State, filmmakers discusses how to attract projects
The committee was established by Gov. Phil Bredesen in May and is composed of members from the Tennessee Film, Music and Entertainment Commission members, state officials and industry representatives. It is expected to submit a report of recommendations by February.
Wednesday’s discussion for East Tennessee will be followed in the next month in Middle and West Tennessee.
About 40 producers, talent agents, educators and others in film production told committee members they must lobby for incentives that have helped Georgia, North Carolina, Louisiana and other states land major Hollywood productions and smaller independent films and television projects.
“It’s all about getting more business, better business,” said David Bennett, executive director of the commission. “We just want jobs.”
Starting in 1995, Tennessee was one of the first state in the region to offer incentives, which offered a sales and use tax rebate for out-of-state companies that spent at least $500,000.
But Bennett said the committee has come up with a revamped incentive package that could offer a credit based on how much a company spends in the state and not based on its gross production budget. Companies could get more for using local workers.
“We want to make it easy to understand, easy to access by eliminating the bureaucracy and doing what’s right for Tennessee,” Bennett said.
A consultant for states in attracting film productions said Tennessee needs a new program to compete.
“The key here is combating runaway production and helping Tennesseans keep their jobs here,” said Dama Chasle, a former vice president at 20th Century Fox. “It’s finding an opportunity that works for Tennessee so you don’t lose your edge.”
She cited Louisiana, which offers a 10 percent tax credit to companies that spend more than $300,000, increasing to 15 percent if more than $8 million is spent.
“In three years, its production revenue grew from $20 million to $377 million a year,” Chasle said. “That’s huge.”