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California Officials Want Films to Be More Diverse. Their Plan Would Help a Studio Developer in Banning

(variety.com)

A bill in the California Legislature to promote diversity in TV and film would also help a housing developer who wants to build a $200 million film studio in Banning.

The bill would add Banning — a small city 90 miles east of Los Angeles — to the so-called “30-mile zone,” which is the area where producers pay lower mileage rates and per diems. If adopted in the collective bargaining process, that change would provide studios and production companies with a financial incentive to use the proposed facility.

The bill would also create a new $200 million annual tax credit for “minority films” — independent productions that are minority-owned and employ a majority non-white cast and crew.

The developer behind the studio project, Ruben Islas, told Variety in an interview this week that his aim is to produce films with uplifting and inclusive messages. He said he wanted to see more positive depictions of Latinos, which would reflect his own experience growing up in a low-income neighborhood in San Diego.

By: Gene Maddaus

Continue Reading at variety.com

Covid: Wales’ film and TV industry ‘not giving up’

(bb.com)

With Wales hosting the shooting of TV shows like His Dark Materials and movie Wonder Woman 1984 the nation is now a global player in entertainment.

But after a challenging year, industry professionals are wondering what lies ahead.

Actor Jennifer Ruth-Adams said she was “so panicked” when work was cancelled as Covid-19 took hold last April.

She and boyfriend Oliver Morgan-Thomas, also an actor, said the following months were “extremely difficult.”

The actors

Oliver was not eligible for the UK Government’s self-employment income support scheme.

However, TV and film productions have resumed since the first lockdown, meaning there is hope for the couple, although competition for jobs is even stiffer as a result of the pandemic.

By: Alex Jennings

Continue Reading at bbc.com

GRANTS: Latvia Gives 2021 Co-financing Programme Grants To Six Films

(filmneweurope.com)

RIGA: The National Film Centre of Latvia gave out the Latvian Co-financing programme grants totalling 1,158,013 EUR to six film projects originating from Germany, Russia, the Netherlands and Denmark.

The aim of the programme is to support production of foreign films in Latvia, bringing international financing to the Latvian film industry and increasing its competitiveness and professional growth. 

The projects, either service projects or coproductions, need a local partner.

The call is open until 30 September, but the available budget has already been distributed to applications received in January. New applications will be added to the reserve list. More projects could potentially receive funding if additional funds become available or if there are changes in the supported projects’ production plans.

By: Zane Balčus

Continue Reading at filmneweurope.com

NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo Gives Greenlight To New York City Cinema Reopening March 5 At Reduced Capacity

(deadline.com)

UPDATE AFTER EXCLUSIVE: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday said movie theaters in New York City will be brought into line with the rest of New York state as of March 5, when they will be allowed to reopen at 25% capacity with no more than 50 people per screen, masks, social distancing and other protocols.

The guidelines include air filtration and purification standards previously specified by the Department of Health.

Officials at Cuomo’s press briefing today said no Covid-19 testing will be required, as is the case for large arenas like Madison Square Garden and Barclay’s Center that can reopen later in February. Cinemas in New York City will follow the same guidance put in place for movie theaters in the rest of New York state back in October.

By: Anthony D’Alessandro & Jill Goldsmith

Continue Reading at deadline.com

How to Reopen Your Office Safely, According to a Hollywood Covid Compliance Officer

(inc.om)

Almost a year after Covid-19 shut down offices across America, many physical workplaces remain in stasis. But six months ago, Demerie Danielson was hired to help bring at least one industry back to working in person: the film industry.

Danielson, a registered nurse, left her job at an Albuquerque hospital for a brand-new position: Covid Compliance Officer for VIP StarNetwork, a health care contractor for major local movie and TV sets. It’s a subsidiary of Inverse Medical, a medical equipment supplier. With her medical expertise in her back pocket, Danielson learned how to safely reopen a workplace on the fly–and has since done so for seven Netflix and Amazon Prime productions, including the upcoming film The Harder They Fall, starring Jonathan Majors and Idris Elba.

Her experience could prove crucial for America’s business owners, especially those pondering their own return to the office amid the country’s vaccine rollout. Here are Danielson’s top four recommendations.

By: Cameron Albert-Deitch

Continue Reading at inc.com