Wisconsin Film Makers

Senator Jeff Plale (D-Milwaukee) and Representative Pat Strachota (R-West Bend) are circulating a bill (LRB 4091/1) to improve Wisconsin's Film Production Tax Credit Services Program for co-sponsorship. Your action is required TODAY as the deadline for co-sponsorship is TOMORROW, 2/28/08, by Noon.

The bipartisan bill would allow film production companies to transfer unused, non-refundable credits to other taxpayers, such as other film production companies. It would also phase in residency requirements for eligibility of film production employees for tax credits as the talent infrastructure needed for productions fully develops in our state.

Currently, Wisconsin's incentives are a hybrid of refundable and non-refundable, non-transferable tax credits. States experiencing the greatest success in the industry enhance the value of their credits by making non-refundable credits transferable. The language of the bill allows for limited transfers and includes important safeguards to prevent fraud in transfers. Administration of the program will be funded by a fee paid by both parties in the transaction to the Departments of Revenue and Commerce.


ACTION REQUIRED:

 Encourage your legislator to become a co-sponsor of the bill.

 Thank Senator Plale (Sen.Plale@legis.wisconsin.gov) and Representative Strachota (Rep.Strachota@legis.wisconsin.gov) for their sponsorship of this important measure.

 Thank Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton (ltgov@ltgov.wisconsin.gov) for her continued leadership on this issue.

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TALKING POINTS

 Tell the legisaltor(s) why this bill is important to you as a member of the creative class or to your business.

 The purpose of these incentives has always been to grow the film industry in Wisconsin. The incentives have already increased the film industry activity here and therefore the opportunity for existing Wisconsin businesses and the small, talented Wisconsin film industry workforce. Already at work on the new film PUBLIC ENEMIES are Wisconsin Set Designers, Location Managers, Art Department construction crew members, Art Department coordinators and Location Scouts. New films including DUST and THE VIOLINIST are in pre-production or in the process of scouting locations. New studio facilities and sound record facilities are either completed or in progress. Major studios and television networks continue to scout Wisconsin using Wisconsin scouts.

 Fact: Wisconsin businesses and workers have already been recommended to projects that have come from outside of the state. They have also been featured on high profile panels to discuss the incentives, the industry and its growth. Leading Line Producers in Wisconsin are currently using Film Wisconsin as a resource to put Wisconsin crew members to work on productions ranging from commercials, to television and feature films. Wisconsin companies have been doing panel discussions and networking with both in and out of state producers at such venues as the Milwaukee International Film Festival and Beloit Film Festival.

 Given: as we expand the industry, we must also expand the infrastructure to service the industry. New businesses will open and creative class individuals will move to the state. Until we grow our own talent we will need assistance from our colleagues in Illinois, Minnesota, etc. The average production needs 80-120 qualified crew members, a number that Wisconsin alone at present can not supply at present.

 Fact: The movement to expand the current worker tax credit to include those from outside of the state has been undertaken for two reasons: First, so that we may service the increased demand. If we are unable to service these productions in a seamless and professional way, they will choose shoot elsewhere. Second, if out of state crew members are not counted, producers will not view our incentives as competitive.

 Fact: The proposed change to the incentives has a sunset provision. In five years, a suitable-sized workforce will be in place and the inclusion of out-of-state workers will no longer be necessary.

 Fact: Film Wisconsin has always been about both small, home grown, independent films as well as Hollywood blockbusters. There is a difference in scale of support needed for different sized productions. Film Wisconsin, in collaboration with Marcus Theaters also made it possible for Wisconsin independent filmmakers to have access to over 600 screens for exhibition.