ï Idaho Film Bureau
ï Production Guide Request -- http://www.filmidaho.org/page.aspx/259/order_production_guide
Incentive information
Film office
Idaho Film Bureau
700 W. State Street
Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0093
Phone: 800-942-8338 or 208-334-2470
Fax: 208-334-2631
Email: powens@idoc.state.id.us
Incentives:
Idaho offers an exemption from sales or hotel taxes on lodging stays
of 30 or more days. The state offers no other incentive programs.
Film Industry Task
Force Report (Nov. 2005) - In late 2004 and early 2005, Representative
Jana Kemp was approached
by several constituents about Idahoâ€ôs efforts to attract
film production. In response to Rep. Kempâ€ôs interest,
on May 4, 2005, Roger Madsen, Director of Idaho Commerce and Labor, officially
named a task force to study the film industry with the goal of increasing
the amount of film and media projects produced in Idaho, including feature
films......................READ
MORE
FILMING
IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATESÝ - Article in Production Update Magazine June
2004
IDAHO
Idaho has had its share of feature films as well; Town & Country, Breakfast of Champions, The Wild Wild West, Smoke Signals, Kundun, Dante's Peak, Pale Rider, Bronco Billy and more have filmed in the state. The independent film Napoleon Dynamite shot entirely in the small town of Preston, and was one of the first films to be picked up by a distributor at last year's Sundance Film Festival. And there is talk about the film being made into a TV series. "We've got some great performance roads, so we get our share of car spots," says Peg Owens of the Idaho Film Bureau.
Idaho can surprise producers who expect only rugged mountains and small towns. "We have lava flows that could double for other planets," says Owens. "We're known for potatoes, but we grow a lot of wheat, so we have lovely wheat fields that could double for the midwest." There's also the Port of Lewiston, an inland port, and small production houses that work on local commercials and industrials. "People get their equipment from rental houses in Montana and Salt Lake," Owens explains.
Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne, has expressed an interest in the movie sector of the industry; "he's asking opinions about what should be done, to attract more film work," says Owens. "Labor rates are low, and depending on productions, they can save money depending on whether they'd hire locals. There are some good people here, maybe not A-list but in my career I've seen the bigger the movie the more likely it is to be union but smaller non union films are more likely to take a chance on local crews." She adds that "there's a high level of cooperation in all the communities. We're very film friendly.
The rules for filming in Idaho are straightforward; it is a right-to-work state, with standard child labor laws that preclude children from working during hours in which school is in session unless a certified teacher is on set. Children are not allowed to work past nine o'clock in the evening. Hotel lodging for more than 30 days can be eligible for a 2% tax waiver. Most Idaho cities and counties do not have established film permits and consider filming projects "special events". Contact the Idaho Film Bureau for city offices phone numbers. Permission to film on Idaho highways must be secured from the Idaho Department of Transportation.
Permits are required to film on land administered by the U. S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service. Fees vary according to the number of people involved in the production. Some areas may require an environmental review. Areas designated wilderness by Congress are not open to motorized vehicles and are largely inaccessible, except by trail..................................READ MORE