Posted 29 June, 2008 in NM News
New studios call for more action in the area
By PETER DEBRUGE
Boasting a major airport, Hollywood-caliber studio facilities and a full third of New Mexico’s 2.5 million
residents, the Albuquerque area seems like the natural hub for the state’s filmmaking operations.
But plans are under way that could shift a significant amount of production to the Santa Fe area, widely
recognized as the creative culture center of the Southwest. In addition to the many artists and musicians
represented there, the capital (with its relatively modest 80,000 population) is home to nearly half the state’s
crew base. In the past, those pros have had to commute to Albuquerque (a 45-minute drive) or far-flung
outdoor locations like Ghost Ranch or White Sands for work, with gas and lodging eating into production
budgets.
That may change thanks to a number of major initiatives in the works. Earlier this month, local government
gave the Hool family, established players in the Mexican and independent film scene, the greenlight to
proceed with building Santa Fe Studios, their proposed 600,000-square-foot, six-stage facility just south of
the city.
In keeping with the style of most Santa Fe architecture, the Hools looked to indigenous traditions as they
planned their eco-conscious campus. “It turns out the Anasazi design principles map one-to-one with the
lead green principles: orientation of buildings on a north-south axis, take advantage of shade for the summer
and passive heating for winter, capture rainwater, things like that,” explains Jason Hool, who left a job
working with Guy Hands at Terra Firma to assist his father, producer Lance Hool, with the project.
By the time Santa Fe Studios’ projected late-2009 completion date rolls around, Angelenos should be able to
fly directly into Santa Fe with the same 90-minute terminal-to-terminal convenience currently available
between the LAX and ABQ airports.
“American Airlines and Delta are in the process of getting clearance from the FAA,” claims Eric Witt, head
of Gov. Bill Richardson’s media arts development initiative. “They’re looking to direct 70- to 100-seat
passenger jets from L.A., Denver and Dallas.”
To make things even more accessible, construction is already under way on a high-speed “Rail Runner”
train between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. At this rate, crews could be commuting effortlessly between the
two cities by the end of the year
Posted 29 June, 2008 in NM News
6/27/08 9:59 AM
A sampling of film and TV shoots in the state
By VARIETY STAFF
The last fiscal year brought $632 million in film-related revenue to New Mexico. Here is a sampling of the
recent productions to shoot in the state:
FILM
Appaloosa (New Line)
Beer For My Horses (independent)
Brothers (Relativity)
The Burning Plain (independent)
The Dark Country (independent)
Easier With Practice (independent)
Felon (Stage 6)
Five Dollars a Day (ThinkFilm)
Game (Lionsgate)
Hamlet 2 (Focus)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Paramount)
Legion (Screen Gems)
Love Ranch (Capitol Films)
Observe & Report (Warner Bros.)
The Spirit (Lionsgate)
Spoken Word (Luminaria)
Swing Vote (Touchstone)
Terminator: Salvation (Warner Bros.)
To Live & Die (MGM)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (DreamWorks)
The Warboys (independent)
Year One (Sony)
TV
Breaking Bad (AMC)
Crash (pilot) (Starz)
In Plain Sight (USA Networks)
Sex & Lies in Sin City (Lifetime)
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (pilot) (Fox)
Wildfire (ABC Family)
Posted 29 June, 2008 in NM News
6/27/08
Stages broaden New Mexico’s filming prospects
By THOMAS MCLEAN
The gritty urban tales that Will Eisner brought to life in “The Spirit” comicbooks of the 1940s are a world
removed from the desert charm and sweeping vistas of Albuquerque, N.M.
But technology brings even the strangest bedfellows together, as shown by Albuquerque Studios’ state-of-
the-art soundstages, which made it possible for the city to attract Frank Miller’s effects-heavy adaptation of
“The Spirit.”
Producer Deborah Del Prete had previously filmed in New Mexico and liked working there, but it took the
kind of technical facilities that could handle the greenscreen-heavy virtual shoot planned for “The Spirit” to
bring her back. “Without them having built that studio, they couldn’t have attracted a movie like ours and a
lot of the other movies that have come in after us,” she says.
Jeremy Hariton, senior VP of the facility, says that was a major motivation for building the studio, which
opened in June 2007 and welcomed “The Spirit” as its first feature film production. “Rather than being a
location destination, we’re able to attract films like ‘The Spirit’ that aren’t here to shoot the vistas,” he says.
Like the film adaptations of Miller’s own comics in “Sin City” and “300,” “The Spirit” is a cutting-edge
virtual movie that needed the kind of large space and technical requirements only a studio can provide.
A visit to the set last November revealed the production spread across the studio’s two largest stages, a
space totaling 48,000 square feet, which had been divided into quadrants for shooting. Each section featured
a small chunk of physical set, such as a truck, a patch of land or the side of a building, behind which either
a greenscreen or blackscreen was draped from ceiling to floor.
The setup enabled Miller to direct a shot in which Gabriel Macht, who plays the Spirit, flips up from one
level of a fire escape to another guided by wires that would later be painted out digitally. Later the same
day, Miller moved across the stage to handle another shot, in which the masked Macht delivers a solid right
cross to the jaw of Samuel L. Jackson’s Octopus.
Supporting the production were comfortable, modern production offices that housed props, costumes and an
art department covered in sketches and drawings, some by Miller himself, of Central City and its denizens.
Having such facilities bolsters the state’s contention that its financial incentives are paying off. While “The
Spirit” is completing more than 1,800 visual effects shots in Santa Monica and San Francisco, Albuquerque
Studios is hardly standing empty: “Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins” has since swooped in to
occupy all six of the facility’s existing stages, and two additional 18,000-square-foot buildings are set to
accommodate season two of AMC’s “Breaking Bad.”
“We’ve pretty much rented the whole place, so it’s almost like our own little studio,” says “Terminator”
location manager Michael J. Burmeister.
Unlike “The Spirit,” the production is doing nearly half its shooting on exteriors, most of them within a one-
hour driving radius of Albuquerque Studios. The team is also building a number of sets on raw land
adjacent to the facility, using the space almost like a backlot.
“They start out in the desert, like Palmdale or Lancaster, so we’re able to take advantage of the New Mexico
landscape, then try to match some things in L.A.,” Burmeister says. “If you’re trying to do Times Square, it’s
a little more challenging.” Unless, of course, you do it on greenscreen.
Read the full article at:
Posted 15 June, 2008 in RI News
PLEASE WELCOME THE PRINCE OF PROVIDENCE
Please join Rhode Island native and renowned Director/Producer Michael Corrente and representatives from the Rhode Island Film & TV Office and the Providence Mayor’s Dept. of Art, Culture and Tourism at 3PM on Thursday, June 12, 2008 at the Soldier’s and Sailor’s Monument in Kennedy Plaza facing Providence City Hall, as Mr. Corrente announces plans for filming his long-awaited political biopic THE PRINCE OF PROVIDENCE.
The cast includes Dermot Mulroney, Adam Goldberg, Bradley Cooper, Ed Burns and Oliver Platt, who will portray former Providence Mayor Vincent “Buddy” Cianci in the David Mamet adapted screenplay of Michael Stanton’s 2003 book about one of America’s longest-serving mayors. Robin Williams is currently in negotiations to join this talented group of actors.
“The passion I have for THE PRINCE OF PROVIDENCE is stronger then any film I’ve made to date. Through much scrutiny and speculation, I’ve spent six long years preparing for this picture. I have painstakingly taken the necessary time to make sure that all my ducks are in a row. This is my home state, and I have an obligation to ensure that the quality of the production matches the brilliance of the material. At the end of the day, and every day does end, nobody ever cares about how long it takes to make a movie; they only care if it’s good”, stated Mr. Corrente.
Posted 10 June, 2008 in FL News
Instead of increasing the appropriation, Florida squeezed its fiscal year allocation from $25 million to $5 million. The Governor originally requested an increase to $40 million, but in a dramatic session the legislature reduced it step-by-step to zero, then finally approved $5 million.
Posted 10 June, 2008 in SC News
South Carolina is attempting to improve its incentives program, by expanding the law to provide an a 20% wage rebate for all hires (up to $1M) with an additional 10% rebate as an incentive for hiring South Carolina residents who earn over $18/hour. The bill also includes an apprenticeship program that rebates 50% of qualified wages. The legislation has passed the state house, and is now under consideration by the senate. Anyone wishing to send a message of support may go to: http://votervoice.net/target.aspx?id=cmcc:24679177
Posted 10 June, 2008 in GA News
Georgia now offers 30% incentives. The transferable credit is 20% of qualified spend, plus an additional 10% tax credit on qualified spend for inclusion of a Georgia animated logo in a prominent position during opening titles or end credit roll. The Georgia incentive has a $500K hire cap, but no caps for the state program or per show.
Posted 10 June, 2008 in IL News
The Illinois Film Office is proud to announce that
Governor Blagojevich has signed the
Illinois Film Tax Credit into law.
Please visit the Illinois Film Office on the web at www.illinoisfilm.biz
or call 312 814-3600 for more details.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACTS:
May 27, 2008 Abby Ottenhoff 312/814.3158
Rebecca Rausch 217/782.7355
David Rudduck 312/814.3158
Ashley Cross (DCEO) 312/814.8193
Marcelyn Love (DCEO) 217/558.1542
GOV. BLAGOJEVICH SIGNS FILM TAX CREDIT
LEGISLATION
Illinois film industry reached an all-time record of nearly $155
million in 2007, 80 percent increase over 2006
CHICAGO – Building on his commitment to help the Illinois film industry continue to
achieve record success, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today signed House Bill 2482,
legislation that renews the Illinois Film Tax Credit. The Governor was joined at the
signing by Harold Ramis, life-long Chicago actor, writer, producer and director first
made famous by his role as Dr. Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters
II (1989), and by up and coming producer John W. Bosher who is finishing up work on
the movie “Chicago Overcoat,” which was filmed entirely in Chicago. Also joining the
Governor was the star of “Chicago Overcoat” and former “Sopranos” actor, Frank
Vincent.
“The Film Tax Credit put Illinois back on the film industry’s map and helped Illinois
achieve record revenues of $155 million for 2007. I am pleased to bring together two
generations of local filmmakers for this event today to highlight Illinois’ deep talent pool.
By renewing this tax credit, we’re holding on to our competitive position and ensuring
that filmmakers will continue coming here to make their movies. I want to thank the
members of the General Assembly who worked hard to pass this legislation,” said Gov.
Blagojevich.
The Illinois Film Tax Credit brings revenue and jobs to the state by offering a 20 percent
tax credit to filmmakers for money spent for Illinois goods and services including wages
paid to Illinois residents. The bill passed convincingly in both chambers. HB 2482 was
sponsored by Sen. Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago) in the Senate and Reps. Ken Dunkin (DChicago)
and Angelo Saviano (R-River Grove) in the House.
In 2000, Illinois began suffering a mass exodus of the film industry as other states began
enacting film incentives. By 2003, the Illinois film industry had fallen to an all-time low
of $23 million. In response, Gov. Blagojevich enacted the Illinois Film Tax Credit. Since
its passage, the film industry has rebounded dramatically. The film industry reached an
all-time record of nearly $155 million in 2007. This represents the single best year in the
state’s history - and an 80 percent increase over 2006.
“The Film Tax Credit is critical to ensuring that Illinois remains a top filming location. I
applaud Governor Blagojevich and the Illinois Film Office for their work to make Illinois
competitive within the film industry,” said Harold Ramis. “As a life-long Chicagoan, I
love that I can film movies like The Ice Harvest in Illinois, bringing jobs and revenue to
our great state.”
“The Film Tax Credit has helped us through many stages of the production process,”
said “Overcoat” Producer John W. Bosher. “Some filmmakers may not realize that this
legislation not only defrays on-site production and editing costs, but also gives us the
ability to assuage investor concerns by providing a guaranteed 15 to 20% return on their
investment. Essentially, this tax credit has made Illinois the most economically
advantageous option for every aspect of our film including post-production.”
The film industry has a sizable impact on the Illinois economy and brings thousands of
jobs to the state each year. In 2007, Illinois film productions made more than 26,500 hires
in Illinois - a 110 percent increase over 2006. A number of films and television shows
were produced in Illinois in 2007 including: “The Dark Knight” (Batman); “Wanted,”
starring Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman; “Fred Claus,” with Vince Vaughn; “Meet
the Browns,” starring Angela Bassett; “ER” (TV show), and “My Boys” (TV show).
“We had a record year in the Illinois film industry in 2007 with nearly $155 million in
profits and over 26,000 job hires. This was possible in large part because of the film tax
credit, and I’m proud to have helped sponsor this bill to maintain that momentum. With
over 40 states providing film incentives, it’s important that Illinois offer an incentive to
remain competitive,” Sen. Hendon said.
“Incentives like the film tax credit go a long way in helping Illinois to maintain an edge
and keep us competitive against other major film production areas. It’s great that we can
utilize these incentives to achieve something even greater – putting more people to work
and bringing in greater revenues across the state,” said Rep. Dunkin.
“Having productions film in the state not only provides an opportunity for us to showcase
what Illinois has to offer, but also brings in much needed revenue and helps provide
employment for thousands of people. If you compare revenues from 2007 to 2003, the
year before the FTC was enacted, it is evident the tremendous impact the credit has had
on the state economy. We look forward to continuing that growth in 2008,” Rep. Saviano
said.
Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the
most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history. Since a
one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn’t work, the Governor has
divided the state into 10 regions – each with a regional team that is empowered and
expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges. Opportunity Returns is
about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable,
more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses. It is about upgrading the skills of
the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving
infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully
partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois
reach its economic potential.
“We are always seeking innovative ways to promote Illinois as a place to do business.
And while we have had record success, we must do what’s necessary to maintain Illinois’
competitiveness and provide companies with the resources they need to be profitable.
Being able to offer incentives like the film tax credit is critical to that effort. We are
pleased that the General Assembly passed this legislation and look forward to another
successful year in 2008,” DCEO Director Jack Lavin said.
###
Julie Morgan
Public Relations/Special Events
Illinois Film Office
312-814-3204
Posted 8 June, 2008 in NY News
The state expects more productions, such as ‘Ugly Betty,’ to turn up because of boosted tax credits.
By Matea Gold and Richard Verrier
Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
7:11 PM PDT, June 2, 2008
NEW YORK — IS THIS city poised to take a bite out of Hollywood’s bread and butter?
A dramatically expanded state tax credit for film and television productions has made New York a more appealing shooting locale than ever, bringing a wave of projects into the city this summer. Barring an actors strike, local soundstages expect to have more demand than they can fill in the coming months.
“We’ve had an onslaught of calls,” said Douglas C. Steiner, chairman of Steiner Studios, a sprawling production facility at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
It’s a remarkable shift from just five years ago, when the entertainment industry largely steered clear of New York because of the high costs and logistical hassles involved with shooting here. But aggressive efforts by local and state officials have made the region more production-friendly — including a tax credit adopted in 2004.
In April, Gov. David Paterson signed a bill that boosted the tax credit on below-the-line expenses for qualified productions to 30%, up from 10%. Television series and movies filmed in New York City are eligible for an additional 5% rebate. (Below-the-line expenses are generally the costs beyond those of the cast, writer, producer, director, stunts and story rights.)
The lucrative incentives immediately got the attention of production executives at major Hollywood studios.
“It’s having a huge impact right now,” said Jim Sharp, executive vice president of television production for 20th Century Fox Television, which decided to produce its new ABC show, “Life on Mars,” at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens. “If you try and lock in a soundstage facility, there are people standing in line. You better not blink, or you’re going to miss an opportunity.”
Unlike about 40 other states, California does not offer a tax credit program to keep its signature industry at home. And it now faces increasing competition not just from New York but also from states such as Michigan, Mississippi and Georgia, which have recently adopted incentive programs.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger supports the idea of offering more than $100 million worth of tax credits to keep production in California but has been unable to persuade the state Legislature to adopt such incentives. This year, with the state facing an estimated $15.2-billion hole in its next budget, the governor has yet to propose legislation to stem runaway production.
New York officials tout their expanded program not as an attack on California but rather as a way of leveling the playing field with nearby states such as Connecticut and Massachusetts, which dangled new tax incentives before the industry in the last few years, siphoning away an estimated $750 million from the New York economy.
“Projects that were written for New York and should have been in New York were going to our neighbors,” said Pat Swinney Kaufman, executive director of the Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development.
But New York’s move has caused ripples of anxiety in Los Angeles, which has lost much of its homegrown industry to Canada and other more affordable regions in the last decade, along with thousands of jobs.
Feature films make up the bulk of the so-called runaway production. The number of film production days shot on location in Los Angeles has plummeted nearly 40% since 1997, according to figures from FilmL.A. Inc., a nonprofit group that handles film permits.
Helping to offset the decline has been a surge in TV production. But union officials, who represent below-the-line workers, such as technicians and stylists, fret that New York’s beefed-up financial incentives will now lure away that work as well.
They’re most alarmed by ABC Studios’ decision this month to decamp the series “Ugly Betty” from Los Angeles and move it to New York for its third season because of the tax credit program.
Several of next season’s high-profile new shows are following suit. Production of the detective drama “Life on Mars” was going to take place in Los Angeles, but a change in show-runners allowed it to move to New York.
Fox’s much-anticipated supernatural thriller “Fringe” will also be done in New York after Warner Bros., the studio producing the series, concluded that the tax credits made it more appealing than Toronto. And NBC’s “Kings,” a modern-day David-and-Goliath story, will use Gotham as a backdrop because of the financial incentives.
In addition, Hollywood studios have told the city to expect a slew of feature films later this year, said Katherine Oliver, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting.
The prospect of losing more productions to New York has exacerbated the worries of Los Angeles-based crew members, who are still feeling the aftershocks of a 100-day writers strike that largely froze production on both coasts earlier this season.
“Television is really the lifeblood of the below-the-line economy in Hollywood, so if we start losing TV series to other states, then obviously it’s going to create more hardship for our members,” said Steve Dayan, business agent for Local 399 of the Teamsters, which represents casting directors, location managers and drivers.
Production executives said that they’d like to keep shows in Los Angeles but that the economic climate had forced them to make clear-eyed choices.
“The fact that our country and our company are having a tough year puts a lot of focus on the financial side,” Sharp said. “If there’s a show that creatively works in Los Angeles or New York, clearly New York has an advantage.”
ABC’s decision to relocate “Ugly Betty” boosted the pressure on California officials to do more to fend off the new suitors. The show’s 150 full-time crew members who lost their jobs took the unusual step of placing an ad in Daily Variety calling on Schwarzenegger and other elected officials to enact incentives to keep production in the state.
“We implore you to do everything in your power to level the playing field and bring our jobs back to California,” the crew members wrote.
Still, Los Angeles isn’t expected to lose its perch as the leading TV production hub any time soon. The city is home to many stars who prefer to work there, and the proximity gives Hollywood studios more oversight.
On top of that, New York City has just three major soundstages, which limits its capacity to handle large productions. All plan to expand, and city officials are considering licensing additional facilities, such as warehouses and armories, to keep up with the demand.
Alan Suna, chief executive of Silvercup Studios in Queens, said he thought established series would move to New York only if the decision made creative sense, as it did for “Ugly Betty,” which is set in New York.
“I don’t think anyone in Los Angeles should feel a slightest bit of panic,” Suna said. “If they have palm trees in them, don’t expect them to be shot here.”
“Anyone thinking we’re displacing Hollywood is foolhardy,” said Hal G. Rosenbluth, president of Kaufman Astoria Studios.
The region more likely to feel the brunt of New York’s aggressive tax incentive program is Canada, which has already lost business because of the strong Canadian dollar.
Foreign production spending in British Columbia dropped to $536 million in 2007 from $950 million in 2006, according to the province’s Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts.
In an effort to keep up, the province boosted its own tax credit rate last month.
matea.gold@latimes.com
richard.verrier@latimes.com
Posted 8 June, 2008 in AK News
ALASKA - a signing ceremony for the new incentive was held on Wednesday, June 4, at the Governor’s home. The new transferable incentive, which takes effect on September 1, 2008, provides a credit for all Alaska expenses of 30% of qualified in-state spend, 30% for all cast crew, and additional credits of 10% for Alaska cast crew, 2% for production out side of the population centers, and 2% for production from October through May (when shooting day-for-night will not be necessary).
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