There’s a debate over how much California’s economy benefits from its Film & Television Tax Credit program. A report issued last summer by the L.A. County Economic Development Corp. and financed by the Motion Picture Association of America pegged an impact of $1.13 for every dollar the state allocated for the program, based on the assumption that any production availing itself of the incentives would otherwise take its business elsewhere.
By contrast, a UCLA study released last week estimated that a more accurate return figure would be $1.04 after concluding that nearly eight-and-a-half percent of the subsidy went to films and TV shows that would have shot in California regardless.
Yet even with this lowered estimated return, the UCLA study supports expanding California’s tax credit program to cover more projects, reasoning that its current “limited size” translates into only one out of five qualified applicants being able to tap into the benefit. This in turn spurs productions to seek incentives in other states, if not countries.
While the bottom line is still the pivotal determining factor in assessing the viability of tax credits, rebates and the like, there are other considerations that go into making the case for incentives, as reflected in this week’s Hot Locations feature story focusing on the impact of The Help on Mississippi and The Descendants on Hawaii.
For example, Walea Constantinau, film commissioner, Honolulu Film Office, noted that The Descendants is “by far the most successful film by a local author [the film is based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings]….As a result of this success, we’ve heard from mainland production companies who have expressed interest in meeting with other authors in Hawaii, asking us for any finished scripts. There’s interest bubbling in stories of Hawaii.”
Constantinau observed that in the same way that Bridesmaids changed the perception of female comedy leads in a film, The Descendants has changed perceptions about Hawaii, underscoring that “movies made in Hawaii can also be about Hawaii and have universal appeal. A new storytelling capacity has been revealed.”
Meanwhile the music of Hawaii, showcased in the score of The Descendants, has picked up mainstream momentum, “Local musicians,” said Georja Skinner of the Hawaii Film Office, “have been able to monetize their creative talents across many platforms….The film has really amped up the exposure for Hawaii’s creative music talent.”
As for tangible benefits generated by The Help for Mississippi beyond production dollars, Bill Crump, chairman of the Greenwood-Leflore County Economic Development Foundation, noted that tourism is on the rise. This realization sank in for him when he saw that a showcase prize package on TV game show The Price Is Right included a vacation to Greenwood to see where The Help was filmed.
The Greenwood community of Baptist Town also figures to benefit for years to come thanks to The Help. A cast and crew collection drive and a world premiere of the film in Jackson, Miss., raised $180,000 for city revitalization, funds that will be put towards a Baptist Town community center and a mentoring program for children.
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More