In an effort to bring the film industry to southcentral Kentucky, local tourism officials have joined forces with the Southern Kentucky Film Commission.

Hart County Judge-Executive Terry Martin, who founded the commission, said he began pushing efforts to attract film productions to the area shortly after the state passed tax incentives aimed at persuading film companies to shoot in Kentucky.

“Hopefully we can attract people to come here to southern Kentucky to film their movies,” he said.

On Monday, the commission announced its lineup, with Martin serving as president but the rest of the group being made up almost entirely of Barren River area tourism officials.

Martin said he doesn’t plan to serve as director longer than a year because he wants local tourism officials to control the commission in a way that mirrors how the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet oversees the Kentucky Film Commission.

“I’m not going to be here because it needs to be mostly under the tourism commissions,” he said.

While the board includes members from Hart, Warren, Barren and Edmonson counties, Martin has extended invitations to join the group to officials in counties including Logan, LaRue, Metcalfe and Hardin.

“We wanted to start small because we didn’t know what we were getting into,” he said.

Hart County has already started reaping the rewards that come with film shoots.

The Hallmark Channel movie “An Uncommon Grace” was filmed in Hart County in November, a shoot that provided a $500,000 boost to the county’s economy because of crew members and actors spending money there, Martin said.

Edmonson County Tourist Commission Executive Director Rhonda Clemmons, who was elected the commission’s vice president, said each tourism office involved in the film commission kicked in $5,000 to form the group’s current $30,000 operating budget.

She said she was interested in joining the group because she saw the impact the “Uncommon Grace” shoot had on Hart County.

“If you can get just one film to make a $500,000 impact on your town, that’s huge and I knew we wouldn’t get a piece of the pie if we didn’t try,” she said.

Vicki Fitch, executive director of the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, who was elected the commission’s treasurer, said she was invited to join the commission in November and was excited about the chance to bring more attention to the area.

“Anything we can do to bring more of a positive light and build a positive image for Kentucky, for southern Kentucky is a win-win,” she said.

Fitch said she will be among the film commission members attending the Association of Film Commissioners International Locations Show in Burbank, Calif., in April.

“It’s new to us, but we have high hopes it will bring new films to the area,” she said.

Sandra Wilson, Horse Cave-Hart County Tourist Commission executive director, was elected secretary.

The body’s at-large executive members are Coni Shepperd, Munfordville Tourism Commission executive director; Ann Stewart, Glasgow-Barren County Tourist & Convention Commission executive director; Sharon Tabor, Cave City Tourist & Convention Commission executive director; and Virginia Davis, executive director of the Hart County Chamber of Commerce.

“With the wealth of resources, talent and film locations in our region, filmmakers are realizing the great potential of ‘the Biggest Backlot in Kentucky’ for all their production needs,” Martin said in a news release. “We seek to develop relationships, foster winning outcomes and promote the entertainment industry by engaging our people and products with film productions.”