the different cities and what they have to offer. It’s everything from unique creeks and unique waterfalls to old sawmills that have been around for 100 years that would make for a great horror film setting to storefronts from the 1950s.”
The database also aims to identify local talent and potential crew members.
“It’s not just producer, director, editor, and actor,” Shook said. “Those are the main things people think of when they think movies or television, but if you’re a hair and makeup artist, if you’re somebody that does lighting, if you do audio, if you’re an assistant cameraman – we need those skill sets. Without those people, there is no movie-making magic.”
Shook has also created The Jefferson County Film Tourism Guide, which explores the county’s unique contributions to the world of cinema and some of the places and municipalities that have been featured in movies over the course of the 20th and 21st centuries.
“It’s very interesting to see how people have reimagined our communities,” Shook said. “I want people to be inspired by it.”
Shook uses the Film Birmingham website to highlight movies made in Birmingham by local filmmakers to help shine the spotlight on some of our incredible up-and-coming talent.
And most recently he’s created a Film Calendar, a dedicated site to help highlight independent screenings and cinema events happening within Birmingham and around Jefferson County.
“We want people to be able to find those things in one spot,” Shook said. “So, if you’re a film nerd like me, this is a one-stop shop for all of your cinephile needs. We aim to help people find out about both unique film events, as well as networking and workshop opportunities for those interested in learning more about the industry.”
Alabama may not be the site for a Marvel movie anytime soon, “but I think there’s a lot of room for us to become a really great destination for awesome independent filmmaking at a high level,” Shook said.
As Jefferson County Film Strategist, Shook’s goal is not to compete with studios in Hollywood or even in Georgia but to showcase the unique benefits of making movies in the Greater Birmingham area.
“We don’t want to be Atlanta,” he said. “We want to be Alabama.”
Community Catalyst Funds are philanthropic venture funds that allow the Community Foundation and its donors to make transformational investments that benefit the greater Birmingham community. Contact Liz Edwards, VP of Philanthropy, to learn more.
Learn more about Create Birmingham’s film initiative at FilmBirmingham.org.