Film and television studio launches at Spark Center in Spartanburg

A newly formed production studio will establish residency at Spartanburg Community College‘s Spark Center, where its founders say the company will anchor the state’s role in the film and television industry.

Salt Run Entertainment is led by Charles Randolph-Wright and John Gramling III.

The 25,000-square-foot space at the Spark Center will serve as Salt Run Entertainment’s headquarters and creative hub, housing company offices, a writers’ room, a warehouse for set design and build, and a filming studio, according to a news release. The residency marks the official launch of Salt Run Entertainment’s operations in South Carolina.

Through its collaboration with Spartanburg Community College, Salt Run Entertainment intends to connect directly with students, providing workshops, internships and opportunities to learn the craft of television and film production, according to the release.

“Innovation is the cornerstone of our mission at Spartanburg Community College,” Michael Mikota, president of Spartanburg Community College, said in the release. “Through this dynamic studio partnership, we are launching cutting-edge technology into both our classrooms and our community, preparing students for tomorrow’s opportunities while positioning Spartanburg as a leader in the creative economy. I encourage all educators, industry partners, and visionaries to join us in shaping the future together.”

Salt Run Entertainment also forged a partnership with the Urban League of the Upstate to expand workforce development initiatives tied to the entertainment industry, the release stated. Together, they will design pathways for individuals across the Upstate to build skills and careers in a sector poised for growth.

“The Urban League is dedicated to ensuring that growth in our region is inclusive,” said Gail Wilson Awan, president and CEO of the Urban League of the Upstate. “Salt Run Entertainment’s presence in Spartanburg represents more than a new business — it’s a chance to create access, expand workforce pipelines, and ensure that opportunities in this industry are open to all.”

Randolph-Wright is a York native who has worked as a producer, director and writer. Gramling is a Spartanburg native and president and CEO of New Canaan Impact Capital.

“For me, this is a homecoming,” Randolph-Wright said in the release. “My career has taken me across the world, but my roots are here in South Carolina. Establishing Salt Run Entertainment here is about more than producing great stories — it’s about creating an ecosystem that allows those stories to be written, built and filmed right here in the Carolinas.”

Gramling added: “Salt Run Entertainment was founded on the idea that business can be both purpose-driven and successful. In partnering with Spartanburg Community College and the Urban League, we are investing in people, in talent and in the future of Spartanburg as a hub for film and television.”

Matthew Storm, director of the South Carolina Film Commission, said Salt Run Entertainment’s presence will broaden both the workforce and the economic footprint of the industry in South Carolina.

“The hope for everyone is that Salt Run Entertainment brings high-quality productions to the Upstate that can both appeal to communities and incubate a new job market,” he said in the release. “Film crews require carpenters, truck drivers, builders and creatives — literally something for everyone. We’re also excited to see filmmaking expand into a region that has traditionally not had the jobs or economic impact the industry can bring. This activity will show the Upstate — and lawmakers statewide — how film can be a powerful economic engine for South Carolina.”

The Spark Center at Spartanburg Community College provides flexible space and business incubation support to help companies establish operations in South Carolina. Since its launch, the Spark Center has supported more than 100,000 jobs and facilitated more than $50 billion in economic impact statewide, according to the release.