Film Erie

Film Erie: Connecting Stories, talent, and opportunity

Film Erie is the regional film office and cultural nonprofit serving Erie and Northwest Pennsylvania. We support local filmmakers, connect productions with regional talent, and create opportunities for people who love film to participate in Erie’s growing creative community.

Our work brings together film workers, film lovers, businesses, educators, and community partners. By strengthening these connections, we can help attract productions, support local careers, and make Erie a more active place for film and media.

Our Mission 🎥

Film Erie works to grow a sustainable film and media ecosystem across Northwest Pennsylvania.

We support industry professionals, emerging filmmakers, visiting productions, students, and audiences. We help people find resources, build relationships, develop skills, and connect with new opportunities.

Whether you work behind the camera, enjoy watching films, or want to support Erie’s creative economy, your donation helps build a stronger and more connected film community.

Support Film Erie on Erie Gives Day 🎬

This Erie Gives Day, your donation will help Film Erie expand its work across three key areas.

1. CONNECTING REGIONAL TALENT

The Film Erie Directory helps connect productions, businesses, and organizations with local crew members, creatives, vendors, locations, and production resources.

We are continuing to grow the directory so more regional talent can be discovered and more opportunities can stay within Northwest Pennsylvania.

Explore the directory at directory.filmerie.org.

2. SUPPORTING FILM PRODUCTION

Film Erie serves as a resource for productions considering Erie and Northwest Pennsylvania.

We help connect filmmakers with locations, crew, services, community partners, and regional information. Your support helps us promote Erie as a production destination and respond to new project opportunities.

3. BUILDING A FILM COMMUNITY

Film Erie promotes programs and events that bring filmmakers and film lovers together.

These screenings, networking events, educational programs, partnerships, and community conversations, help people connect with film in meaningful ways and build stronger relationships across the region.

Why your Support Matters 📺

Film's economic footprint in our region is already real: Northwest Pennsylvania's film industry generates $73 million in current economic output, and attracting just three additional productions could add $32 million more. A stronger film industry means jobs, business spending, tourism, and more opportunities for regional storytellers to share their work.

Your Erie Gives donation helps Film Erie:

• Expand and promote the Film Erie Directory
• Connect productions with regional talent and resources
• Support local filmmakers and creative professionals
• Develop networking and educational opportunities
• Promote Erie as a film and media destination
• Market accessible film programming for the community

Establishing A New Home

This year, Film Erie moved its regional office into Radius CoWork, centralizing our work inside an established entrepreneurial and small-business hub. Making a film has a lot in common with launching a business, so the resources Radius already offers entrepreneurs translate directly into support for productions and filmmakers.

Jefferson Educational Society Global Summit 2026

This fall, Film Erie is partnering with the Jefferson Educational Society for a Global Summit event on November 10, featuring Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, the producing team behind Ken Burns' award-winning PBS documentaries. JES's Global Summit draws audiences in the hundreds per event, giving Film Erie's economic impact findings a major public stage. Film Erie will also host a pre-event reception ahead of the program, creating space for filmmakers, students, educators, and civic and business leaders to connect directly with two of the biggest names in documentary film.

NWPA Film Industry Economic Impact Analysis

This report outlines the current and potential economic impact of the film industry across Erie, Crawford, Venango, Mercer, and Warren Counties. Prepared for Film Erie, the analysis uses IMPLAN economic modeling to show how film production supports regional jobs, business spending, labor income, tax revenue, tourism, and long-term creative economy growth.

You can view the Economic Impact Analysis here.

Help us Connect Erie to more Opportunities

Your donation helps Film Erie support regional talent, attract new productions, and create more ways for people to experience and participate in film.

Together, we can build a stronger film and media community in Northwest Pennsylvania.