News
May 15, 2015
Weekly Update from Film Ontario, May 15, 2015
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Folks, We have continued working daily with the government, and all parties, to encourage a positive resolution for an amendment to grandfather projects that were sufficiently advanced as of Budget day, April 23, 2015, and to untether OCASE from OFTTC or OPSTC. There are more meetings scheduled for next week. The Budget Bill, 91, has been Time-allocated, with hearings set for May 19, 20, 21 and 25 in the finance committee. Clause-by-clause amendments will happen on May 28th and June 1, and it will come back to the house for third reading before the summer break starts on June 4. We will be appearing before the FInance and Economic Affairs Committee on Wednesday, to put forward your #1 'ask' - grandfathering, and #2 ask, untethering OCASE from OPSTC or OFTTC. We hope that many of you arranged to do so, as well. We thank you for continuing to connect with your MPPs, through letters and meetings! We also continue to discourage any public/press activity, as it could derail ongoing discussions, which currently, appear positive. We remain cautiously optimistic, and will have more information for you next week. Take care, Sarah Ker-Hornell
____________________________________________________________ Happy Friday! It seems almost certain that film and television tax incentives in production powerhouse Louisiana are about to be scaled back. Lawmakers are currently debating several scenarios but two restrictions have passed initial hurdles and look likely to stick. As reported in The Advocate below, the Senate has cleared a bill which would not permit tax credits for more than 50 percent of the so-called above the line expenses that go to directors, actors and other high-salaried employees. And as detailed below by Louisiana TV station WWL, the House of Representatives has sent to the Senate for approval a bill that would cap the program at $200 million, 12% less than the $226 million in tax credits that were issued in 2014. There is palpable anticipation is Los Angeles these days with regards to the California tax credit program which kicks in this July. The Los Angeles Times this week reported that American Horror Story will move production back from Louisiana to L.A. next year. The F/X hit filmed the first two seasons of its series in L.A. but moved to Louisiana after it was unsuccessful in securing a California tax credit through the state's lottery program. In a move that also has Hollywood buzzing, the American Civil Liberties Union has taken on the issue of general equality in the film and television industry. In a front page L.A. Times feature this week it was reported that the ACLU has urged the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to investigate Hollywood's hiring practices for evidence of gender discrimination. And finally this week, on the eve of television upfront presentations - when broadcast and cable networks roll out their fall programming plans for advertisers - there is a lot of tough talk about TV's rising competitor, online video. As reported in the L.A. Times below, it is predicted that the broadcast and cable networks will take in $20 billion in upfront sales this year, a 7% decline from last year as younger viewers continue to go online for their video entertainment. |