The Virginia Film Office

What The Virginia Film Office does

The Virginia Film Office (VFO) is the official state film commission of the Commonwealth of Virginia, founded in 1969 and headquartered at 901 East Cary Street, Suite 900, Richmond. The VFO markets Virginia to film, television, new media, and commercial productions, functioning as a single point of contact that connects incoming productions with locations, local crew, vendors, talent, and state incentive programs. Its service portfolio spans six functional areas: a searchable film location database (historic sites, urban settings, natural landscapes), a crew directory, the state's film incentive program (tax credits, grants, sales and use tax exemption, hotel tax exemption), a production hotline for casting calls and job postings, a filmography showcase, and a resources portal for navigating state agencies and local logistics. Notable productions supported include Warner Bros.' Lincoln (directed by Steven Spielberg), Wonder Woman 1984, Showtime's Homeland, AMC's The Walking Dead: World Beyond, The Good Lord Bird, and Loving, alongside student and emerging filmmaker projects through partners such as VCUarts Cinema and Anne Chapman Casting.

The VFO is a state government entity, not a commercial business: it is funded through state appropriations, provides its services to productions at no charge, and has 1–10 employees. Its revenue model is therefore best characterized as government funding via a professional-services-style public agency, with no pricing model, no subscription, and no commercial productization. Go-to-market is direct, event-driven, and relationship-led: a small staff delivers personalized production support from initial inquiry through wrap, supported by a digital presence (film.virginia.org, Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, email newsletter) and co-marketing partnerships with the Virginia Tourism Corporation (the "Virginia is for Film Lovers" brand), Women in Film and Video (WIFV), the Virginia Production Alliance (VPA), and casting partners.

Operationally, the VFO does not develop proprietary technology products; its "platform" is a curated set of databases, a website, and a hotline bulletin board connecting productions to Virginia's production ecosystem. The underlying technology is conventional web infrastructure (the website is credited to The Hatchery and The Hot Brain), with no AI/ML, no API, and no mobile app. Customer concentration risk is not a meaningful concept for a free public service, and financial growth is best assessed via state budget trends rather than commercial revenue indicators.

Name

The Virginia Film Office

Legal name

Virginia Film Office

Website

https://film.virginia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Virginia Film Office is Virginia's official state film commission, founded in 1969 and based in Richmond. It is a state government agency that provides free, end-to-end production support — locations, crew, incentives, and permitting — to film, television, and commercial productions shooting in Virginia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Commission Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Studios, Stages & Location Services (Facilities, Location Scouting/Permits) (MPAAAMAG)

Keywords

• Film commission services
• Production location scouting
• Film crew database
• Film incentive programs
• Production support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a Virginia state government agency, the VFO is funded through state appropriations and tax revenues rather than commercial revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Virginia Film Office is Virginia's official state film commission that connects film, television, new media, and commercial productions with Virginia filming locations, local crew, production resources, and state financial incentives. It provides end-to-end production support from initial concept through wrap, administers Virginia's film incentive program (tax credits, grants, sales and use tax exemption, hotel tax exemption), and operates a production hotline for casting calls, job postings, and industry events. All services are provided free of charge as a public service of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Product overview

The Virginia Film Office (VFO) is Virginia's official state film commission, providing a comprehensive suite of services to support the motion picture industry. Rather than a unified software product, VFO offers an integrated service portfolio including location scouting and database access, crew connections, financial incentives administration, a production hotline for casting and job postings, a filmography showcase, and resource navigation. The VFO operates as a portal connecting filmmakers with Virginia's production ecosystem throughout the entire production lifecycle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Film Location Services Connects filmmakers with filming locations throughout Virginia via a searchable database, featuring historic sites, urban settings, natural landscapes, and unique venues such as Dunnington Mansion, Luray Caverns, and the Historic Backlot in Powhatan. For film, television, and commercial productions seeking Virginia locations.
• Crew Database Directory connecting productions with local Virginia crew members across all film production disciplines. For film and television productions seeking qualified local crew.
• Film Incentives Program Virginia's film incentive program offering tax credits, grants, sales and use tax exemption, and hotel tax exemption to qualifying productions. For qualifying film, television, and commercial productions filming in Virginia.
• Production Hotline Job board and hotline posting casting calls, crew positions, events, competitions, and industry opportunities for Virginia filmmakers. For Virginia's film community including crew, actors, extras, students, and emerging filmmakers.
• Filmography Database Showcases films that have been shot in Virginia, including major productions like Lincoln, Wonder Woman 1984, and Homeland, serving as a promotional resource demonstrating Virginia's production capabilities. For productions evaluating Virginia as a filming destination.
• Resources Portal Production support resources including state agency connections, professional organizations, travel information, and maps for filmmakers working in Virginia. For film productions navigating state-level logistics and resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully attracted major productions including Lincoln, Wonder Woman 1984, Homeland, and The Walking Dead

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Virginia Tourism CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirginia Tourism Corporation provides photography of Virginia for promotional use and supports the Virginia is for Film Lovers branding initiative. This partnership leverages Virginia's established tourism marketing infrastructure for film industry promotion.
• The HatcheryminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWebsite design and concepts partner for film.virginia.org
• The Hot BrainminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWebsite design and concepts partner for film.virginia.org
• Women in Film and Video (WIFV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWIFV organizes regular networking events (Happy Hours) in Richmond and Northern Virginia that are promoted through the VFO hotline, supporting professional development for Virginia filmmakers.
• Virginia Production Alliance (VPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide professional organization for film and video production professionals. VPA organizes workshops, networking events, and industry gatherings across Virginia districts (Richmond, NoVA, Hampton Roads) that are promoted through VFO channels.
• Anne Chapman CastingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCasting director who partners with VFO to post casting opportunities for student and independent productions through the VFO hotline service.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Georgia Film, Entertainment & Digital Entertainment Office: Direct state film commission peer offering location services, crew connections, and a famously generous tax incentive program. Most directly comparable to VFO as a competing US state film commission targeting the same major-studio productions.
• FilmLA: Non-profit that coordinates film permits and provides production support services across the City and County of Los Angeles. Direct functional peer to VFO at the local-jurisdiction level, administering permits and serving as a single point of contact for productions.
• California Film Commission: State-level film commission providing location scouting, permits, and incentives administration. Direct peer to VFO in function and structure, though operating in the dominant US production market with substantially larger staff and budget.
• Louisiana Entertainment (LED): Louisiana's state film office administering a long-standing and substantial film tax credit program. Direct peer to VFO competing for the same major-studio productions on incentive economics.
• North Carolina Film Office: Neighboring state film commission with overlapping geography and competing for mid-Atlantic productions. Direct peer to VFO offering similar location, crew, and incentive services just south of Virginia.
• New York State Governor's Office of Motion Picture & Television Development: New York State film office administering the state's film production tax credit and connecting productions with locations, crew, and resources. Direct peer to VFO offering comparable services in a competing production market.

Regional players

• Film Alberta (Alberta Film & Television Tax Credit Program via Alberta Media Fund): Canadian province film commission offering location services and tax credit incentives. Functional peer to VFO in providing state/provincial film production support, though serving the Canadian market.
• British Film Commission: UK national film commission providing similar location, crew, and incentive support services to international productions. Functional peer to VFO but operating in a different geographic market for inbound international productions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vafilmoffice
• Facebookfacebook.com/FilmVirginia
• Instagraminstagram.com/vafilmoffice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/virginia-film-office

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Virginia Film Office