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Marvel’s blockbuster film The Avengers has already raked in over $1 billion at the box office. It is shattering records left and right and could end being the highest grossing film of all time. The film’s budget was estimated between $170 and $220 million. Much of the superhero blockbuster was filmed in two states:...
An article in “The Santa Fe New Mexican” recently caught my attention. As I have stated in recent posts, it is becoming more and more apparent that debating film incentives may be a waste of time if it can be rendered unnecessary by educating...
I wanted to let everyone know that I recently updated the “About/Policy Positions” page to clarify the position on types of runaway production I support & oppose and address allegations the site is dedicated to keeping production in California and/or New York. This is...
Incompetence in news reporting is common these days, especially when it comes to covering state film incentives. Winning the gold medal for journalistic incompetence this week is Cleveland’s NBC affiliate, WKYC. Today, the station reported the following: In 2010, more than 8,250 people were...
It is apparent that much of the debate over the value of film incentives may be unnecessary. Facts are facts, and it’s time to use them. It is my belief that if more people properly understood how state film incentives actually worked, the vast...
In 2005, the German government closed a tax loophole Hollywood had been exploiting to subsidize much of its production costs. In 2003, Paramount was the beneficiary of between $70-$90 million, which one Paramount executive said was literally “money for nothing.” One person saw an...
A film incentive bill that was expected to die in the Arizona Senate will now head to the House after the bill’s sponsor, Senator John Nelson (R), overcame procedural rules with the support of fellow republican senators. The new bill comes just two years...
Looking at the recent debates in places like Arizona, Ohio, Alaska and the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan, I was again reminded that one of the biggest problems surrounding film incentives is a total misunderstanding about how they actually work. As I explained in my...
Here we go again. Another economic impact study paid for by the film industry is being inappropriately touted as showing a return on investment for the state. This time, the report is for the Ohio film incentive. The report was paid for by the...
The issue of censorship could threaten the legality of Alaska’s just-renewed film incentive program. Indeed, the issue of censorship became the source of a lively and colorful discussion during an Alaska House of Representatives Finance Committee hearing last Friday. In short, films that are...
In an ideal world, like the one that existed before 1997 (when Canada created the modern film incentive), no state or nation would be foolish enough to offer a film incentive. Movies and television shows would still get made, but decisions on where to...
Earlier this week, I wrote about the proposed extension of the Alaska film incentive. It’s not clear if the revised version of the legislation that came out yesterday will pass or not, but I wanted to include it here, in the first of two...
The Alaska Legislature, in its infinite wisdom, is considering a bill to extend the state’s generous film incentive for another 10-years with an additional $200 million in funding (on top of the $100 million allocated in 2008). In a rare act of selflessness from...
The Canadian province of Saskatchewan announced it is ending its film incentive earlier this month and, if you listen to provincial film backers, the world is ending. In response, Saskatchewan film backers have produced a series of videos to help convince the province to...
Last year, The Tax Foundation predicted 2010 would prove the “peak year” for the amount of money doled out to film & TV productions from various state governments. And while that may or may not turn out to be the case, the number of...
Variety.com – H'w'd and D.C.