Commissioner Murman quoted in this StPetersBlog article on film incentives:
Commission approves $100,000 to lure next Tim Burton film
By Mitch Perry on January 7, 2015
Hillsborough County Commissioners today approved $100,000 in incentives to attract the producers of acclaimed film director Tim Burton‘s next project, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” to film the picture in the Tampa Bay area. The funding is contingent, however, on a $100,000 matching contribution from the Pinellas County Commission, where the movie’s producers also would like to film scenes.
The proposal was initiated by Commissioner Ken Hagan, who has made it his mission to revitalize Tampa/Hillsborough’s previously moribund local film commission. He said the only way the filmmakers would come here is with some financial incentives.
“They were excited about the possibility of filming their Florida scenes here,” he told board members about a recent dinner he had with the producers of the production. “However, the reality is they can film in North Carolina, Louisiana and other locations for less money, because of incentives and out-of-town crew issues. The bottom line is, they’d like to film here, but not without financial incentive or assistance, and their decision on filming locations is imminent.”
The measure is similar to what the BOCC did in approving a $250,000 incentive package last year for the producers of “The Infiltrator,” a film starring Bryan Cranston that is based on former Tampa-based DEA agent Robert Mazur’s role in his investigation of Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. Today’s measure also mandates that the producers base their office headquarters in the county.
In this year’s current FY15 budget, the board approved $250,000 in incentives for local productions. It’s modest, but the county needs all the help it can get in trying to differentiate itself from Miami and Orlando as an area for Hollywood producers to contemplate when they have projects in the Sunshine State.
Those numbers are almost chump change in comparison with the incentives that states can and do offer film productions. Florida trails many other states in not having any such funds available.
A plan to provide such incentives died in the 2014 legislative session, but there is hope that lawmakers will be able to revive that proposal when this year’s session commences in March.
“My goal is to propel our region to the top of the list of film destinations,” Hagan said. “Not only in the state of Florida, but also nationally.”
“This is the kind of economic development that is important to us,” chimed in Commissioner Victor Crist. “Not necessarily for the dollars that it brings into our community, but for the visibility it brings into our community.”
Apparently “The Infiltrator” is definitely helping out the local economy, months before it begins shooting scenes here.
Dale Gordon, the head of the Tampa Hillsborough Film and Digital Media Commission, told commissioners that the director of the film, Brad Furman, who is town this week, says that one of the locations where they’ll be filming is at a restaurant in Ybor City that recently had to shut down because of a fire. “With the location fees they’re going to be getting from the production, they’ll be able to reopen.”
Board Chair Sandy Murman admitted that she was initially skeptical that providing local incentive fees could lure major film productions, but no longer. “I think it’s great,” she said.
The board passed the motion on a 7-0 vote.
