Vacant downtown factory would be film, TV studio

By GUY D’ASTOLFO

dastolfo@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

A local theater producer plans to turn a vacant downtown factory building into a film and television production studio.

At a news conference Monday, Michael Anthony Forney of Liberty said he is purchasing an 81,000-square foot industrial building with a connected office building, at 460 E. Federal St, which is the intersection of East Federal Street and Andrews Avenue.

Forney, a Youngstown native who lives in Liberty, is the owner of Michael Anthony Productions. He is a script writer, director and producer who has written and produced 15 shows at Powers Auditorium and in other cities over the past decade. Forney also owned a performance venue in downtown Sharon, Pa., but recently sold it.

His goal for the studio is to shoot television series and films in hopes of selling the rights to networks and streaming services. He would also make the studio available to out-of-town filmmakers who are shooting in the Mahoning Valley on a rental or collaborative basis.

Forney said he already has written – or owns the rights to – dozens of scripts, and he plans to produce them first.

His goal is to have the building – whose past occupants include Ohio Roll Fab Inc., Vienna Supplies, and Republic Building Supply – ready for use in the summer of 2020.

The first phase of the project would be to renovate the entire structure into two sound stages inside the factory portion, with offices and pre- and post-production facilities in the office building.

Forney’s goal is to raise $1.5 million to purchase and renovate the structure, which was erected in 1957 and has been vacant for two years. He hopes to have that amount in hand by November so that work can begin to shore up the building before winter.

While the structure is in overall solid condition, Forney said it needs a leak in the roof fixed plus other repairs.

To raise the $1.5 million, Forney is seeking grants and investors, and also plans to have fundraisers.

In the future, he hopes to purchase nearby warehouse and industrial buildings to build additional sound stages.

Forney admits the project is ambitious but said the burgeoning demand for programming by cable networks and streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu makes the timing right.

Standing on the concrete floor of the empty and cavernous steel-beam structure, Forney discussed his vision for what it will become.

“You’re talking to a producer,” he said. “I see the ending first.”

Forney said his plan – which he has been working on for three years – is to build “the pinnacle” of film studios in Ohio and surrounding area, so that producers in Los Angeles, Georgia and elsewhere look to his facility first.

Barbara Hierro, director of the Youngstown Film Office, said the city will consider offering its float loans to filmmakers who want to work out of Forney’s facility, but would have to analyze each deal on a case-by-case basis.

Forney said his company would employ six to eight full-time administrative staff, and between 15 and 30 crew members would be employed to shoot each production.

He plans to hire and train crew, and perhaps work with Youngstown State University to offer courses in the technical work.

“This is a whole industry waiting to be created,” said Forney. “We once took pride in making steel here. Now we’re making steel mills into studios.”

Forney, 40, was a correctional officer for 11 years before moving into theater. He began by creating skits for his book club and then blossomed into writing and directing stage plays.

He was considering starting a production studio in Columbus, where he recently lived for a few years, but decided to do it in his hometown.

“I am invested in this area,” he said.