Sunday night, while the writers and producers in Los Angeles were doing their strike countdown, a good friend was catching a flight to Albuquerque to start production on a new feature film. It seems that New Mexico is offering tax credits that make it worthwhile for a feature film to be produced there, yet again "stealing" revenue from Los Angeles and California.

While no one on the production was interested in leaving town, the studio decided that the tax credits made it worthwhile. Sooooooo, he and his 80 crew members blew town to set up shop for months outside of Hollywood, and the state of California let them go. Vancouver and Toronto have established solid credentials as filming locations at a discount to Hollywood, and they have all the trappings for major productions. With about $350 million in film and television income last year, Louisiana has established itself as one of the nation's most popular film centers, and 40 other states are looking to follow suit.

California is losing hundreds of millions of dollars annually to these "runaway" productions. Runaway used to mean a film was over budget, or it was breaking box office records. Now it means they will film somewhere else.

Surprisingly, California, with its movie star Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, is doing little to keep the productions here. You would think The Governator would be interested in the subject, but alas -- nothing. No matching tax credits, no partial tax credits, no competitive move whatsoever.

Continue reading Hollywood's message to California: Leaving on a jet plane

Hollywood's message to California: Leaving on a jet plane originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Nov 2007 14:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.