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INDUSTRY EVENTS

SOUTH CAROLINA FILM NEWS

"Leatherheads" Starring George Clooney To Film In SC

Columbia, SC- Universal Pictures announced today that it will film a new romantic comedy starring Oscar winner George Clooney in South Carolina. Leatherheads will begin production in early 2007 at a number of locations throughout the Upstate. Clooney will not only star in and direct the film but also serves as one of Leatherheads’ writers.

Leatherheads follows Clooney as Dodge Connelly, a swaggering, aging football hero who convinces a college football star to join him in the ragtag pro league beginning to catch on in America during the 1920s. But the two become quick rivals once outspoken reporter Lexie Littleton inserts herself into the game.

“A production of this caliber coming to South Carolina is proof positive that our work this year in pushing for more aggressive incentives will continue to pay big dividends for our state,” Governor Mark Sanford said. “This production will bring a host of benefits to South Carolina, from the multiplier effect the project creates for local businesses to the way it promotes our state as a tourism destination.”

“Since Governor Sanford pushed for our new film incentives, we have had remarkable success in attracting the film industry to South Carolina, with seven projects announced since July,” said Secretary of Commerce Joe Taylor. “Film productions play an important role in strengthening our state’s economy and we are pleased that the local businesses in the Upstate will benefit from the positive economic impact that this production will add to the region.”

Army Wives" South Carolina Scores First Drama Television Series

“Army Wives” starring Kim Delaney and Catherine Bell picked up

Columbia, SC- Touchstone Television’s new ensemble drama series, Army Wives, starring Kim Delaney (NYPD Blue) and Catherine Bell (Jag) was picked up by the Lifetime Network for 12 episodes and will be shot in the Charleston area. This is the State’s first television series and marks another major milestone for recruiting film and television projects to the Palmetto State in 2006.

In July, South Carolina adopted a new film incentive package championed by Governor Mark Sanford that has resulted in a number of film and television projects being announced, including major motion pictures starring George Clooney (Leatherheads), Kevin Bacon (Death Sentence) and Liv Tyler (The Strangers). In addition, Wheel of Fortune executives announced last week that they would come to Vanna White’s home state in January to shoot 15 episodes of the nation’s most popular television game show.

“We’re pleased that our efforts to secure more aggressive film incentives continue to pay dividends for South Carolina,” said Gov. Sanford. “Landing a television series will provide a great economic benefit to the Charleston area during production.”

Led by the creative team behind current TV hits Grey`s Anatomy and Criminal Minds, Army Wives revolves around a sassy young woman from the wrong side of the tracks who marries a soldier and moves her kids onto an Army base, where she befriends a diverse group of Army wives. It is the first project Touchstone Television, a division of The Walt Disney Company, has shot in South Carolina. Production crews and actors were in Charleston this fall shooting the pilot.

Touchstone will begin pre-production preparations in January 2007 with shooting beginning in late February and continuing through May, with possible post-production work wrapping up in June.

FLORIDA NEWS

GOVERNOR CRIST’S RECOMMENDS $75 MILLION FOR FLORIDA’S ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FINANCIAL INCENTIVE

Governor Crist recommends a substantially increased investment of $75 million for each of the next three years to promote film and entertainment productions in Florida. This investment, coupled with Florida’s current sales-and-use tax exemption, demonstrates Florida’s strong commitment to attracting, maintaining and growing its highly valued film and entertainment industry.

Florida’s entertainment industry represents an important line of business for Florida’s economy. In Fiscal Year 2005-06, the State’s $10 million investment attracted 14 productions which, in turn, generated $73 million in Florida expenditures and 4,000 new jobs. The Fiscal Year 2006-07 budget of $20 million is expected to attract 32 productions and to generate over $133 million in economic impact. This represents a return on investment of $6.60 for every dollar spent by the State.

Florida has a strong film and entertainment industry; however, we are competing with other states that are offering increased tax incentives to lure Florida’s film industry, crews and production elsewhere. Governor Crist’s enhanced incentive program, which will work as a tax credit against corporate or sales tax, is an important step in attracting more film and television production to Florida. The broad long-range goal is to recruit more production activity to the state, maximize the use of our existing entertainment infrastructure, encourage out-of-state film companies to relocate here, and create high-wage job opportunities for graduates of Florida's excellent film and entertainment education programs.

TEXAS NEWS

THE TEXAS MOTION PICTURE ALLIANCE

More than 150 state-wide representatives in areas of film, television, commercials, animation, sound, talent, labor, video games and interactive digital media have joined forces to create the Texas Motion Picture Alliance (TXMPA). The purpose of the nonprofit group is to create legislation that will provide competitive economic incentives and attract investment benefiting all Texans by providing jobs and economic growth for the state economy. The potential gains to be realized in establishing such incentives will amount to hundreds of millions of dollars and their impact will touch virtually every sector of business.

Texas has an impressive film, television, and video legacy and TXMPA is working to keep it growing. (The first Academy Award® for Best Film honored the silent movie “Wings,” shot in San Antonio in 1927.) However, the state’s previously healthy industry has been radically eroded due to competitive states luring production companies with financial incentives.

According to the Texas Film Commission, in the last three years alone Texas’ film industry has lost $500 million in film productions, a huge economic blow. Neighboring states Louisiana and New Mexico have been particularly aggressive with incentives. A production company, whether producing films, commercials, corporate videos or video games, will take its business (and dollars) where it can get the most for the money. Conservative estimates project that in the first year of a competitive incentive program, Texas could realize an increase in production revenue of $300 million, with total production-related revenue to $1 BILLION over a two-year period.

Since the historic formation of the Texas Motion Picture Alliance at the capitol on June 16, a 21-member board of directors has been elected and Town Hall industry meetings are being held throughout the state’s seven representative regions. These meetings will help unify the diverse industry and develop plans for incentives to be presented to the Texas Legislature in 2007.

Hector Garcia, the newly-elected president of TXMPA who is both an actor and respected Dallas businessman, is optimistic of the organization’s future and what can be accomplished. “TXMPA creates a nexus. Previously diffused organizations and individuals now intersect and connect with a powerful center. It has galvanized and energized our industry for the next legislative session. We will speak forcefully with one voice,” says Garcia. “TXMPA's work will benefit all Texans by providing jobs and economic growth for the state economy. Film incentives, to entice productions to the Lone Star State, will assist the industry in retaining and attracting jobs to Texas.”

“Furthermore,” Garcia adds, “the incentives will bolster the infrastructure already in place and will allow us to compete against other states and against foreign countries. In a very short period, these proposed incentives will attract investment to Texas benefiting communities large and small across the state.”

Elected TXMPA regional and industry organization members represent the interest of their constituency by providing a voice for their concerns and needs. Membership in the organization is free.

Bob Hudgins, Executive Director of the Texas Film Commission, believes the goals of TXMPA are visionary. “The best outcome would be to have growth that is far beyond my ability to assess it. Ultimately, TXMPA should also achieve and provide well-deserved recognition for creative people in these industries. Their work plays a great role in the economy of Texas.”

THE TEXAS MOTION PICTURE ALLIANCE-TXMPA, a 501-C-6 trade organization registered with the State of Texas and approved by the IRS, is an all-volunteer group of professionals from across the state working to help pass production incentives during the current legislative session. Get on board with TXMPA so that we can achieve our common goal, bringing more production to Texas. Visit http://www.txmpa.org for further information and to register your support.