Memphis Video Production Round-up: Rolling Reels on the River
Memphis video production is set for a busy two-week stretch as outdoor screenings, new studio tech and multiple road events converge across Shelby County. The guide below distills what producers, crews and talent need to know between October 15 and 29.
Festival Highlights
- Chêne Film Festival brings a full day of indie features and shorts to Radians Amphitheater on Oct 25, turning the Botanic Garden venue into Memphis’ largest outdoor screen and drawing regional distributors to Cherry Road
- Crosstown Arts film series adds a late-night screening of American Fiction on Oct 29 in the Green Room, offering fresh B-roll angles inside the Sears-retail-turned-arts complex
Permit & Road Alerts
- I-40 eastbound repairs in Haywood County (Oct 18–20) will slow inbound equipment runs from Nashville; overnight work begins Friday at 8 p.m. and ends Monday at 6 a.m.
- Pumpkin Run 5K (Oct 18) closes Ridgeway Loop and adjacent lanes near I-385 from 7 a.m.–noon, affecting East Memphis corporate campuses often used for commercials
- Spooky Sprint half-marathon (Oct 19) blocks internal roads at Shelby Farms and segments of Farm Road from dawn until early afternoon, redirecting nature-park shoots toward Mud Island or the Riverwalk
Studio and Infrastructure Updates
Spotlight Productions has finished an 18′ × 9′ 2.6 pixel-pitch LED wall inside its downtown facility, giving directors an in-town option for Unreal-Engine backgrounds once only available in Nashville or Atlanta. The space complements Arc Studios’ 1,000-sq-ft LED volume in Middle Tennessee, meaning statewide productions can now chain virtual sets without leaving the Volunteer State
Casting Opportunities
Local talent sites show brisk demand: allcasting lists four Memphis-area commercials paying $1,600–$2,100 for single-day shoots before Oct 30, while the Memphis Film Community page highlights a late-October Tupelo retail spot at $300/day plus mileage for Mid-South actors willing to cross the state line. Extras casting for a yet-untitled faith-based feature shooting at Graceland Church Oct 23–27 seeks 200 background players at $150/12, confirming steady crew days despite missing statewide incentives.
Incentive Snapshot
Tennessee’s Entertainment Commission still offers a 25 % cash-rebate grant on qualified in-state spend above $200,000, covering crew, goods and even original music, provided 25 % of production days occur in high-distress counties—a box Shelby County checks. The Film Memphis office requires permit paperwork 10 days before shooting on city or county property, with no application fee and a streamlined one-stop review for police or street-closure needs. Indie producers shooting pickup B-roll on Beale can often bypass full street closures by coordinating with Overton Park Conservancy for drone windows.
Closing Thoughts
With an outdoor film festival, two Halloween-themed road races, and fresh LED capacity all landing within a 14-day window, Memphis proves it can juggle creative energy and logistical reality at once. Memphis camera crew and production teams should secure no-fee permits early, build extra travel time around I-40 and Ridgeway Loop, and lock talent before high-paying commercials wrap—do that and your Memphis set will stay on schedule and under budget while the River City steals the spotlight this fall.
