The Future of the Film Industry in Arizona

(azbigmedia.com)

There will be lots of lights, cameras, and action for Arizona in the near future.

While California has been home to the film industry for many years, a new incentive has been in the works to try and attract more business and allow more film companies to produce here with ease.

“The Legislature finally was able to come together and recognize that Arizona is a wonderful state for filming, and that it was an industry that Arizona should be courting,” said Chris LaMont, a clinical assistant professor at The Sidney Poitier New American Film School at Arizona State University. “ It’s a very exciting time for the industry, because this industry has been trying to get film incentives back on the books since 2010.”

The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) has been working closely with the new film incentive law that was passed by the Legislature.

“The law requires that ACA implements and oversees that program,” said Patrick Ptak, Senior Vice President of Executive Initiatives at ACA. “Because it’s a new program, we have to go through the process of establishing rules and building the program from the ground up.”

Arizona isn’t the only state where the film industry has been expanding to. New Mexico has been making significant strides with its film industries. Earlier this year, Netflix has continued its expansion with Albuquerque Studios and over $1 billion has been invested so far.

“New Mexico is the king and Louisiana and Georgia also have some great incentives. One of the things that Arizona needs to do is to actually be filming at Arizona-based studios as well to qualify for tax credit,” said LaMont. “What this incentive for Arizona is going to do is help spur infrastructure building by buying these independent companies building soundstages that will help compete with New Mexico.”

The new film incentive will have a massive impact on the economy and the overall appeal for people to start moving their projects to Arizona. The incentive is a tiered system that is based on how much money a film maker spends in the state and how much it will earn from the the production. These tax credits could boast the state’s standing in the  film industry.

“When no one had tax credits, we were the third largest destination in the country. At one point it was Los Angeles, New York and Tucson. That slowly got eroded by other people in the industry, and other states offering tax credits,” said Matthew Earl Jones, the Director of ACA’s Film and Digital Media Program. “We dropped out of the market and we were gone for six years. Neighboring states took advantage of our not being a player, but I think you are seeing now that we’ve had a remarkable response since.”

While this incentive creates a lot of opportunities for the state, it also opens a lot of doors for directors and producers in terms of filming locations.

“We have the most diverse topography in the country. You can have snow in the winter in Flagstaff and come down and it’s like spring here in Scottsdale. We also made a deal with the Navajo Nation, so for the first time in Arizona’s history, we’ve really opened up a joint effort to really help them promote their land,” Jones said. “We also made a deal with the state of Sonora, Mexico, in 2019. So, In addition to importing jobs, asking you to bring your project from California for the first time in Arizona’s history, we have the opportunity of exporting our expertise to Northern Mexico.”

Arizona has the resources and the ability to house bigger production agencies. With this newfound capability, there are also lots of economic growth opportunities.

“It’s not about the states. It’s about the people, equipment and the infrastructure here and spurring a new opportunity for business. When you’re talking about New Mexico, it’s a great example, right? In 2021, New Mexico saw $624 million spent by production,” said LaMont. “So can Arizona get to that point? Gosh, wouldn’t that be awesome? But we’re playing catch up and this is the first step in attracting Hollywood features and television shows to come here.”

There is a lot in store for the future of film in Arizona. From creating job opportunities to the amount of money going to be spent on production, Arizona as a whole will be able to benefit from this venture.

“As someone who is a film commissioner and was a producer and grew up in an industry family, let me say I think it’s a great thing. I mean, there’s an incredible economic impact,” Jones said. . “Film I think not only is good for the entire state, but in some of our more rural areas, we have some most beautiful locations and in our tribal communities, I think we can be a big contributor to the economy in those areas, because we’re one of the main resources and industries that goes into the rural environment.”

By: Alexandra Zurborg

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Grant to Support Establishment of Film Studios in New Jersey

(trentondaily.com)

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) opened applications on Friday for film production facilities seeking a designation that will facilitate their access to a pool of tax credits designed to encourage the development of large, long-term film production facilities in the state. Under the New Jersey Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program, which was expanded and enhanced by the Economic Recovery Act of 2020, as a complement to the program for individual film production projects, two additional and separate allocations were established to support projects led by Studio Partners and Film-lease Partners.

To be eligible to apply for the Studio Partner designation, the applicant must be a production company that has site control of a production facility that is at least 250,000 square feet for at least 10 years. Additionally, prior to approval, the production facility site would need to have at least preliminary site plan approval, an executed redevelopment agreement, or an adopted redevelopment plan that contemplates the construction of the production facility and, following designation approval, be able to provide temporary or permeant certificate of occupancy for the facility within 36 months. Only three Studio Partner designations are available, which will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible applicants.

In addition to a separate $100 million pool of incentives, the Studio Partner designation will allow a production company to capture additional above-the-line salaries and wages as part of its tax credit award calculation, a key feature of the plan.

Film-lease Partners must be production companies that have at least a Letter of Intent or other site control documentation for a production facility of at least 50,000 square feet for a term of at least five years. Additionally, the applicant shall commit to spending, on an annual average basis, $50 million in qualified film production expenses over the applicant’s commitment period.

Studio Partners and Film-lease Partners would first apply to the Authority to be designated and then submit subsequent applications for each film project produced in New Jersey thereafter. There are no restrictions on the number of production companies that can receive the Film-lease Partner designation.

The tax credit award percentage for Studio and Film-lease Partners is calculated the same as the legacy program for film productions, however Studio and Film-lease Partners benefit from a separate approval queue and separate annual allocation of $100 million for each designation category.

By: Trenton Daily

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Principal Media Announces Strategic Investment in Chesler/Perlmutter, Expanding Film Production Capabilities

(yahoo.com)

Strategic investment provides Libra Group media subsidiary the ability to produce original film and tv programming for global distribution.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Nov. 28, 2022 /CNW/ — Leading global content distributor Principal Media, a subsidiary of Libra Group, has announced a strategic investment in Toronto-based Chesler/Perlmutter Productions (C/P), a world-renowned production company with over 30 years of experience developing and delivering award-winning scripted television series and films.

The strategic investment expands Principal Media’s capabilities into the development and production of movies, documentaries, and other programming. The transaction leverages Principal Media’s distribution network, which includes Netflix and other leading platforms, to further amplify C/P’s content globally. It also provides access to a deep library of content that will be available as part of Principal Media’s catalog and included in the upcoming launch of ad-supported streaming channels.

Based in Hollywood, Principal Media has nearly 20 years of experience distributing a wide range of television programming across genres such as food, lifestyle, documentaries, sports, and wildlife. Its customers include leading networks and digital platforms around the world, including Netflix, Disney, Showtime, and the Discovery Channel, among many others. Following the investment, Principal Media will have access to C/P’s vast array of original and scripted content, ranging from romantic films that deliver high ratings to the award-winning dramatic thriller series that started it all, The Hitchhiker. Principal Media is a subsidiary of Libra Group, a privately-owned international business group whose subsidiaries own and operate assets in nearly 60 countries.

“When Principal Media set out to team up with original content creators, we could not have been more pleased to land on the extraordinary, long-running success story that is Chesler/Perlmutter Productions. The movie magic they’re able to consistently deliver is unparalleled,” said Gary Rosenson, Chief Executive Officer of Principal Media. “The creative possibilities are endless as we merge Chesler/Perlmutter’s dynamic storytelling with Principal’s global distribution network to create riveting new programming including films, series and documentaries that will be enjoyed around the world.”

Based in Toronto, C/P is one of North America’s most significant independent TV and film production companies known for developing, financing, producing, and distributing to major networks and platforms around the world. Their portfolio includes the work of celebrated directors such as Kathryn Bigelow, Ivan Reitman, and Paul Verhoeven, and leading actors including Helen Hunt, Jason Bateman, Helen Mirren, Jim Carrey, Patricia Arquette, Rob Lowe, and many others.

“As opportunities for content creation continue to expand, we’re thrilled to extend our global reach through Principal Media,” said Lewis Chesler, Co-Founder and Executive Producer at C/P. “We are excited to work with Principal, a company that shares our deep family values, to generate even more storytelling opportunities to run through our Canada-based team while we pursue even more incremental revenue-generating opportunities.”

“Through this investment Principal Media will benefit from Chesler/Perlmutter’s proven excellence in filmmaking, giving Principal new capabilities to make original films that can be distributed around the world,” said Phaedra Chrousos, Chief Strategy Officer of Libra Group. “The possibilities for innovation in both content production and distribution are limitless. We look forward to continuing to grow in this dynamic sector and evolving our capabilities through future strategic investments.”

This investment is the next step for Principal Media as it continues to grow its global entertainment services. It also follows continued investment by Libra Group in its global media portfolio. The family-owned group is predominately active in six business sectors, including maritime, aviation, hospitality, real estate, renewable energy, and a growing presence in media.

About Principal Media 
Since 2005, Principal Media has been licensing its uniquely vast and always expanding catalog of content to TV networks and digital platforms worldwide. The Hollywood-based team represents a wide variety of programming genres to an equally diverse array of networks and digital platforms around the world. To keep its catalog fresh, Principal Media works closely with producers of all kinds to help monetize finished programming and develop and co-produce original series. It works with a wide range of leading partners, including Netflix, Showtime, and Disney. Principal Media is a subsidiary of Libra Group, a privately-owned international business group whose subsidiaries own and operate assets in nearly 60 countries.

About Chesler/Perlmutter Productions 
Chesler/Perlmutter Productions is a Canadian production company with global reach, focused on developing, producing and distributing television movies for US, Canadian, and international broadcasters, as well as theatrical movies for national and international distribution. As one of Canada’s first independent family film production companies, Chesler/Perlmutter has established itself in North American and global film markets through its development, production, and distribution of content. The company is based in Toronto and operates a production studio in Hamilton, Ontario.

About Libra Group
Libra Group (www.libra.com) is a privately-owned, global business group that encompasses 30 operating entities – 20 businesses predominately focused on aviation, energy, maritime, real estate and hospitality, diversified industries, and 10 social initiatives. With assets and operations in nearly 60 countries, the Group applies the strength of its global network and capabilities to deliver cross-sector insights and growth at scale, while mitigating risk. Today, Libra’s Social Responsibility Programs include 10 social initiatives created to address unmet needs and grantmaking that helps people worldwide. Throughout its 30 entities, the Group is focused on maintaining its innovative culture supporting human potential, and always delivering growth with good – twin engines that power the Libra ecosystem.

By: Ariana Rivera

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California Film Tax Credit Program Grows to $2.3 Billion in Direct Spending

(movies.mxdwn.com)

The California Film Commission announced Tuesday that films eligible for the state’s film and television tax credit increased spending by $153 million last year.

The Government of California increased spending from $2.13 billion in FY21 to $2.28 billion in FY22. The state last year also injected $90 million in tax credits into the program.

The Commission published this figure in its annual report and predicted that the figure would rise again in 2023.

Governor of California Gavin Newsom, who received cash from the historic budget surplus last year, increased his tax credit for fiscal years ending in 2022 and 2023 from his $330 million to $420 million. Increased.

Variety writes what Gov. Newsom comments on the situation by saying “California’s iconic film industry continues to create opportunity and drive economic growth throughout our state,” Newsom said in a statement on Tuesday. “Today’s report from the California Film Commission affirms the tax credit program continues to produce outstanding results and foster diversity and inclusion for a workforce that better reflects our vibrant communities.”

In an article by Variety they wrote how the commission released diversity data for the Career Pathways Program, an industry training program funded by tax credit recipients. According to these reports, the program had 141 participants in his first two years.

The commission also announced that 13 new or refurbished sound stages have been certified according to SB 144.

The current tax credit expires in 2025. A bill to extend it until 2030, was put on hold in August and it will be reconsidered at the next parliamentary session.

By: Ariana Rivera

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