061804Massachusettsarchive.htm2

Click Here to Return to the Runaway Links and Information Master Page @ http://mendel.locations.org/RunawayLinks.html

MASSACHUSETTS:

Massachusetts was one of the first states to establish an official state film office in 1979. Since then, the Massachusetts Film Office has welcomed over eighty feature filmmakers to the Bay State — including Norman Jewison, Sydney Lumet, Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, and Martin Scorsese. In July of 2006, the state placed the new Film Office along side the Massachusetts Sports Partnership under the umbrella of the Massachusetts Sports and Entertainment Commission, a private non-profit organization charged with the responsibility of of attracting major sporting and entertainment events to the Commonwealth.

Located at 31 St. James Avenue in Boston, the Massachusetts Film Office (MFO) now provides one-stop shopping for studio executives, producers, and independent filmmakers seeking to do business in the state.

Among many other services, the MFO assists filmmakers with location scouting, tax credit information, crew referrals, housing, permitting, government relations, and union issues.

------------------------

New Study Finds That State Tax Incentives for Movies Don’t Pay Off

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://blog.legalbroadcastnetwork.com/the-lbn-blog/2009/7/22/film-industry-tax-incentives-money-pit.html Film Industry Tax Incentives Money Pit

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
9/11/08: Article in P3 Update Magazine on New England

5/7/07:
MASSACHUSETTS may soon make some beneficial changes to their regulations: the cap will be increased or removed, a flat credit of 25% (instead of the 20% and 25% credits) will be offered, and the recapture problem will be solved. (Currently, buyers of the MA film tax credits are subject to recapture if it turns out that the production was not entitled to all of the awarded credits).

Massachusetts Motion Picture Tax Incentive

from Axium Payroll Co.'s "Incentives Guide" - Download yours at http://tinyurl.com/z6kxj
The new Massachusetts Motion Picture Tax Incentive offers Film Companies:
    * A 20% tax credit based on a production's total payroll in the state, with the exception of employees who make more than $1 million.
    * Filmmakers could also get a 25% tax credit based on all production expenses in the state, as long as at least half of the film is shot in Massachusetts, or half of the expenses are spent in the state.
    * Companies could carry tax credits forward for up to five years or sell to another corporate taxpayer.
    * Any production spending more than $250,000 would also be exempt from paying sales tax on equipment they buy in the state.
    * Any production spending more than $250,000 in the state would be eligible, but total tax credits would be capped at $7 million per production.
For questions regarding the Massachusetts Motion Picture Tax Incentive please contact
Eric Schoenfeld at 617-788-3632.
Click here to view the Official Massachusetts Motion Picture Tax Incentive Law (PDF).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is no official state film office, as it was closed in 2002 due to budget deficits.
However, the executive director created a non-profit film promotion office, the
Massachusetts Film Bureau. Meanwhile, the state has approved a comprehensive
production incentive.
Provided that either 50% of the film was shot in Massachusetts, or 50% of the budget
was spent in the state, the state provides a transferable tax credit of 20% of qualified
payroll expenses and 25% of qualified production expenses (excluding labor). . The
expenses must be incurred in the state of Massachusetts; cast and crew may come
from out of the state. Salaries of employees who earn more than $1 million are
excluded, and a minimum of $250,000 must be spent in the state. There is a cap of
$7 million per picture. Salaries not used in calculating the labor credit may be used
in the production credit; thus, employees earning more than $1million would qualify.
The credits are fully transferable, and can be carried forward for 5 years.
Page 16
In addition, a sales tax exemption is available for qualified expenses. An application
must be filed in advance for this exemption.
• Massachusetts Film Bureau
• Robin Dawson, Executive Director
o Phone?( 617) 523-8388
o Website ? www.massfilmbureau.com/html/index.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Massachusetts Production Coalition - (MPC ) - MPC is a coalition of active professionals and related groups engaged in or related to the production of media within the state of Massachusetts ? all of who have an interest in the growth of the production industry in our state.

The coalition was formed in order to pool efforts for growing and retaining media production in the state of Massachusetts from independent documentary production to feature films, from commercial production to new media.

The MPC's Mission: “To help maintain, promote, increase and expedite the development, creation and production of film, video and new media content in the city of Boston and the state of Massachusetts”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More Movies To Shoot In Commonwealth as Film Incentives Bill Signed
Into Law
12/23/05
(Boston, MA) With a stroke of his pen, Governor Mitt Romney signed bill 4252, providing tax incentives to the motion picture industry, into law and completed the work begun by members of the Massachusetts Production Coalition (MPC) and members of the House and Senate. The new law puts Massachusetts in the spotlight as a premiere venue for motion picture production, and not surprisingly is already garnering projects from motion picture studios that would not otherwise have come to the Commonwealth. Upon hearing the news, Mary Ann Hughes, Vice President, Film Production Planning, Walt Disney Company commented "This law makes Massachusetts very competitive in attracting film and TV production. We look forward to doing business in Massachusetts."............................READ MORE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development (to be the Branch of Government from which will stem the new-to-be-re-formed Massachusetts Film Office)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6-04-04 Information Below:

The Massachusetts Film office has been closed due to lack of funding.

Old Info:
email: film@state.ma.us

Massachusetts Film Office
(617) 973-8800 (Boston, MA)
(617) 973-8810 fax

The New Massachusettes Film Bureau
"Continuing the Tradition of Filmmaking in Massachusettes"

Robin Dawson - Executive Directo
Laura Yellen - Assistant Director
Phone: 617-523-8388
Email: MassFilmBureau@aol.com

Mailing Address:
Massachusetts Film Bureau
198 Tremont Street
PMB#135
Boston MA 02116

About Us

On July 26, 2002, the state shut down the Massachusetts Film Office, due to a tremendous state budget deficit. The elimination of the Film Office was devastating, not only to local production industry-based companies but to hospitality and tourism-based businesses as well. Many crew and businesses throughout Massachusetts depended on the approximate $500 million dollars generated annually from commercial, television, film and documentary production.

Equally important is our significant impact on our state's fifth largest industry - tourism. In August 2002, Robin Dawson, the former Executive Director of the Massachusetts Film Office and Laura Yellen, former Marketing Consultant for The Massachusetts Film Office, felt compelled to accept the offer from the local business community to establish a non-profit (501 c6) association, which has recently been incorporated as the Massachusetts Film Bureau (MFB). The MFB is once again securing business and creating job opportunities for individuals in the Bay State. The Massachusetts Film Bureau is considered to be one of the top six film offices by Hollywood.

Mission Statement
The mission of the Massachusetts Film Bureau (MFB) is to attract and facilitate commercial, documentary, television and independent and feature film production to the Commonwealth. Our team actively promotes the state of Massachusetts as an ideal destination for filming. The function of the MFB, is to generate business for the local economy, create jobs, increase tourism and develop the Massachusetts-based film and television industry. This association, made up of business executives and private individuals, supports the Massachusetts film community........................................READ MORE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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