‘Part of the story’: Shows like ‘Outer Banks’ produce ‘film tourism’ in Charleston

The fifth season of “Outer Banks” will be the last, but the fandom hype around the show — and its ties to the South Carolina Lowcountry — show no signs of slowing down.

Hundreds of OBX fans of the Netflix hit lined the block outside the Charleston Music hall Oct. 8 for the red carpet event that premiered the first episode of the show shot mostly across the Charleston area. 

Anna Rabl had been standing in line for 12 hours when fans were let into the venue. She had traveled from Munich the day before, a last-minute flight after securing a ticket to the event and a chance to see the “Pogue” stars of her favorite show up close and personal.

“Living in Germany, I never thought I’d get the chance to see them in person. When I got a ticket I dropped everything to be here,” Rabl said. 

While in town, she said she went sightseeing at set locations seen throughout the series to get a taste of that coastal Carolina laid-back “Pogue vibe” depicted in the show in areas like Shem Creek.

Beside her in line was Bo Hanna from Tupelo, Miss. They started the day as total strangers but left as pals, Hanna said, noting how she became a diehard fan because of how the show’s themes on friendship resonated with her.

“What I’ve always loved about the show is through it all, they remain so close together,” Hanna said. “They don’t have a lot, and they don’t come from a lot, but they make the most of everything they have. Even though they film in Charleston, in the show it feels like any other small town.”

Rabl and Hanna were two examples of fans who want to experience the myriad OBX set locations throughout the Charleston area.

Many familiar sites have made cameos in the series. This season, the Pogues returned to follow a new set of clues on a treasure hunt that led them to downtown Charleston’s Circular Congregational Church, which was featured for the cemetery shots, while inside of the Unitarian Church got the main spotlight.

The greater Charleston and Berkeley area has its fair share of notable spots in movies. While it’s impossible to nail down exactly how many the region’s 7 million annual visitors fall into the film tourist category, visitor industry experts have said experience based travel is on the rise.

Cypress Gardens, for example, is most well-known for its role in a memorable scene from “The Notebook,” “The Patriot” and more recent productions like “Outer Banks” and “The Righteous Gemstones.”

Visitors to Cypress Gardens leading up to the weekend of Oct. 5 might have noticed some unusual signage with a logo for “MILSAP Gator Farm and Serpentarium.” The swampy Moncks Corner nature attraction wasn’t rebranding. According to the S.C. Film Office, the signs were props and part of production set built for scenes from the upcoming season of “The Righteous Gemstones,” set to drop early next year.

Rachel Knight, Berkeley County’s tourism director, said questions from “film tourists” regarding where specific scenes of movies or TV series were shot are fairly common.

“Cypress Gardens is one of many beautiful ‘hot spots’ for film production in Berkeley County … it is a magnet for tourists and locals alike,” Knight said.

Social media influencers play a role in catching the attention of fans, usually with blogs or video content sharing back stories and locations. The circulation of the media from those likes and shares is “a great free advertising tool,” Knight added.

The 20th anniversary of the hit romance film “The Notebook” this year, and the special tour at Cypress Gardens that followed it, is one example of how visitors want to experience a location, she said.

“People flocked to Cypress Gardens to see just where Allie and Noah shared a romantic scene in the blackwater swap amidst hundreds of white Emden geese,” Knight said.

Film tourism gives a boost to the local economy and community, but Knight said visitors are also drawn to a sense of nostalgia and adventure to “feel like they are part of the story.”

“They feel a connection to the film and its characters,” she said. “Seeing the real-life locations used in films provides a familiar and authentic experience.”

The Film Commission, which is part of S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, has previously estimated that the industry generates a 4-to-1 return, meaning the average production spends four times the amount in production costs and wages compared to the rebate incentives it receives from the state.

In 2022, both “Outer Banks” and “The Righteous Gemstones” wrapped up their third seasons. The Film Office said Netflix drama series used 335 suppliers, totaling $8 million in local spending, while the HBO comedy deployed more than $12.7 million among 548 vendors. 

The impact can linger even after filming is wrapped up. 

Charleston local Lucy Thiewes works at Rebellion Roads, a Charleston e-bike tours operator that has its own OBX offering. The route takes fans through Mount Pleasant’s Old Village, Shem Creek and Breach Inlet between the Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island to see the filming locations of Kildare County Sheriff’s Office and the Kildare Island Surf Shop, The Pirate Museum, The Wreck restaurant, Heywards Seafood and other spots. Thiewes said the tour is popular.

“It’s cool to see the location come to life through each fan’s eyes for the first time,” she said. “We’ve had tours that ran into them filming scenes, and we’ve been able to stop and watch from behind the scenes. It’s a one-in-a-million experience for a fan.”

Rabl, the OBX super fan from Germany, said her spur-of-the-moment Charleston trip was well worth it, as she returned home to Munich with photos and autographs. She noted that actor Rudy Pankow “even ran back because he saw my sign.”