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A Baltimore-based miniseries set to premiere on AppleTV+ Friday created a major economic impact in Maryland and will draw national attention to the city.
The “Lady in the Lake” production spent approximately $100 million during its filming in Maryland, according to the Maryland Department of Commerce. The show, which takes place in 1960s Baltimore, is based on the New York Times best-selling novel by former Baltimore Sun reporter Laura Lippman.
The story was inspired by the real-life disappearances and murders of two girls in 1960s Baltimore, according to Lippman. The series features proud Baltimore native Moses Ingram and Academy-Award winner Natalie Portman. It was filmed throughout Baltimore for three and a half months in 2022.
“Baltimore always shines,” Baltimore Film Office Director Debbie Dorsey said. “We really love showcasing all of our diverse neighborhoods and diverse architectural styles and looks because we have it all really here.”
The show follows an investigative journalist, played by Portman, as she explores the murder of a young girl in Baltimore. The journalist encounters a hard-working woman, played by Ingram, who hopes to advance the city’s Black progressive agenda, all while juggling motherhood and jobs.
The series directly created 1,132 Maryland jobs that helped with behind-the-scenes of the production, including crew members. The production utilized 2,456 goods and services from local businesses and bought 32,000 hotel room nights at local establishments, according to the Department of Commerce.
The millions of dollars generated by the show stemmed from the production’s various needs, from location rentals to minuscule goods like ice for catering, Dorsey said. Money went towards products and services such as camera trucks, truck rentals, office spaces, costumes, portable air conditioning, makeup stations, and even antique props, she added.
“You just don’t realize how many, how many things you need for production, right?” Dorsey said.
Especially when adding in the salaries of actors and crew members, it becomes realistic to spend millions on a production, according to Daraius Irani, the chief economist for the Regional Economic Studies Institute at Towson University. Even without those salaries, films have a major impact on the state’s economy as they interact with local vendors, Irani said. Although much of the spending might be a one-time occurrence, shows may have a lasting impact as they highlight the locations they are filmed in.
A portion of the production’s effort went into transforming filming areas of Baltimore into looking like the 1960s. Altering parking meters and renting retro cars were just some of the necessities that could take viewers back decades in time.
The show will bring viewers to some of the city’s most iconic spots, Maryland Film Office Director Jack Gerbes said. The opening scene turns the clock back about six decades to a Christmas parade on Redwood Street. Other sights may include the Peabody Library and the Under Armour Performance Center that was recreated to become Hecht’s department store.
The series will cast a national spotlight on Baltimore as its audience will take a glimpse at the city.
“There’s a sense of pride and excitement just from the native Marylanders,” Gerbes said. “You’ll find people who will want to visit Baltimore and see where it was filmed.”
Those who are native to Baltimore may feel a sense of nostalgia when watching the film, while others may be drawn to explore the sites of past Maryland productions, including “Runaway Bride” and “House of Cards.” The series will make the state all the more welcoming as a site for future films, Gerbes said.