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Q. Will Universal Pictures, which is producing Patch Adams, pay for repairs of
any damage to the campus that resulted from filming?
A. Yes--this is a provision of the contract between the University and
Universal.
Q. Will Universal pay for any overtime put in by University employees as a
result of filming?
A. Yes--this is a provision of the contract between the University and
Universal.
Q. Did the University make money by allowing Patch Adams to be filmed here?
A. According to University officials, the movie was not a money-making venture
for Carolina. But Universal will pay the University a daily location fee of
$3,500, and officials will announce how the funds will be distributed around
campus. Also, the Student Union will receive about $10,000 through rental fees
charged to Universal for the use of University facilities and equipment.
Q. Did the local economy benefit from Patch Adams being filmed here?
A. Yes, according to Shelly Green, executive director of the Chapel Hill/Orange
County Visitors' Bureau. She agreed with Universal officials who estimated that
up to $2 million was channeled into the local economy through use of hotels,
restaurants, grocery stores, dry cleaners and other businesses. Patch generated
about 5,200 room-nights for Orange County hotels, Green said. Margaret Skinner,
sales and marketing director of Carolina Inn, said Patch booked more than 900
room-nights there, bringing in $121,000. Room service, restaurant, gift shop
and other revenue added to the total, she said. (The University, which leases
the inn, gets 4.5 percent of the inn's gross revenue.) Timing made the economic
boon particularly helpful, Green said, as it filled the usual lull between
Commencement at Carolina and summer closings of local public schools. Skinner
said the movie's entourage boosted weekday occupancy.
Q. Did filming compromise safety on campus?
A. Not in the view of Jeff McCracken, a major with the public safety
department. McCracken said that during about a month of shooting, six of 24
lampposts in Polk Place were temporarily removed, along with two of the
campus's 50 blue-light emergency call boxes. One of the call boxes was put back
in place during filming, McCracken said. The other box and the six lampposts
were returned after filming. The temporary changes in lighting did not hurt
safety, McCracken said, as other permanent security lights remained mounted on
Gardner, Manning and Hanes halls. He said the movie's presence may have
actually increased safety where filming occurred, because Patch producers
requested additional officers to patrol filming sites and keep an eye on
equipment.
Q. Will University employees temporarily reassigned to less-convenient parking
lots to accommodate filming be compensated?
A. According to Vice Chancellor Elson Floyd, employees moved from the Sitterson
parking lot (which Universal used as an equipment staging area) to Water Tower
and Stadium Drive lots received a 50 percent cut in parking costs. Universal
will make up revenue lost to the University parking fund.
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