Film Works Hats, Updates & Video

Legislative Update for AB1069 and the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program:

When the California State Senate resumes in the coming days, the fate of AB1069 will finally be decided.  Will the California Film and Television Tax Credit be renewed for another five years or will it be defeated in the Senate?  And if it does pass in the Senate, will the Governor sign or veto the legislation?  What would you like to see happen?  If you want the bill to pass, the sure-fire way to show your support is to write to your elected officials and tell them, in your own words, why the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program matters to you!  To assist you, Film Works prepared a “how to” blog post about writing your elected officials, which offers ideas and suggestions about what an effective letter could include.  To read that post, CLICK HERE.

Feel free to copy Film Works on the letters you write and we’ll be happy to post them on our Web site (anonymously if you wish).  Let your voice be heard!

Film Works Campaign Hats Almost Here:

The wait is almost over!  Film Works hats are now production!  We will be offering two different styles: a one-size fits all “fitted cap” (pictured below) and an adjustable cap with a velcro strap.  Both will feature a lightly distressed look and each version will have the Film Works web site stitched into the cap in addition to the “Keep Jobs in L.A.” lettering.  We will let you know the moment they become available!

Attention L.A.-Based Film & Television Productions!  Film Works Wants You!:

Let Film Works shine help shine the spotlight on your film or television production!  By shooting in California, your production is employing dozens (if not hundreds) of talented California film and television workers.  As a result, you’re also providing indirect employment to many more Californians working in other industries such as food service, construction, dry cleaning, law, health care and retail to name just a few.

Any production that signs on as a Film Works supporter will be featured on a Film Works web site page (under construction) dedicated to thanking these productions for filming locally.  With your help, we’ll build a list of how many people your production employs, provide basic information about the show and include links to your respective Web sites.  The campaign will also supply the show with Film Works gear (bumper stickers, window clings etc.) so the cast, crew and production can show their support.  Although not a requirement, productions are welcome to arrange a set visit from Film Works campaign staff for a potential story on the campaign blog, to speak about the campaign mission and goals and/or interview the cast and crew for the campaign’s YouTube Channel.

So far, we’ve had a great response to our effort to enlist the support L.A.-based productions.  The list includes “The Mentalist”, “Parenthood”, “Dexter”, “CSI New York” and numerous web series.  In addition, our call for support also caught the attention of Sunset Gower Studios (where “Dexter” is based) and Skyline Locations, both of which contacted Film Works eager to help support the campaign.  Our thanks go out to all of our supporters, it’s great that we are all in this together!

The following is from our post calling on local productions to contact the campaign and join the effort:

It’s time to remind our fellow Californians what a valuable and important addition any one show or film makes to a city, county or the state.  California-based productions are much more than the finished product we see at the cinema or on television.  They are major employers that provide jobs to people of diverse backgrounds and talents, from makeup artists to carpenters to actors to electricians to caterers to attorneys and even police and fireman. These are reel jobs with real impacts.

In these tough economic times, we cannot afford to keep allowing this industry to slip away.  We all know and love the stories on the screen, but now its time to tell the real-life stories behind the screen.  And who better to help tell these stories than the talented story-tellers themselves?

Let us hear from you so we can discuss ways we can together show Los Angeles and California how Film Works!

If you work for or represent a production interested in supporting the campaign, please send an email info@filmworksla.com.  We would love to hear from you!

Film Works Campaign Turning Heads Around the World:

Film Works is happy to report that our blog is attracting attention from some high places.  For example, our response to Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik’s attack on a recent LAEDC’s report attracted the attention of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), which linked to the article from its Twitter account.

Our response to the Tax Foundation’s testimony before the California Legislature regarding the California Film & Television Tax Credit caught the attention of the influential Washington D.C.-based think tank, which documented our exchange on its Tax Foundation Tax Policy Blog.

Finally, our response to the Tax Foundation was also quoted in The Economist, the highly respected weekly newspaper read by some of the most influential business and political leaders on the planet.

Not bad for a campaign barely 8 months on the ground.

New Film Works Campaign Video Premiers on Web:

Lastly, Film Works is proud to present the brand new video below of the December 2010 campaign launch event, which was produced by the talented and dedicated people at Shoot Movies in California.

Film Works would like to thank Shoot Movies in California for this wonderful video, which features some of the latest film production statistics and economic impact data about the California Film & Television Tax Credit.

If you want to do one small thing to help support the campaign, please share this video (email, facebook etc.) with friends, family and co-workers.  It says almost all you need to know about why Film Works exists:

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