CLEVELAND — As excitement continues to grow around the rumored filming of "Superman," so does the list of Cleveland spots changing into the fictional city of Metropolis.
The Greater Cleveland Film Commission won't confirm crews are filming a "Superman" movie, but that hasn't stopped nearly everyone from jumping to that conclusion. The commission does, however, acknowledge and emphasize the enormous economic impact and job opportunities large films bring to the city.
Throughout Cleveland, residents are showing up to filming locations to try and catch a glimpse of the "Man of Steel." Zachary Lewis is one of them, coming downtown every few days to watch the streets transform.
"I'm surprised I was allowed to sneak in this far," Lewis laughed, "but I'm not saying anything."
Lewis says his love for Superman began as a child, when he visited a neighborhood deli to buy the comics. Bringing that love full circle, he is now snapping pictures of the excitement to make a scrapbook for his grandkids.
"I'm able to do that to show them what kind of things happened around the time that they were born," he said.
However, before moments like this can happen for fans like Zachary, the Greater Cleveland Film Commission works in the background on recruiting films to shoot here. Bill Garvey, the group's president, says such projects create a chain reaction, attracting even more films to choose the area.
"When 'The Avengers' shot here in 2011, that was a big billboard, a big calling card to the world, the motion picture industry, to say, 'Hey, they do big things here in Northeastern Ohio. Let's go film there,'" Garvey explained.
He tells 3News this year is the commission's most successful year yet, booking more than $147 million in total production budgets to Northeast Ohio. Tens of millions in state tax credits are also incentivizing the film industry.
"It's a very exciting time to be a part of this industry here," he added. "And it's opportunity, it's opportunity that all (of the) local community can take advantage of."
Garvey also says Cleveland is growing as a prominent filming location, which means an increase in high-paying job opportunities. If you'd like to look at the opportunities available, you can find more information here.