WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Hallmark Channel movies are playing a key role in what’s expected to be a big year for North Carolina’s film industry.

The StarNews reports that with film productions expected to bring a record-setting $409 million to the state in 2021, and with nearly $300 million spent in the Wilmington area so far, so-called “Hallmark movies” are a staple of local activity.

Currently filming is “Christmas in Harmony,” which had multiple Santas roaming a downtown Wilmington street last week. 

Production on a Hallmark movie entitled "One Summer" also recently happened in the Brunswick and New Hanover counties, according to a news release on filming from the governor's office. The film is set to premiere on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel on Sept. 26.