What a difference just a couple of years makes. At the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) Locations Trade Show in 2003, there was little talk of financial incentive programs to help spur on filming in U.S. cities and states. In fact, huge budget deficits in most municipalities and states throughout the country had many film commissions coping with less funding and in some cases facing the possibility of being shut down.
Fast forward to today and although budget shortfalls remain prevalent, incentives figure to generate much buzz during the upcoming three-day (April 15-17) Locations ’05 event at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. New York State and New York City have already passed anti-runaway production initiatives, offering tax breaks to feature films, TV movies, TV pilots and series episodes. And at press time, a stand-alone incentive for commercials was gaining momentum in New York State (see p. 1 story).
Meanwhile, as earlier reported (SHOOT, 3/11, p. 1), a tax credit designed to help California keep and attract lensing is on the verge of being formally proposed. Word is that qualifying projects would include commercials.
Other states such as Illinois, Louisiana and Mississippi have made concerted efforts to court the advertising business, passing aggressive tax break legislation to stimulate spot production within their borders. And business tax reform in the City Of Los Angeles–which will benefit commercial production houses shooting in L.A.–is slated to take effect in July (SHOOT, 11/26/04, p. 1)
These and other incentives will be center stage on the Locations ’05 exhibit floor. This is the 20th anniversary of the AFCI Locations Trade Show. More than 230 exhibitors, including 180 AFCI member film commissions from 33 countries, will be showcasing their wares. Also in this exhibitor mix will be assorted production resource companies and support services.
The day prior to the start of Locations ’05, the AFCI, Loyola Law School and Los Angeles law firm Thelen Reid & Priest are presenting a panel discussion titled “Soft Money: Accessing Film and Television Production Incentives Worldwide.” The session, slated for April 14, 5-7 p.m., on the Loyola campus in Los Angeles, includes several film commissioners and film finance executives who will discuss the latest financial incentives for motion picture and TV production. Among the scheduled panelists are AFCI president Pat Swinney Kaufman, deputy commissioner and director of the New York State Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development; Mark Smith, Louisiana’s film commissioner; Australian film commissioner Robin James; Germany film commissioner Christiane Raab; Arnold Messer, president/COO, Phoenix Pictures, Los Angeles; Alan Moore from the Consulate of South Africa; and Loyola Law School professor Jay Dougherty.
Additionally, Locations ’05 will feature a couple of seminars in tandem with the Digital Coast Roundtable and the Location Managers Guild of America. Both sessions are on Saturday, April 16, with one tackling film co-production/financing possibilities, the other dealing with pyrotechnics on location. The latter panel discussion will be moderated by location manager John Grant. Moderator of the co-production/financing panel is producer/attorney Vince Ravine of Donaldson & Hart, Los Angeles. The two seminars will be held at the Doubletree Guest Suites hotel, across the street from the Santa Monica Civic.
MARKETPLACE
Ultimately, Locations is a one-stop shopping marketplace in which attendees can get a sense of incentives, locations, resources and logistical support for filming throughout the world. Attendance from the commercialmaking community has increased steadily at the event over the years.
On the logistical and resources score, film commissions will unveil new wrinkles, such as the online permitting system just launched by the California Film Commission (CFC). The new system provides a user-friendly permit application process that reduces paperwork, as well as 24/7access to permit status info. The online setup is also expected to facilitate a two- to three-business day turnaround for most film permits.
Additionally, the online system will maintain a database of film production throughout the state to help accurately track filming trends and assess the economic impact of lensing on state-owned and operated property in California.
CFC director Amy Lemisch related, “We receive upward of forty thousand requests for information each year–sometimes as many as one hundred fifty calls per day. With an online system, [CFC’s] film permit coordinators will spend less time physically processing permits, and more time answering questions and assisting the public and industry professionals.”
In the planned phase two of system implementation–scheduled to be introduced within the next two months–all relevant California state agencies and departments will be able to review film permits online, offering further efficiencies.
“Commercial production companies make up a large percentage of the CFC’s client base,” stated Steve Caplan, executive VP of the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP). “Fast turnaround of permits is critical to the commercial production industry, and we rely on an efficient film office when it comes to filming on state property. This system will allow our companies to track their permits throughout the approval process at any time of day or night.”
The system can be accessed at www.film.ca.gov.