Saturday Film Incentive News Wrap-up

It’s Saturday, which means it’s time for our weekly look at some of the news about film incentive programs around the country.  Now, you know the focus of this site is Oregon’s film and TV industry, and its effect on the state’s economy.  It’s important to keep an eye on trends nationwide, though.  The film and TV industry is an interdependent organism; what happens around the country affects Oregon’s industry, and what happens in Oregon affects the rest of the country as well. 

While each state’s incentive program is different, it’s important to see the “big picture” by keeping an eye on the choices other states have made – to learn from their successes and their mistakes.

So, with that…

The big news this week comes from Massachusetts, where the executive director of the Massachusetts film office has found himself out of a job in the wake of a re-organization that puts the film office under the aegis of that state’s office of Travel and Tourism.  Nicholas Paleologos, the out-going executive director, had lobbied against Governor Duval Patrick’s plans to place a cap on the state’s film incentive program earlier this year. 

Iowa’s governor-elect Terry Branstad has announced that he’ll scrap that state’s troubled film incentive program – but he’s not planning on doing away with the Hawkeye State’s film office.  Branstad feels that the state can continue to lure films like Field of Dreams and The Bridges of Madison County to the state without film incentives. 

Missouri’s 35% percent film incentive program may be on the chopping block as well, as the Show Me State looks at the effectiveness of its 61 tax credit programs.  While the George Clooney film Up In The Air spent a great deal of money in the state while shooting in St. Louis, opponents of the incentive program argue that the industry is only providing short-term jobs rather than building a lasting Missouri film industry.

Similarly, north of Oregon’s border the Washington legislature is considering a new report recommending the renewal of that state’s film incentives that was recently forwarded to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee.  Much like Oregon’s incentive program, Washington’s program is set to expire in 2011.

Now that the election is over, Louisiana is beginning to examine the growth of the industry within the Pelican State.  Louisiana’s film incentives have made it the third largest shooting location in the country, and some are calling for an expansion of facilities and training to continue that growth.

Texas has seen a strong surge in production after its film incentive program was strengthened in 2009.  Many are concerned, however, that the state’s budget concerns may force the legislature to cut that program at the same time the industry is beginning to grow.

Lawmakers in Rhode Island who were initially skeptical about the benefits of that state’s 25% film incentive program have become believers with news that the new ABC series has injected more than $30 million into that state’s economy. 

And finally, outside US borders, control of England’s 100 million pound film incentive program was handed back to the British Film Institute this week. As part of the administrative transfer, Britain’s Minister of Culture stated firmly that the nation’s film incentives are here to stay: “Some people think there are two British film industries — one indigenous and the other supporting big American movies. I don’t agree. Hollywood investment promotes both British characters and British storytelling.”

Advertisement