|
Connecticut
Film Division Fosters New Opportunities
By
John Courtmanche, Film Division Director
The
State of Connecticut sees huge opportunity in the development
of its TV, film and media production industry. The state
benefits from its proximity to New York City, which has
resulted in many media companies establishing offices in the
state, and a consistently healthy number of productions coming
out of New York and beyond to produce here. GE’s NBC
Universal unit, ESPN, World Wrestling Entertainment, and
Outdoor Life Network all have offices here, while many other
media companies lease space in the state, among them YES
Network, A&E, Time Warner, NFL, NBA, CBS, ABC, Bloomberg
and Lifetime. In addition, many of the industry’s top
producers, directors, talent and business executives live
here. The state is focused on fostering the growth of this
industry and on attracting more films, TV programs,
commercials and photo shoots for print.
As
an example of our initiatives, we recently met with the
national cable network Outdoor Life Network OLN, based in
Stamford, and offered the network support in producing more
programs in state and in creating a more permanent studio
headquarters in the state. We toured ESPN’s new
industry-leading high-def TV studios and reviewed ways the
Film Division can provide more service to the network. We
believe the continued growth of Connecticut’s media industry
will be driven by the companies and individuals that already
have offices and homes here.
With
all the national attention on production tax incentives, the
Connecticut Film Division has recently increased the
effectiveness of its long-standing tax incentives. The
state’s incentives include a sales tax exemption for the
purchase or lease of recording equipment and recording media,
and a five-year property tax exemption for CT-based production
facilities which upgrade their equipment. We’re also
actively researching the possibility of expanded or new tax
incentives.
Meanwhile,
our small but dedicated staff couldn’t be busier. Within the
past few months, the Film Division supported in-state
productions for Twentieth Century Fox, Discovery Channel,
ESPN, PBS, MTV, A&E, and CBS. These included the feature
film THE FAMILY STONE featuring Sarah Jessica Parker and Luke
Wilson, the CBS reality series “Wickedly Perfect,” taped
in Greenwich and its surrounds, and Spielberg’s WAR OF THE
WORLDS. Over the past month our staff has been helping to
scout new locations for projects for Paramount Pictures,
Warner Bros. Television, Granada Television/PBS, MGM, ABC, an
American Express ad, and an Ann Taylor photo shoot, with hopes
of bringing these productions to Connecticut in 2005.
John
Courtmanche is Connecticut’s new Film Division Director. The
Film Division is a part of the Connecticut Commission on
Culture & Tourism. For more information visit: www.ctfilm.com.
|
