During a time when runaway production has been exacerbated by the actors’ strike against the advertising industry, there’s some light—both real and hoped for—at the proverbial end of the tunnel.
For the optimist, there’s the heartfelt wish that the negotiations between SAG/AFTRA and the Joint Policy Committee of the 4A’s and ANA, which began this week (9/13), will ultimately result in a settlement. The strike is now into its fifth month.
And even for the pragmatist, there’s something tangibly positive on the anti-runaway front: the passage of the Film California First subsidy program (see separate story, p. 1). While it admittedly won’t put a huge dent in commercial budgets, the subsidy at least reflects a major state’s recognition of the fact that filming is of great importance to our overall economic well-being.
Slated to take effect this fall, Film California First will provide $15 million annually for each of the next three years to "reimburse state and local [government] agencies for the costs they incur for television and film production in their jurisdictions." This will translate into feature, TV, commercial and music video producers realizing certain savings, including reimbursement of state and federal employee costs related to filming, and local public costs for fire services and non-police safety. The program could apply, for example, to costs incurred for California Highway Patrol services that are required in order to film in state highways.
The Film California First fund will be administered by the California Trade & Commerce Agency’s Office of Economic Development, in concert with the California Film Commission (CFC). When the subsidy program was formally proposed by Gov. Gray Davis (D-Calif.) in the 2000-’01 fiscal year budget (SHOOT, 5/26, p. 1), it received strong endorsements from different segments of the industry. CFC director Karen Constine said that the program recognizes "the vital role that the film industry plays in California." Matt Miller, president of the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP), observed that the proposal sent "an important message to the commercial production community that California is committed to keeping production within its borders. We applaud legislative efforts at the local, state and federal level to encourage this important sector of the economy … "
Dawn Keezer, chair of Film U.S., an industry group of 196 state and local film commissioners, characterized the California initiative as "a wonderful development." Keezer, who serves as director of the Pittsburgh Film Office, said that "California is seen as the leader. It’s where the bulk of production traditionally takes place. By taking this step, California is underscoring the need for others to do something to help address the runaway production issue. It’s a signal to the rest of the U.S. and to the federal government as well. This can only help us and perhaps at least spur more states to help themselves."
When the Film California First proposal was unveiled, it also received support from such groups as the Motion Picture Association of America, and the Directors Guild of America (DGA). DGA president Jack Shea commented that the Guild "is hopeful that the U.S. Congress will now follow the vision and leadership of Governor Davis in recognizing that the tax incentives and subsidies offered to producers by foreign governments must be countered if we are to bring industry jobs back to the United States."