News
November 22, 2013
November 22nd News Report from your Los Angeles Representative
TORONTO ONTARIO film office - A partnership of the Ontario Media Development Corporation, City of Toronto and FilmOntario.
WEEKLY UPDATE November 22, 2013
from Kelly Graham-Scherer, Los Angeles Representative - torontoontariofilm@gmail.com
I'm traveling to Ontario this weekend to enjoy some family time over American Thanksgiving so this week's abbreviated report is concerned strictly with the current travails of industry lobbyists here in California.
As I have reported the last few weeks, an FBI sting that allegedly caught a California state senator accepting bribes in exchange for his support of increased film and television tax credits, has threatened to derail the momentum to expand the program in order to bring back productions from other jurisdictions.
A Variety feature this week explained that industry tax incentives have always been a tough sell in the state capital of Sacramento where there has long been a distrust of anything that is considered too L.A.-centric. http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/advocates-of-tax-credits-talk-of-hurdles-to-expanding-californias-incentive-program-1200861721/
And as many expected, the influential Sacramento Bee this week took an editorial stance against expansion, stating "Before the Legislature extends or expands the film tax credit, there needs to be an independent study documenting it pays off". http://www.sacbee.com/2013/11/17/5915918/editorial-no-more-tinseltown-tax.html
But back in Los Angeles, advocates continue to fight. As reported in the Los Angeles Times below, newly appointed Film Czar Tom Sherak has tapped former SAG president and Motion Picture Association head Bob Pisano as an advisor. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-film-tom-sherak-bob-pisano-20131115,0,7329257.story#axzz2lDiQVnZA
Please feel free to distribute this e-mail widely and to get in touch with me with comments or links for inclusion.
I look forward to returning with this report on December 6th.
Warmest regards,
Kelly Graham-Scherer
Los Angeles Representative
Toronto/ Ontario Film Office