Rock Line Studios will be a creative and economic engine for the Quad Cities
Fresh Films began nearly 25 years ago when founders Kelli and Estlin Feigley were asked to create an after-school filmmaking program for Chicago Public Schools. Students learned by making real films from day one, gaining technical skills alongside leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Now the nonprofit is pursuing its most ambitious project yet in the construction of Rock Line Studios in downtown Rock Island. Rock Line Studios will feature two industry-standard soundstages, youth training facilities, and production support space designed to attract major film and television productions to the Quad Cities.
The project has already received a $3.8 million grant from the Illinois Film Office, reflecting the state’s growing investment in film production, and organizers are actively fundraising to ensure this once-in-a-generation opportunity becomes a reality. Only a further $749,500 is needed to break ground.
For Fresh Films, the studio is an opportunity to build an industry that will benefit the whole region. “Film productions hire local crews, fill hotel rooms, purchase supplies, eat in local restaurants, and introduce new visitors to the community,” said Kelli Feigley. “Nearly two-thirds of a production's budget is spent locally, creating economic activity that benefits businesses throughout the region. This will impact everyone.”
Local hotels, restaurants, transportation, union labor, and other outlets will see major benefit from studio productions. A studio production can have a budget between $5 and $30 million. Fresh Films estimates that a $5 million production will lead to $63 million in economic gains for the region.
Growing quickly since its inception, Fresh Films expanded nationwide before establishing a Quad Cities program in 2016 through a partnership with Augustana College. Today, the organization offers year-round workforce development, with students producing documentaries, music videos, and streaming content while earning professional experience and industry certifications.
“Film is the technical, hands-on part of what we do,” Feigley said. “But students are also gaining powerful personal and professional skills like leadership, collaboration, communication, and time management.”
The Quad Cities Community Foundation has supported that vision through grants that help Fresh Films provide free workforce development programs for local students. Those investments give young people hands-on experience in filmmaking while preparing them for careers in the growing digital media economy. They also reflect the Community Foundation’s commitment to supporting innovative nonprofits whose ideas strengthen people and the region as a whole.
“Organizations like Fresh Films show what’s possible when nonprofits combine bold ideas with community partnership,” said Sue Hafkemeyer, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “They're preparing young people for meaningful careers while helping create the kind of vibrant, innovative region where people want to live, work, and build their futures.”
The impact of the organization can already be seen. This summer, Fresh Films produced a streaming series in Rock Island, employing local crew members, actors, and service providers while training the next generation of filmmakers. The $500,000 production budget was spent almost entirely with local businesses.
Looking ahead, the Feigleys envision a Quad Cities where creative talent stays here, new productions arrive each year, and downtown Rock Island becomes a hub for filmmaking and innovation. “We’ve exported talent for a long time,” Feigley said. “Now we have the chance to bring opportunity here.”
Learn more about the Rock Line Studio project here: https://freshfilms.org/studio/