FLORIDA:
9/18/09:
July '09 Miami Herald: States rethink cash given to film industry
There's a nationwide debate over the value of state subsidies to filmmakers, but the math tells only part of the story in calculating the benefits to communities.
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8/23/08-FLORIDA is completely out of funds for the current fiscal year, although there have been rumors of additional money becoming available soon. Nothing definite so far.
5/08 - Instead of increasing the appropriation, Florida squeezed its fiscal year allocation from $25 million to $5 million. The Governor originally requested an increase to $40 million, but in a dramatic session the legislature reduced it step-by-step to zero, then finally approved $5 million.
• Governor's Office of Film and Entertainment
State Film Commissioner
Lucia Fishburne
E-mail: Lucia.Fishburne@MyFlorida.com
Governor's Office of Film and Entertainment
Executive Office of the Governor
The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Phone: (850) 410-4765
Toll Free: (877) FLA-FILM
Fax: (850) 410-4770
Los Angeles
Governor's Office of Film and Entertainment
5426 Simpson Avenue
North Hollywood, CA 91607
Phone: (818) 508-7772
Fax: (818) 508-7747
Los Angeles Liaison
Susan Simms
E-mail: filmflorida@earthlink.net
The Florida Legislature's $20 million reduction in funding for the Florida Film, Television and Digital Media Incentive is expected to result in a $140 million negative economic impact through lost wages, services and products.
So says an analysis by the Governor's Office of Film & Entertainment.
The cutbacks now leave the incentive fund with only $5 million with which to attract entertainment industry production work to the Sunshine State at a time when the competition is growing.
Consider: Thirty-six states now have film incentives, and six others have pending film incentive legislation, says Entertainment Partners, which offers production management services and tracks film incentives globally.
Neighboring Georgia recently approved a tax credit of up to 30 percent of a film's expenditures. That state also has no cap for its incentive fund or for the amount each project can get.
Such programs provide incentives for Florida film crews to go elsewhere, says State Film Commissioner Lucia Fishburne.
The growing competition for film and TV projects is one reason Gov. Charlie Crist proposed expanding Florida's incentive fund from $25 million to $40 million. He later requested $30 million. Legislators continued to reduce the budget to the point of not funding the program, but finally approved a $5 million fund May 2.
"Those dollars will fly out the door," Fishburne says, although she did not project exactly how fast the funds would be depleted in the fiscal year beginning in June.
The office will start accepting applications as soon as Crist signs the state budget, she says.
When the Don Davis Entertainment Industry Economic Development Act was passed last May, it allowed the film office to roll over remaining funds for a second year.
About $23 million has been assigned to the 51 productions certified for a rebate so far this year, Fishburne says. Those productions are forecast to generate $151 million in economic impact.
The state film office is still receiving applications for the remaining $2 million in this year's fund, and Fishburne says more funding may become available if certified projects don't complete the process for receiving money.
Though the program offers rebates on a first-come, first-served basis, Fishburne says TV series have a higher priority because such productions typically film in the state for longer periods.
Orlando projects that got incentive funds in this last go-round include Sydney White, Bring It On: 4, Never Back Down (Get Some), Bait Shop, Ace Ventura 3, Beethoven: The Reel Story and the Bridal Boot Camp reality TV series.
"It's a shame an industry incentive that has had a 6-to-1 return on investment had to suffer such a huge blow," says Suzy Spang Allen, vice president of film and digital media development for the Metro Orlando Film & Entertainment Commission. "The incentive truly would have been a recovery tool for our cash-strapped state. Like all other industry incentives that suffered this year, it was very disappointing."
Seven Orlando projects got incentive funds for 2007-2008.
Films:
Sydney White
Bring It On 4
Never Back Down (Get Some)
Bait Shop
Ace Ventura 3
Beethoven: The Reel Story
TV series:
Bridal Boot Camp
Cindy Barth can be contacted at (407) 241-2889 or via e-mail at cbarth@bizjournals.com. Jacksonville Business Journal Staff Writer Rachel Witkowski also contributed to this story.
Selected
Southern States Incentives Compared in an Informative Chart
Any company engaged in producing filmed entertainment
in Florida may submit an application to the OFE for the purpose of determining
qualification for reimbursement on a percentage of qualified expenditures.
Other
Incentives
Governor's Office of Film and Entertainment
Executive Office of the Governor
The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Phone: (850) 410-4765
Toll Free: (877) FLA-FILM
Fax: (850) 410-4770
State Film Commissioner
Paul Sirmons
E-mail: Paul.Sirmons@MyFlorida.com
Los Angeles
Los Angeles Liaison
Susan Simms
E-mail: filmflorida@earthlink.net
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MovieMaker
2004 "Top 10 Cities for Moviemakers"
- Our fourth annual ranking of the best places in the US to
live and make movies (Movie
Maker Mag Website)
by James L. Menzies
Jump To:
1.
Austin, Texas Last year: #4
2.
New York, NY Last year:#2
3.
Boston, MA Last year: Unranked
4.
Philadelphia, PA Last year: #5
5.
Orlando, FL Last year: Unranked
6.
Las Vegas, NV Last year: #8
7.
Los Angeles, CA Last year: #7
8.
Portland, Oregon Last year: #9
9.
Chicago, IL Last year: #6
10.
Houston, TX Last year: Unranked
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"If you want to blow up a bridge and score a tax incentive while you do it, then Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is your man. An unabashed movie fan who hits his local multiplex nearly every weekend, Bush revels in his state's status as the third-most-active production hub (after California and New York) and in Miami's role as the global center of Latin entertainment.
But Bush is particularly a fan of the industry's high-paying jobs and its annual $1.16 billion infusion to the Florida economy. Whether facilitating "impossible" shots or luring studios with creative incentives, the governor is eager to get involved -- directly" ..................READ MORE
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Other Incentives: Florida has a variety of
advantages that make it a profitable site for nearly every type of business.
Progressive legislation continues to ensure that Florida will remain a
magnet for new and expanding businesses.
- NO corporate income tax on limited partnerships
- NO corporate income tax on subchapter S-corporations
- NO state personal income tax guaranteed by constitutional
provision
- NO state-level property tax assessed
- NO property tax on business inventories
- NO property tax on goods-in-transit for up to
180 days
- NO sales/ use tax on goods manufactured or produced
in Florida for export outside the state
- NO sales tax on purchases of raw materials incorporated
in a final product for resale,
including non-reusable containers or packaging
- NO sales/use tax on boiler fuels
- NO sales/use tax on electricity used in the manufacturing
process
www.filminflorida.com/ifi/incentives.asp
Orlando Film Incentives
-Florida Entertainment Industry Financial Incentive
-Florida Entertainment Industry Exemption
-City of Orlando Film & Television Network
Incentive
-Universal Orlando "Stage 20" Independent Feature
Incentive
www.filmorlando.com
Palm Beach County Film & Television Incentive
Grant Program
The Palm Beach County Office of Economic Development
has created a fund making up to $150,000 available to production companies
and facilities that relocate to Palm Beach County.
The goal of this program is to provide economic
stimulus through the development and expansion of the film and television
industry in Palm Beach County. This program is designed to provide incentives
for businesses to locate, operate or expand in Palm Beach County, that
involves: television and/or film production; and technology companies with
a multi-media focus. Eligible applicants must:
• Create at least 25 or more full-time jobs for
Palm Beach County residents.
• Invest at least $1M in the purchase, lease, or
dev. of space to be used as prod. facility
• Create, expand, or reuse a minimum of 7,500 square
feet of space for a production
facility, with the overall land area of no less
than 10,000 square feet.
• Competitive Union Rates
A coalition comprised of industry professionals,
labor leaders, and film commissioners has
united to launch Film Florida, a partnership that
will work together supporting legislation and
creating marketing incentives for film and television
production.
Los Angeles Liaison Susan Simms is available to
work closely with studio executives to identify
projects that are suited to Florida’s beautiful
and versatile scenery. To reach Ms. Simms, call
818.508.7772.
www.pbfilm.com/incentives.asp
St. Petersburg-Clearwater Incentives
Soft incentive packages available locally to all
qualified projects. Statewide sales tax
exemption on sales tax for most purchases and leases
used in production (certificate
application available at filminflorida.com). www.floridasbeachfilm.com
Tampa Bay
The State of Florida passed a $10 million Entertainment
Industry Financial Incentive for the
2005-06 year. Please visit our Governor's Office
of Fim and Entertainment for more
information at www.filminflorida.com