AS CHRONICLED IN THIS week’s California Special Report, the Association of Imaging Technology and Sound (ITS) has given new meaning to the term "postproduction process." Reporter Millie Takaki’s story (p. 23) provides a thorough rundown of the process, whereby the ITS helped to bring about a state sales tax exemption on new equipment purchases made by independent postproduction and visual effects houses in California.
The process entailed establishing ties with lawmakers, enlisting the services of outside experts (i.e., legislative consultants, an independent research firm), presenting documented economic data, coordinating a consistent, ongoing lobbying effort, collaborating with other organizations, and of course, counting heavily on the volunteer efforts of ITS members.
Collectively, these elements formed a strong case for instituting the tax exemption—not only in terms of how it would help ITS members, but more importantly, how it would help the State of California’s economy.
But even after the tax break was passed into law, the process continued. ITS entered into an educational mode, working with California’s Board of Equalization (BOE), the state agency that oversees taxation matters, interprets regulations and conducts audits. BOE members visited post facilities to get a firsthand understanding of the post and visual effects businesses.
The ITS and BOE engaged in a healthy dialogue so that the tax exemption would be applied properly and enforced equitably. If not for this part of the process, it’s likely that certain key elements (i.e. audio post ware, custom furniture, some duplication equipment) would not have been interpreted as qualifying for the exemption.
The point is that this California Special Report article is actually a national story because of its value as a case study for others to follow. The ITS is doing just that as part of its own national agenda, in hopes of gaining federal assistance that will help make the transition to DTV, including HDTV, easier for the post facility community. Possible remedies include investment tax credits, adjusted depreciation schedules and the involvement of the Small Business Administration (SHOOT, 10/29/99, p. 1).
Meanwhile, other segments of the industry are looking to gain their own measure of federal legislative action relative to the runaway production issue. The Screen Actors Guild and the Directors Guild of America have hired Washington, D.C. lawyers and lobbyists. The Film & Television Action Committee, a grassroots organization of workers who have lost employment due to runaway biz, has also made its presence felt, particularly in both houses of the California legislature. And Film US, a group of nearly 200 film commissioners, is exploring means to retain filming in the U.S.
In fact, the ITS formed a coalition with Film US to help keep and attract production and postproduction work in the country. Both groups committed to combine resources and pursue action to combat runaway production. Film US chair Dawn Keezer, director of the Pittsburgh Film Office, said that her organization would support an ITS investment tax credit proposal.
During the ITS Legislative Action Day last month in Washington, D.C., ITS president Terry Rainey recalled that one of the key pieces of advice imparted to him during the first Legislative Action Day in ’97 was that organizations should enter into cooperative relationships with like-minded groups to help muster support for a common agenda. "There’s strength in numbers and pooling resources," he said. "But it’s more than that. Organizations can learn a lot from each other."
That indeed will be the case if other industry factions take time to analyze the process as applied by the ITS in California.
Jury Presidents Named For The One Show 2025
The One Club for Creativity has announced the global creatives from around the world who will serve as jury presidents for The One Show 2025.
These creatives will lead judging for each discipline, and have a vote on the work.
Confirmed One Show 2025 Jury presidents, by discipline, are as follows:
--Brand-Side/In-House: David Lee, CCO, Squarespace, New York
--Branded Entertainment: Malcolm Poynton, Global CCO, Cheil Worldwide, London
--Creative Use of Data, Creative Use of Technology: Nancy Crimi-Lamanna, CCO, FCB Canada, Toronto
--Cultural Driver: Bianca Guimaraes, partner, ECD, Mischief, New York
--Design: Liza Enebeis, creative director, partner, Studio Dumbar/DEPT®, Rotterdam
--Direct Marketing: Vicki Maguire, CCO, Havas London
--Film & Video: Javier Campopiano, global CCO, McCann Worldgroup & McCann Global, Madrid
--Gaming: Taj Reid, global chief experience officer, US CCO, Edelman, New York
--Integrated, Experiential & Immersive: Chris Beresford-Hill, worldwide CCO, BBDO New York
--Fusion Pencil: Walter T. Geer III, CCO, Innovation North America, VML, New York
--Green Pencil: Barbara Humphries, ECD, The Monkeys, Sydney
--Health & Wellness, Pharma: Wendy Lund, chief client officer, WPP, New York
--IP & Product Design: Ronald Ng, global CCO, MRM, New York
--Moving Image Craft & Production: Irene Kugelmann, chief creative officer, DDB Group of Companies Germany, Berlin
--Music & Sound Craft: Joel Simon, CCO, JSM Music, New York
--Out of Home, Print & Promotional: Kainaz Karmakar, CCO, Ogilvy India, Mumbai
--Public Relations: Patricia Ávila, regional director for Latin America, Ágora, São Paulo
--Radio... Read More