Thick black smoke fills the sunny blue sky as vehicles of all shapes and sizes lay the blaze of what looks to be the aftermath of a battle.

NYPD cruisers and yellow taxicabs sit abandoned as large pieces of rubble are either on top or surround the vehicles. The street and sidewalks are littered with debris as a sign nearby reads Grand Central Station-42nd Street station.

The only problem with this picture is that all of this happened on East Ninth Street in downtown Cleveland this past summer during the filming of the new Marvel comic book movie “The Avengers.”

With the newly enacted Ohio tax credit incentives, filmmakers of big movies such as “The Avengers” have been able to take full advantage of the refundable tax credit. The credit, which equals close to 25 percent off in in-state spending toward non-residents’ wages, according to the Ohio Film offices website, has been one of the key drawing points for filmmakers

Other films, such as “The Ides of March,” which just recently hit theaters, took advantage of the new tax credit filming in Ohio. According to the Internet Movie Database, locations in Ohio for the film included Cincinnati, Oxford, Miami University and Xavier University.

Filmmakers who do decide to shoot in Ohio must spend a minimum of $300,000, which allows for many independent films to shoot here. A good example is “25 Hill,” a movie that was directed by Corbin Bernsen, who shot the film mostly in Akron, Ohio.

“25 Hill,” a movie about soapbox derby racing and achieving dreams, had an estimated budget of $ 1 million, according to IMDB, which fits the category of a film that would be eligible for Ohio’s tax incentive.

“I think that’s one of the reasons that Corbin Bernsen wanted to film here,” executive producer of “25 Hill” Mary Ethridge said in regards to the Ohio tax incentive. “I don’t think he would have come here if we would have not had some kind of tax incentive program for filmmakers.”

Although the tax credit may seem to favor big time movies like “The Avengers” and “Ides of March,” it also has a big-time effect on independent films.

“I think it favors both, but it is going to have a bigger impact on a independent film with a smaller budget,” Ethridge said. “Every little bit helps when you’re making a film like this.”

Ethridge talked about the importance of the tax incentive due to the fact that when “25 Hill” received its refund check from the state, they were able to use that money for their first payment toward their investors who helped fund the movie.

Films being shot in the area overall helps tremendously in the local community, not only economically, but also when it comes to exposure.

“I think Akron has a chance right now to become a center of filmmaking. There are lots of small films going on around the area,” Ethridge said. “I would say Northeast Ohio really has a lot of potential.”

With two major films already shot in Ohio and many more to come in the independent ranks, the outlook for attracting films to Ohio is looking very promising.

A hands-on reality show workshop is being hosted by The University of Akron School of Communication, Inda Blatch-Geib Productions and Joke Productions.

The two-day workshop will teach the skills needed to sell a reality TV or documentary series to Hollywood. Participants will learn how to identify a compelling story, how to craft their presentations for the right network and how to pitch a marketable reality show or docu-series. At the end of the class, participants will have the chance to pitch a TV show or documentary.

“Whether you’re a novice or have a formed idea, it’s a great opportunity,” said event producer Inda Blatch-Geib, who adds, “You don’t have to come with a formed idea.”

The event is run by award-winning filmmakers and TV producers Joke Fincioen and Biagio Messina. Their documentary “Dying to do Letterman” is in the running for this year’s Oscar nominations. Their reality television credits include MTV’s “Caged,” “Scream Queens,” “Commercial Kings” and “Beauty and the Geek.”

“It’s still a new enough industry, we don’t train people to pitch ideas; It’s a great way to learn something you’re not taught,” Blatch-Geib said.

Senior Alex Funk is excited for the workshop and hopes they find his idea successful.

“There’s so much random nonsense my roommate and I do; we would be so much better than ‘Rock of Love,’” Funk said.

“The world would love us, everyone loves us anyways, so obviously national television would love us,” Funk’s roommate Alex Briski added.

Joke Productions is actively looking for new reality television and docu-series projects from the Northeast Ohio area.

“They’re really phenomenal people to work with,” Blatch-Geib said. “They very much want to produce things from this area and want to make this area successful for reality TV.”

By the end of the four classes, participants will have a reality TV or documentary series pitch idea ready to go, along with an accompanying video. Finciorn and Messina will critique pitches and offer further advice; if they find a pitch successful enough, they will team up with the creator and attempt to sell the show to a major network.

“Even for someone who’s thinking for down the road, it’s a great opportunity,” Blatch-Geib said.

The event takes place over two weekends this semester, Oct. 1 and 2 and Nov. 5 and 6. Each day, the workshop will last from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Student Union.

Any student who wants to attend is being given a free spot. Non-students can purchase tickets for $159.24. There is also a discount price of $264.74 for groups of three working on the same project. Tickets can be purchased online at realitytv101.eventbright.com.

For more information, contact Blatch-Geib at Indabg@neo.rr.com or 330-687-2629. Pre-registration and payment is required.