Lights, Camera, Action for Defiance County, Ohio?

Erika Willitzer
Jul 30
2 min read

Whenever I walk into a local restaurant or business, people don’t recognize me as the Economic Development Director for Defiance County. Instead, they often say, “Hey, aren’t you that girl from the NFL video?” I can’t help but sigh and reply, “Yep, that’s me, the one making the crazy eyes behind the guy pitching an NFL team called the Defiance Builders to Defiance City Council.”

I was completely caught off guard during that meeting that happened in 2023. I had no idea what was happening, and I couldn’t contain my facial expressions, especially when the guy, who turned out to be a Comedy Central actor, started using his sports announcer voice. He was acting like he was calling a football game, shouting, “Goodness Gravy – Smell the Baby!” If you haven’t seen it, I promise it’s one of the most entertaining City Council meetings you’ll ever watch. Just Google “NFL Team Defiance, Ohio.”

Following the viral video, I had the chance to interview actor John Druska for our podcast. John, who lived in Defiance briefly as a child, has gone on to do great work on ABC, Fox, Netflix, CW, and Comedy Central.

During our conversation, John asked about the potential for Defiance County to host film crews for movie shoots. At the time, I was new to my role and didn’t fully understand the economic impact this could have. It also seemed like we weren’t quite ready for something of that scale. However, other Ohio towns like Mansfield and Hillsboro have successfully hosted movie productions in recent years. So, I wonder, maybe it’s time for us to start preparing.

After spending more time in this role and learning about the exodus of film producers from Hollywood due to high costs and regulatory challenges, I have begun to see the potential for Defiance. Maybe it’s time for us to open our doors to film companies. We already have notable connections, like The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio, based on the book by Defiance native Terry Ryan.

You might be surprised to learn that Defiance’s ties to Hollywood go even deeper. Daeida H.W. Wilcox Beveridge, born in Hicksville, Ohio, played a significant role in developing the Los Angeles suburb known as Hollywood in 1887. Many say she came up with the name “Hollywood.”

So, this brings me to the question: Could Defiance County become the next small-town version of Hollywood, California? With our rich history and connections, it seems like a possibility worth exploring.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Please email me at Erika@DefianceCountyED.com.

(Column Written by Erika Willitzer, Executive Director of Defiance County Economic Development)