http://www.wbur.org/2010/02/11/film-credit WBUR is Boston's NPR News Station, featuring NPR news and programs such as Car Talk, On Point, Here & Now, Only A Game and Radio Boston. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:31:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.wbur.org/2010/02/11/film-credit/comment-page-1#comment-9363 harold balzac Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:48:25 +0000 http://www.wbur.org/?p=14719#comment-9363 These stupid beauracrats don't realize the only reason why big budget hollywood productions are filming here is because of the credit. If they make it go away, so will the film industry and all the money they bring into the state. But the DOR idiots just look at the credit as "lost income." It's not as though the film industry has the same kind of fixed costs sunk into the state, such as a factory or what have you. The industry is inherently mobile and can easily scout other locations to shoot, regardless of where a film's story is set. For example, many scenes from the Steve Martin Pink Panther remake were shot here in Boston even though the story is set in France. Another film that was set in NYC, was shot in Canada, etc. So there's nothing to keep films here if the credit goes away. These stupid beauracrats don’t realize the only reason why big budget hollywood productions are filming here is because of the credit. If they make it go away, so will the film industry and all the money they bring into the state. But the DOR idiots just look at the credit as “lost income.” It’s not as though the film industry has the same kind of fixed costs sunk into the state, such as a factory or what have you. The industry is inherently mobile and can easily scout other locations to shoot, regardless of where a film’s story is set. For example, many scenes from the Steve Martin Pink Panther remake were shot here in Boston even though the story is set in France. Another film that was set in NYC, was shot in Canada, etc. So there’s nothing to keep films here if the credit goes away.

]]> http://www.wbur.org/2010/02/11/film-credit/comment-page-1#comment-8636 John Neely Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:57:41 +0000 http://www.wbur.org/?p=14719#comment-8636 I was born and raised in MA, but left to pursue a career in film working in California and overseas for 10 years. I came back because I knew the Massachusetts industry showed huge promise. Professor Foster is right about Massachusetts having a "good shot" at becoming a key production center. I see unparalleled creative and entrepreneurial energy on a daily basis. Keeping the credit in place and growing it in coming years will keep our home grown film industry competitive on the spreadsheet. Our human capital, our schools, and our urban and geographical assets will do the rest. Massachusetts has more to offer than other upstart film centers, but we need the credit to leverage our potential and keep our incredible local talent here. I was born and raised in MA, but left to pursue a career in film working in California and overseas for 10 years. I came back because I knew the Massachusetts industry showed huge promise. Professor Foster is right about Massachusetts having a “good shot” at becoming a key production center. I see unparalleled creative and entrepreneurial energy on a daily basis. Keeping the credit in place and growing it in coming years will keep our home grown film industry competitive on the spreadsheet. Our human capital, our schools, and our urban and geographical assets will do the rest. Massachusetts has more to offer than other upstart film centers, but we need the credit to leverage our potential and keep our incredible local talent here.

]]> http://www.wbur.org/2010/02/11/film-credit/comment-page-1#comment-8621 phil Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:05:24 +0000 http://www.wbur.org/?p=14719#comment-8621 I liked this story with the exception of Mr. Widmer. I've heard him several times on WBUR railing against the program. Mr. Widmer only quotes the projected costs in 2011 while ignoring the fact that the state actually collected 3.6 million dollars MORE in taxes than it gave out in credits in the first three years of the program. This info comes from the very same report Widmer cherry picked. For an informative presentation on the tax incentive visit this link. www.slideshare.net/MassFilmOffice/mass-film-office-powerpoint-2121486 I liked this story with the exception of Mr. Widmer. I’ve heard him several times on WBUR railing against the program. Mr. Widmer only quotes the projected costs in 2011 while ignoring the fact that the state actually collected 3.6 million dollars MORE in taxes than it gave out in credits in the first three years of the program.
This info comes from the very same report Widmer cherry picked. For an informative presentation on the tax incentive visit this link. http://www.slideshare.net/MassFilmOffice/mass-film-office-powerpoint-2121486

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