LT. GOVERNOR BRYANT TO CO-HOST FILM SUMMIT
JACKSON – The film industry, like any industry, relies on a strong infrastructure, a skilled work force, and a pro business environment to be successful. Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant believes Mississippi’s time is now and in partnership with the Mississippi Film Office will co-host a film summit that will bring together producers, bankers and CPA’s.
The Film Summit will draw attention to the business side of production and address areas of work force development, the new film incentive program, funding and development of production.
“This Summit was designed to explore the opportunities of filmmaking in Mississippi,” Bryant said. “Our incentive program is now one of the strongest in the country; with this Summit we will present our work force training plans and highlight our equipment and infrastructure development.”
In the 2011 session, the legislature enhanced the Mississippi Motion Picture Program that provides a cash rebate of 25 percent on local Mississippi expenditures with an additional 5 percent rebate on salaries paid to Mississippi residents.
Bryant said this legislation helps foster an environment to position Mississippi as a major competitor in this multi-billion-dollar industry. “This makes our incentive one of the most competitive in the country while also clarifying and streamlining the program to bring greater awareness of the direct benefits of our film incentive.”
Most recently DreamWorks’ feature film “The Help,” spent approximately $12 million dollars in Mississippi. The film was written, produced, and directed by Mississippi natives determined to make the film in their home state. Beyond the general salaries from a motion picture, money is generally spent locally on hotels and accommodations, food, fuel, building materials, as well items used for dressing sets and locations, wardrobe, makeup, special effects and other areas.
Ward Emling, director of the Mississippi Film Office, said with an enhanced Mississippi Motion Picture Incentive Program and the August release of DreamWorks’ “The Help,” the Mississippi film industry is poised to make headlines. “The new incentive puts us among the top tier of production states, and “The Help” reinforces our place as a top location and community support film destination.”
There will be panels on development and financing, work force training, industry education, and new technology. Case studies of productions that have utilized the incentive program and how the incentive is being used to develop more production will also be presented during the one-day summit.
The summit will be held Friday, July 8th at the Hinds Community College Muse Center in Pearl. More information may be found by contacting the State Film Office at 601-359-3297 or akline@mississippi.org.
HB 1161: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2011/PDF/history/HB/HB1161.xml
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Lt. Gov Press Release
6/22/11
Magnolia Tribune
