Posted 14 August, 2006 in AZ News
Published: Mon, 14 Aug 2006, 16:06:00 GMT
PHOENIX AZ – Aug. 14 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Peter VanWolvelaerd of VanDahl Associates, a service disabled veteran owned film and video company, has helped sponsor an ASU film intern program with the upcoming Universal Studios thriller ‘The Kingdom.’ The film is directed by Peter Berg and stars Jamie Foxx. The plot involves a team of US counterterrorism agents on a mission to track down “evil doers” in an Arab country.
Four film students were selected by Miguel Valenti the Dean of the ASU School of film for the internship program. Miguel states, “This student internship program is part of the creation of a new film school at ASU, we are hoping to become one of the premier film schools in the country. This internship program is only the beginning, because of the new legislation promoting and providing income-tax credit and sales tax exemption we see a bright future for the film industry in Arizona.”
*(Photo Caption: Peter VanWolvelaerd of VanDahl Associates.)
Asked how he got involved with the ASU internship program Peter VanWolvelaerd states, “When I found out a major Studio was doing a movie in Arizona I knew I needed to get involved. I am proud of my service as an officer in the US Army Corp of Engineers and as a SDVOC film and video company I wanted to be part of this movie. I had a meeting with Miguel Valenti and he gave me the green light to sponsor the Internship program with Universal Studios.”
Working with the Universal Studios production team of Robert West and Don Wygal, VanDahl Associates was able to put the pieces together for the ASU internship program. The program strives to provide opportunities for up-and-coming film professionals by teaching skills, giving exposure to film production and providing a supportive environment of the talent of tomorrow to get a foot in the door of today’s film industry.
Mr. VanWolvelaerd goes on to say, “Universal Studios has opened the door to these young men and women at ASU, the program includes office internships, referrals for feature-film crew positions, learning new skills and making professional contacts. In short, the internship program is tailored to foster the future leaders of the film Community. Additionally the internship program has unforeseen benefits, instead of Googling for future trends or going to Myspace/Youtube, working with these student interns you can tap into the mindset of today’s youth as it happens.”
“These are exciting times for our company,” Peter states. “VanDahl Associates is involved in government and commercial contracts due to our status as sdvoc, Along with new federal government mandate on giving disabled veterans 3% of all contracts, we see a very bright future for our company. In fact we are one of only a few sdvoc film Companies in the entire country.”
VanWolvelaerd is the president and chief shareholder of VanDahl & Associates, a Multi-faceted engineering and production concern he founded in 1986. He holds disabled Veteran status, having served as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.
VanWolvelaerd has turned VanDahl into an extremely successful and growing international concern, now focused on production of broadcast content and film and media and in developing new ways to deliver this content.
The company’s motto is “Can do” which can be found on its website: www.vandahl.com
This time it’s a wrap. North Carolina’s Gov. Mike Easley signed House Bill 1522, making official the state’s 15% refundable tax credit on goods, services and labor for film and TV productions.While the delay of the bill — originally skedded for passage last year (Daily Variety, June 15, 2005) — may have temporarily stymied production, the state still reaped $300 million in film and TV production revenue last year.
“This legislation is critical to strengthening the movie and television production business in North Carolina,” Easley said.
It is also designed to keep the state in step with regional neighbors like South Carolina, which also offers a healthy 15% rebate.
With the bill’s signing, some productions have “refocused their sights on us now that the picture has changed,” according to Johnny Griffin, director of the Wilmington Regional Film Commission.
North Carolina film and TV production revenue increased nearly 22% last year and accounted for 22,000 jobs, according to the state’s Dept. of Commerce.
Columbia Pictures’ “Talladega Nights” was shot in Charlotte and Rockingham last year, and the WB’s “One Tree Hill” — which moves to the CW for its fourth season — is lensing at Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington.
* * *
Rocky Mountain High … Montana. That state’s expansive landscape has become more accessible to film production with the Big Sky on the Big Screen Act, an incentive package initiated by Gov. Brian Schweitzer.
The act, a first in the state’s filming history, offers a 12% rebate based on Montana labor hires and applies to the first $50,000 in wages paid per resident.
Productions can also take an 8% rebate on qualified expenditures for production budget costs, including but not limited to hotel and lodging, production equipment rental, fuel costs, expendables, lumber/construction materials, vehicle rentals and food and catering costs. The incentives apply to all types of film, video or TV production.
Montana has no sales tax, which can also be a significant factor in on-location shoots.
“The state and federal tax incentives, coupled with an able crew base, a willing film office and diverse locations, will make Montana a heavyweight contender in the fight to attract production money back to the United States,” said Christopher Cronyn, film producer and vice chair of the Montana Film and Television Advisory Council.
Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117948261.html
