Film industry production tax incentives in nearby states versus Connecticut?
Connecticut passed a 30 percent film and digital media tax credit (which took effect in July 2006); New York, 30 percent (35 for productions in New York City); Massachusetts, 25 percent; Rhode Island, 25 percent (for projects more than $300,000), according to a report by New England Film. (The Screen Actors Guild offers a listing of all states and incentives offered in alphabetical order.)
A new private-sector group, Connecticut Production Coalition’s (CPC), supports the state tax incentive and wants to continue to build the "film, television and digital media sector" industry.
CPC founders: Howard and Karen Baldwin, Baldwin Entertainment Group; Chris Campbell, Palace Digital Studios; Tom Carruthers, Connecticut Film Festival; Ephraim Cohen, The Fortex Group; Brandon Curiel, Venan Entertainment, Inc.; Donna Elkinson, Elkinson + Sloves, Inc.; A. Searle Field, United Studios of America; Andrew Gernhard, Synthetic Cinema International; Bruce Heller, Connecticut Film Center; Mike Kuhar, VisualEFX; John Lanza, Kostin, Ruffkess & Co, LLC; Fred Litty, Sonalysts Media Group; Al Maiorano, Televersemedia; Mark Osora, Sheptoff, Reuber & Co, P.C.; Kevin Segalla, Connecticut Film Center; Jeff Taylor, Elements Post; Neal Thomassen, Annual Film Industry Mixer; and Ron Wishna, RM Studios, LLC.
“Connecticut is searching for ways to generate jobs, strengthen the economy and lessen its dependence on the crippled financial sector,” said Chris Campbell, owner of Palace Digital Studio and one of the 19 CPC founders. “As one of the few growing industries in the state, film and digital media are key to that effort."
In two years, according to a CPC news release, "91 film, TV and digital media productions have brought more than $600 million in direct investment to Connecticut, resulting in an estimated $1.5 billion in new economic activity . . . some 80,000 hotel rooms, permits, rented homes, buildings and parking lots from property owners; spending at hardware stores, printing shops, coffee shops, restaurants, dry cleaners, lumber yards, car rental agencies and many other community businesses."
The tax credit helped attract Blue Sky Studios (digital animation and creators of the movie Ice Age) to move to Greenwich, bringing along more than 300 jobs. Films shot in Connecticut include Revolutionary Road and Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
For an independent network for the industry see New England Film at www.newenglandfilm.com.
