PETERSBURG, Va. (AP) - Petersburg plans to require a $5,000 deposit from filmmakers to use the Centre Hill Museum after the historic building was damaged by film crews during two recent productions.
City officials believe a deposit is necessary due to the 150-year-old mansion’s growing attraction to filmmakers, said Brian Little, Petersburg director of cultural affairs.
“We want to see the building used,” Little told The Progress-Index (https://bit.ly/1t6XUJj). “It does add to the interest of citizens and people coming to our city. It’s really a feather in our cap.”
The mansion sustained damage during filming for “Ithaca” and “Turn.” The damage included cracks in plaster molding in the mansion’s foyer that could have been caused by the building’s interior being exposed to humidity, Little said.
Stalwart Films, of “Turn,” and All Things are Possible LLC, of “Ithaca,” are willing to work with the city to fix the damages. Since the building already showed signs of wear-and-tear, the companies will be financially responsible for part of the damage, Little said.
The film crew for “Turn” is scheduled to return to Centre Hill on Nov. 8.
Any large event, such as weddings, could affect the historic property and currently are not allowed at the museum, he said.
“Any use over its norm becomes more use than not. We have to be careful of the types of special events we have there,”
Despite the damage, Little said film crews did their best to respect the historic site.
He also said the mansion’s use by the film industry has increased visitation to the site.
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Information from: The Progress-Index, https://www.progress-index.com
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