There has been much confusion in recent months about the costs and benefits of
Massachusetts’ film and television tax credit program.
Here is what every business leader should know: The credits have been like Miracle-Gro
for our industry. Over the past five years, there has been a national race — a fierce
competition to attract the high-spending film and TV industries, with states across the
country vying to create incentives to lure movies and TV companies and their lucrative
spending to their states. The surprise winner: Massachusetts. We’re fighting way above
our weight class. We are in third place behind California and New York in revenue
generated by film production. In spite of what the naysayers would have us believe, we
can grow a strong film and TV industry here that can pump millions more into the
Massachusetts economy.
The secret to Massachusetts success to date, and to truly solidifying the industry here
is three-fold.
First: Our workforce. Everybody intuitively understands the many scenic attractions of
Massachusetts for movie producers — beaches, mountains, historic areas and
cosmopolitan cities. What not everyone realizes is that we have a world-class
workforce as well. We have the third largest media student body in the country. We
graduate incredible talent not only in acting but in production, design, lighting,
graphics, sound, and online media production Our state is a leader in media industry
education, and clearly it is paying off. Unlike elsewhere, job demand is high, and so is
the supply.
Second: a reliable, well-planned and executed tax credit package. The Legislature did it
right when they implemented the tax credit in 2005 and expanded it in 2007. It is set
at the right percentage and is designed to give the producers maximum flexibility (the
credit attracted a record number of productions to Massachusetts in 2009). As soon as
it looked less reliable in 2010, due to discussions of capping the credits, the number of
movies in negotiation to be shot here plummeted. We need a firm and reliable
commitment to the tax credit as it is today because that reliability will draw others.
Third: If we really want this industry to thrive, we need to encourage the creation of
privately funded infrastructure, specifically sound stages. Massachusetts is already a
leader in the production of nonfiction television programs and documentaries, through
the output of companies like ours, as well as the PBS producer WGBH. Once a modest
suite of soundstages is built, studio-based film and TV projects can take up long-term
residence here, leading to potential long-term employment for thousands.
So far, we’re doing well, attracting increasing dollars of film and TV production. But if
this success is to continue, we will need to continue to demonstrate to the larger
industry that Massachusetts is a committed partner with a stable program of credits in
place.
Massachusetts’ film and television tax credit program.
Here is what every business leader should know: The credits have been like Miracle-Gro
for our industry. Over the past five years, there has been a national race — a fierce
competition to attract the high-spending film and TV industries, with states across the
country vying to create incentives to lure movies and TV companies and their lucrative
spending to their states. The surprise winner: Massachusetts. We’re fighting way above
our weight class. We are in third place behind California and New York in revenue
generated by film production. In spite of what the naysayers would have us believe, we
can grow a strong film and TV industry here that can pump millions more into the
Massachusetts economy.
The secret to Massachusetts success to date, and to truly solidifying the industry here
is three-fold.
First: Our workforce. Everybody intuitively understands the many scenic attractions of
Massachusetts for movie producers — beaches, mountains, historic areas and
cosmopolitan cities. What not everyone realizes is that we have a world-class
workforce as well. We have the third largest media student body in the country. We
graduate incredible talent not only in acting but in production, design, lighting,
graphics, sound, and online media production Our state is a leader in media industry
education, and clearly it is paying off. Unlike elsewhere, job demand is high, and so is
the supply.
Second: a reliable, well-planned and executed tax credit package. The Legislature did it
right when they implemented the tax credit in 2005 and expanded it in 2007. It is set
at the right percentage and is designed to give the producers maximum flexibility (the
credit attracted a record number of productions to Massachusetts in 2009). As soon as
it looked less reliable in 2010, due to discussions of capping the credits, the number of
movies in negotiation to be shot here plummeted. We need a firm and reliable
commitment to the tax credit as it is today because that reliability will draw others.
Third: If we really want this industry to thrive, we need to encourage the creation of
privately funded infrastructure, specifically sound stages. Massachusetts is already a
leader in the production of nonfiction television programs and documentaries, through
the output of companies like ours, as well as the PBS producer WGBH. Once a modest
suite of soundstages is built, studio-based film and TV projects can take up long-term
residence here, leading to potential long-term employment for thousands.
So far, we’re doing well, attracting increasing dollars of film and TV production. But if
this success is to continue, we will need to continue to demonstrate to the larger
industry that Massachusetts is a committed partner with a stable program of credits in
place.
 |  |  |
The secret to our movie success
by Roland Hansen
by Roland Hansen
Send comments to editor@deltafilms.net
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