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WATCH: Courting Hollywood dollars (with tax incentives) (sharylattkisson.com

The following is a transcript of an investigative report on Full Measure News. Click on the link at the end of the transcript to watch the video story

Fallout from the coronavirus shutdowns just keeps coming. Newly-released numbers show film and television production in Los Angeles fell to its lowest point in a quarter century in 2020. More movie productions have quietly relocated from Hollywood to other destinations that are delighted to have the business. In fact, the competition for movie money is growing fierce. Today, we’re off to Montana, which is among the states searching for stars.

Nestled in Montana’s scenic boondocks is a small Western town that isn’t what it seems

From the church, to the jail, it’s a movie set.

Carter Boehm: So, the movie we’re doing is called Murder at Emigrant Gulch.

Carter Boehm is executive producer in charge of Murder at Emigrant Gulch. He’s creator and owner of this western set, Yellowstone Film Ranch, near Livingston, Montana. He rents it out for movie productions for about $10,000 a day.

Sharyl: This movie set was only built because of a novel incentive program Montana has put into place to attract Hollywood dollars. The idea to make it worthwhile for producers to come here to the middle of nowhere to make their films.

Continue Reading at sharylattkisson.com

Developer modifies plans for West Side movie production studio (buffalonews.com)

The backers and architects behind a planned television and movie production studio on the West Side want to shift the proposed building’s front entrance around the corner, from Niagara Street to West Ferry Street, to protect people from harsh weather coming off of Lake Erie and the Niagara River. That would be among a series of modifications to their previously approved design.

Great Point Opportunity Fund – the financial arm of London-based Great Point Media – is asking the Buffalo Zoning Board of Appeals to allow the main entry to be moved to the side of the building at 1155 Niagara St., instead of being in the front as required under the Green Code.

The actual move would be a matter of less than 10 feet, since both the current and proposed locations of the doorway would still be at the corner of Niagara and West Ferry, just along the north facade instead of the west side of the building.

By: Jonathan D. Epstein

Continue Reading at buffalonews.com

California Franchise Tax Board List of New Changes for Filing 2020 Tax Returns (goldrushcam.com)

Resident state tax filers list

For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, taxpayers will include the address and county of their principal residence on either:

• Form 540, California Resident Income Tax Return
• Form 540 2EZ, California Resident Income Tax Return

This is part of our annual reporting requirements to the jury commissioner.

Taxpayers are required to provide this information if both:

• They are 18 years of age or older
• Have filed a California resident income tax return for the preceding year

Continue Reading at goldrushcam.com

New measure would strip Georgia film tax credit (11alive.com)

ATLANTA — A bill introduced in the legislature could bring down the film industry in Georgia. The measure calls for an end to the state’s generous tax credit for filmmakers.  

Filmmakers didn’t aggressively set up shop in Georgia until after the state passed a law that created a generous tax credit to draw them here.  That was in 2008.

Three years ago, the film industry was at the capitol to pat itself on the back for taking advantage of the tax credit and making Georgia its top destination.

“Today to stand here and say Georgia is number one in the world just blows my mind,” exulted state Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah) during the event at the capitol in January 2018.

But the cost to taxpayers is implicitly criticized in a House bill introduced this week that would eliminate the tax credit.  State audits and studies of the film industry say the movie industry is picking the pockets of taxpayers – with the blessing of state officials.

“The Georgia film tax credit is not fiscally sensible at all. It absolutely does not pay for itself. It is a huge expense on the economy,” said Kennesaw State University economist JC Bradbury, who wrote one of the studies.

By: Doug Richards

Continue Reading at 11alive.com

Film Producers Demand Increase In Post-covid Revenue Share From Exhibitors (tntribune.com)

NEW DELHI — The pandemic year of 2020 was a harsh time for cinema, leading to revenue-share changes in the film industry.

The pandemic-induced economic slowdown has hit the film industry severely across the world. The Indian film industry, Bollywood, has been greatly affected due to delayed film releases, with revenue expected to drop from INR 18,300 (about $2.5 billion) to INR 6,100 crore (about $840 million), according to a KPMG report.

Producers of some of the big budget films, including “Sooryavanshi,” “83” and “Laal Singh Chaddha,” among many others had to put the release on hold due to the Covid-related lockdown.

In Hollywood, too, big production houses have put a hold on releases. The release of the next scheduled Marvel film,“Black Widow,” and “The Fast Saga” have been moved to this year. Producers of “No Time to Die,” “Avatar 2” and “West Side Story” are also looking at new dates after year-long delays. Disney has pipelined two of its films to online streaming debuts.

Continue Reading at tntribune.com