(RALEIGH) -- The North Carolina Film Office took a trip to Utah recently for the Sundance Film Festival in an attempt to bring more film productions to the Tar Heel State. Aaron Syrett, Director of the North Carolina Film Office said with most producers' home base on the west coast, bringing them to North Carolina can be a challenge.

"I think our biggest challenge is that we're so far from Los Angeles and getting to North Carolina is not as easy as getting to somewhere out west with direct flights," said Syrett.

He added that producers do understand how valuable North Carolina is. "First and foremost, they know they can get the looks, the creative looks and once you get past that, what they really need is crew, because that's what makes it less expensive to make their movies in jurisdictions."

North Carolina film officials hosted a reception at the Sundance Film Festival for over 800 people.