Film Incentives

[Will]

TIF and other financial mechanisms for encouraging development are often discussed here, but what about film incentives? Like TIF, cities and states paying outright or offering financial benefits for the privilege of being a filming location are relatively common. For our city, is the practice worth it? Does our city's "brand" need more exposure? Do film incentives help catalyze development, albeit indirectly?

 

For a starting point, here is today's NBJ article on the latest round of incentives for the Nashville TV show. $500,000 from Metro for the 4th season (if it happens) on top of $8,000,000 already committed by the state.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2015/05/decision-on-local-filming-incentives-for-nashville.html

[Neigeville2]

TIF and other financial mechanisms for encouraging development are often discussed here, but what about film incentives? Like TIF, cities and states paying outright or offering financial benefits for the privilege of being a filming location are relatively common. For our city, is the practice worth it? Does our city's "brand" need more exposure? Do film incentives help catalyze development, albeit indirectly?

 

For a starting point, here is today's NBJ article on the latest round of incentives for the Nashville TV show. $500,000 from Metro for the 4th season (if it happens) on top of $8,000,000 already committed by the state.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2015/05/decision-on-local-filming-incentives-for-nashville.html

 

I think the film business has worked the "incentives" angle to the point where for the most part, it's not worth it for cities/states to compete for films and shows, especially since most films try to make it hard to figure out where the action was filmed (either setting it in some unconvincing Anytown USA or using one town as a stand-in for another (Toronto for NYC as a common example)).

 

That said, c'mon, "Nashville" is like an ad for the city as a cultural center, you can't buy publicity like that.  Well worth the $ IMO.

[volsfanwill]

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