As reflected in this week’s lead story, New York has passed a major financial incentives package to promote filming of commercials in the state. The measure represents not only a victory for New York but for the spotmaking community at large.
Also on this week’s front page, a slight decrease in on-location shoot days for commercials has been reported in Los Angeles for the first quarter of 2006 as compared to the same three-month span in ’05. As reported, the overall results–spanning features, TV and commercials–have been cause for some concern as evidenced in the remarks of Steve Macdonald, president/CEO of FilmL.A., which oversees the joint Los Angeles City/County Film Office.
MacDonald noted that Los Angeles’ overall production days are up four-plus percent for the first quarter of ’06 when stacked up against ’05; however, that is due to a dramatic nearly 128 percent increase in reality TV production, which rose to 1,942 days, compared to 856 days during the first quarter of ’05. (TV dramas increased 6.8 percent, but sitcom location production dropped 65 percent. Feature films, though, were up nearly nine percent.)
“The big jump in the reality sector, which tends to have lower budgets and less of an economic impact helped to shore up our [production day] numbers,” said MacDonald. “While the figures might suggest that L.A. is holding its own, a look at other jurisdictions provides a different perspective. MacDonald cited record production-day increases reported by New York City, for example.
FilmL.A. also referenced figures compiled by the California Film Commission regarding other states, such as Illinois seeing its production spending jump 198 percent from ’03 to ’04 and then 28 percent from ’04 to ’05, and New Mexico reporting a whopping 348 percent rise in production spending between ’04 and ’05.
“The production landscape is expanding both in the U.S. and internationally, and these dramatic growth figures prompt important questions, such as how many jobs and how much revenue is Los Angeles losing to other regions? asked MacDonald. “When you take into account that other regions are just beginning to develop a talent pool and long-term infrastructure, L.A.’s modest growth is not encouraging.”
And indeed, the competition just from within the U.S. is continually escalating. In the “Meet the Commish” column below, Michigan Film Office director Janet Lockwood noted that she hopes to get a beefed-up incentives program off the ground. During the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) Locations Show last month, assorted states reported having financial perks in the offing to stimulate filming, including commercials.
At press time, SHOOT heard of likely incentives emerging in Hawaii, Connecticut and Wisconsin. In the latter state, Gov. Jim Doyle is expected to sign an incentive measure into law next month. The Film Wisconsin incentive legislation passed the State Assembly on a voice vote last week. Earlier the Senate voted in favor of the lensing-friendly package.
Such initiatives provide more than tangible financial benefits, related George Tzougros, executive director of the Wisconsin Arts Board and a member of the Film Wisconsin volunteer organization’s task force. Tzougros said simply, “The state legislature sent a loud and clear message to the worldwide film, television and video industry–Wisconsin wants your business.”
Oscar Nominees Delve Into The Art Of Editing At ACE Session
You couldn’t miss Sean Baker at this past Sunday’s Oscar ceremony where he won for Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay and Editing on the strength of Anora. However, earlier that weekend he was in transit from the Cesar Awards in Paris and thus couldn’t attend the American Cinema Editors (ACE) 25th annual panel of Academy Award-nominated film editors held at the Regal LA Live Auditorium on Saturday (3/1) in Los Angeles. While the eventual Oscar winner in the editing category was missed by those who turned out for the ACE “Invisible Art, Visible Artists” session, three of Baker’s fellow nominees were on hand--Dávid Jancsó, HSE for The Brutalist; Nick Emerson for Conclave; and Myron Kerstein, ACE for Wicked. Additionally, Juliette Welfling, who couldn’t appear in person due to the Cesar Awards, was present via an earlier recorded video interview to discuss her work on Emilia Pérez. The interview was conducted by ACE president and editor Sabrina Plisco, ACE who also moderated the live panel discussion. Kerstein said that he was the beneficiary of brilliant and generous collaborators, citing, among others, director Jon M. Chu, cinematographer Alice Brooks, and visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman. The editor added it always helps to have stellar acting performances, noting that hearing Cynthia Erivo, for example, sing live was a revelation. Kerstein recalled meeting Chu some eight years ago on a “blind Skype date” and it was an instant “bromance”--which began on Crazy Rich Asians, and then continued on such projects as the streaming series Home Before Dark and the feature In The Heights. Kerstein observed that Chu is expert in providing collaborators with... Read More