UCLA Study Validates CA Film and television Tax Credit

A study from UCLA's Institute for Research on Labor and Employment certifies the positive economic impact of California's Film & Television Tax Credit Program. The authors from the study conclude the program "is creating jobs and it is likely supplying an immediate economic help to the condition."California implemented this program last year to assist prevent productions from shooting outdoors the condition. Filmmakers will get a credit of 20 % to a quarter of qualified production expenses, excluding actors' salaries. The initiative excludes any project having a budget over $75 million. Despite the fact that California sets aside $100 million yearly for that program, tax credits are distributed by lottery to simply one out of every five candidates. Back Stage reported in October 2011 that Gov. Jerry Brown extended this program with the 201415 fiscal year.The UCLA study argues that a few of the program's effects happen to be slightly exaggerated previously. UCLA scientists conclude that for each dollar allocated to film subsidies, $1.04 was came back in combined condition and native tax revenues. This past year, a study carried out through the La County Economic Development Corporation and funded through the Movie Association of America stated the return was $1.13 for each dollar allotted, but this figure took it's origin from a belief that projects refused subsidies would film from condition. The UCLA study finds that some productions were shot in California despite to not get tax credits. Nonetheless, "the 2 reviews are actually not so divergent," stated Paul Audley, leader of FilmL.A., a nonprofit organization that processes film, TV, and commercial production permits. Both reviews indicate an optimistic return on opportunities produced by the condition. "The conclusion from the new report stands for the final outcome from the LAEDC reportthe California Film & Television Tax Credit is really a cost-effective job creator that delivers a internet go back to condition and local government authorities, and contains assisted increase film production for the very first time after many years of decreases," he added.The UCLA report highlights the functional role condition tax credits participate in the choice of shooting locations, which doesn't surprise Audley. "Film incentives would be the predominant factor driving location choices today," he stated. Audley stated that, besides filmmakers, other kinds of employees are departing the Golden Condition: "Another greatconcern is the fact that there has been craftspeople and suppliers permanently moving with other areas.When the condition doesn't compete to stem the output, the only real advantage left will beCalifornia's weather."More-generous tax-credit guidelines in other states are drawing filmmakers and business proprietors from California. For instance, NY provides a 30 % tax credit to lessen cost, and last August NY City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg introduced that the record-breaking 23 television series, including eight new productions, were being shot within the five boroughs. Audley said around the comparison: "Whenever you consider the $420 million a year NY offers in comparison to California's $100 million, it's apparent that we're not truly within the competition for film businessand we have to be."Michael Kong, an old magazine posting executive, runs the Headway Project, which commissioned the UCLA study. He's made several recommendations to congress regarding how to better the present program. Included in this could be adding another $100 million towards the program to ensure that productions above $75 million could get a 12 percent tax credit.Kong would rather take away the limits around the funding entirely but realizes this type of measure may likely 't be approved: "Should you agree around the condition is earning money about this credit, then realistically you'd take away the cap entirely and then try to do just as much of the business as you possibly can, creating yet more revenue and jobs for that condition.However ,, politically, this really is unlikely to occur, a minimum of until there's consensus around the performance data. Competitors of the tax credit just don't think that $1.13 or $1.04 may be the correct number." Kong reported the 2011 Oscars like a great indication that there should be a general change in this program. He stated, "You will find nine films nominated for the best picture, and 7 of these were made outdoors of California!" Only "Moneyball" and "The Artist" were shot entirely within the Golden Condition. By Frank Nestor Feb 16, 2012 PHOTO CREDIT The Weinstein Company A study from UCLA's Institute for Research on Labor and Employment certifies the positive economic impact of California's Film & Television Tax Credit Program. The authors from the study conclude the program "is creating jobs and it is likely supplying an instantaneous economic help to the condition."California implemented this program last year to assist prevent productions from shooting outdoors the condition. Filmmakers will get a credit of 20 % to a quarter of qualified production expenses, excluding actors' salaries. The initiative excludes any project having a budget over $75 million. Despite the fact that California sets aside $100 million yearly for that program, tax credits receive by lottery to simply one out of every five candidates. Back Stage reported in October 2011 that Gov. Jerry Brown extended this program with the 201415 fiscal year.The UCLA study argues that a few of the program's effects happen to be slightly exaggerated previously. UCLA scientists conclude that for each dollar allocated to film subsidies, $1.04 was came back in combined condition and native tax revenues. This past year, a study carried out through the La County Economic Development Corporation and funded through the Movie Association of America stated the return was $1.13 for each dollar allotted, but this figure took it's origin from a belief that projects refused subsidies would film from condition. The UCLA study finds that some productions were shot in California despite to not get tax credits. Nonetheless, "the 2 reviews are actually not so divergent," stated Paul Audley, leader of FilmL.A., a nonprofit organization that processes film, TV, and commercial production permits. Both reviews indicate an optimistic return on opportunities produced by the condition. "The final outcome from the new report stands for the final outcome from the LAEDC reportthe California Film & Television Tax Credit is really a cost-effective job creator that delivers a internet go back to condition and native government authorities, and contains assisted increase film production the very first time after many years of decreases," he added.The UCLA report highlights the functional role condition tax credits participate in the choice of shooting locations, which doesn't surprise Audley. "Film incentives would be the predominant factor driving location choices today," he stated. Audley stated that, besides filmmakers, other kinds of employees are departing the Golden Condition: "Another greatconcern is the fact that there has been craftspeople and suppliers permanently moving with other areas.When the condition doesn't compete to stem the output, the only real advantage left will beCalifornia's weather."More-generous tax-credit guidelines in other states are drawing filmmakers and business proprietors from California. For instance, NY provides a 30 % tax credit to lessen cost, and last August NY City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg introduced that the record-breaking 23 television series, including eight new productions, were being shot within the five boroughs. Audley said around the comparison: "Whenever you consider the $420 million annually NY offers in comparison to California's $100 million, it's apparent that we're not truly within the competition for film businessand we have to be."Michael Kong, an old magazine posting executive, runs the Headway Project, which commissioned the UCLA study. He's made several recommendations to congress regarding how to better the present program. Included in this could be adding another $100 million towards the program to ensure that productions above $75 million could get a 12 % tax credit.Kong would rather take away the limits around the funding entirely but realizes this type of measure may likely 't be approved: "Should you accept us the condition is earning money about this credit, then realistically you'd take away the cap entirely and then try to do because e-commerce as you possibly can, creating yet more revenue and jobs for that condition.However ,, politically, this really is unlikely to occur, a minimum of until there's consensus around the performance data. Competitors of the tax credit just don't think that $1.13 or $1.04 may be the correct number." Kong reported the 2011 Oscars like a great indication that there should be a general change in this program. He stated, "You will find nine films nominated for the best picture, and 7 of these were made outdoors of California!" Only "Moneyball" and "The Artist" were shot entirely within the Golden Condition.

REVIEW: Hollywood Heartbeat Powers Stirring Football Doc Undefeated

The underdog candidate for this year's Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, Undefeated is, fittingly, about an underdog sports team, a group of kids from an underfunded urban school for whom football provides some desperately needed structure as well as a possible route to a better life. There's good reason theWeinstein Company reportedly coughed up seven figures for distribution and remake rights to the film -- Undefeatedis Friday Night Lights meets The Blind Sidein nonfiction form, examining issues of class and race through the lens of its ragtag athletics program while also reinforcing American mythos of bootstrapping, hard work and community.Its triumphs are bittersweet, but they'reirresistible. That title isn't literal, however; there are definite losses over the course of the single hard-fought, promising high school football season this film follows, and it's still one of the best years the North Memphis Manassas Tigers have ever had. Bill Courtney is Undefeated's center, a ruddy-faced, sweaty white guy who serves as volunteer coach at the mostly (if not entirely) black school. We first see him lecturing his team about how their ranks have been decimated by drop-outs, shootings and arrests: "Most coaches, that would be a career's worth of crap to deal with. That sums up the last two weeks for me." Bill has a family of his own and a flooring company to run, but coaching is his great love, and the depth of his investment in it and his sincere faith in the potential saving power of football make his gruff character easy to latch on to. He looks to be the closest thing most of the young men he works with have to a male authority figure in their lives, fathers out of the picture, and they latch on to his devotion and to the expectations he has of them with a quiet hunger. Undefeated also follows three of Courtney's players through the year. The talented, good-naturedO.C. Brown stands a good chance of getting a football scholarship if he can pulls his grades up.Montrail Brown, who goes by "Money," is a good student working towards college until an injury on the field derails him and destroys his confidence. AndChavis Daniels arrives back on the team after a stint in juvie, and has alarming rage issues to manage. TheTigers have never won a playoff game, and they're so underfunded that they used to raise money by traveling to play other schools for pay as an easy win. Over their season they face teams that are obviously more upscale (and ones whose racial make-up is very different) as well as teams that aren't -- one game against another Memphis school ends with the police on field shooing the boys back onto their bus to head off a potential brawl with the opposing school. Despite some early setbacks, the Tigers are having a good year, and as the team wends its way to a possible playoff spot the film starts to shine as it delves into the personal lives of its players. O.C. is going to become unrecruitable if his academics don't improve, but tutors won't go to the neighborhood where he lives with his grandmother, so another (white) coach takes him in a few days a week, O.C. moving into the coach's comfy suburban set-up with his wife and kids. The matter-of-factness with which this and a later act of startling generosity are done make them heartwrenching, but also provide a reminder of how difficult things like paying for college or getting better at classwork can be without outside help. Money struggles to find motivation to keep going with school after a knee injury possibly ends his season, and flirts with dropping out. Chavis, the most haunting character, seems to have no filter on his emotions, rage seething up without warning anddissipatingjust as quickly. He chooses the number "0" for himself because he claims he has no sense, and has a clash with another player based on nothing at all. But he keeps coming back, gets off suspension, finds a place for himself on the team, realizing he needs football and has to change if he wants to be allowed to stay with it. "I'll die for you tonight," he tells Bill when he's put in the game, and you believe him. Aside from what looked like a few technical snags in terms of color,Undefeated's look is fluid and vital. It's shot vritstyle, but still finds moments for nods to studio magic -- a circling camera around a hugging Bill and O.C. toward the end is unadulterated, completely effectiveHollywood. Directed and edited by Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin (the pair collaborated previously on 2008's Last Cup: Road to the World Series of Beer Pong), the film finds romance in its images of the sport, from the boys walking off the field at sunset to the battles under the bright lights to a close-up that lingers on theManassas temporary tattoo one player has fixed to his cheek. Undefeated doesn't have the epic, years-spanning arc of Hoop Dreams, but it finds in its season someunfeigned resonance that, like tears during that final embrace on the field, can't be eluded. Follow Alison Willmore on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

'Apes,' 'Rango' top VES

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "Rango" were big VES winners. "Rango" "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" took top honors but "Rango" took most honors of any feature at the Visual Effects Society Awards on Tuesday night.Fox's "Apes" prequel, with effects from Weta Digital, took honors for visual effects in a visual effects-driven motion picture, the VES equivalent of best picture, as well as animated character in a live-action feature. The award-winning character was Caesar, the genetically enhanced chimpanzee played by Andy Serkis using performance capture.However, any Oscar boost for "Apes" was nearly matched by two Paramount features, "Hugo" and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," which also took two awards. "Hugo's" kudos were supporting visual effects in a feature, and virtual cinematography. Lead vfx studio on the pic was Pixomondo."Hugo" helmer Martin Scorsese made a surprise appearance at the ceremony. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," with effects from Industrial Light & Magic, Digital Domain and others, won for created environment in a live-action feature and outstanding models in a feature. "Transformers the Ride: The Ultimate 3D Battle" took the special venue award. The eccentric "Rango" took four awards, all for "in an animated feature" categories: visual effects, animated character, created environment and virtual cinematography. Gore Verbinski's trippy animated Western is the first toon with animation from ILM.Among TV programs, Fox's "Terra Nova -- Occupation & Resistance" took broadcast series honors; the BBC's "Inside the Human Body" won broadcast mini, movie or special; HBO's "Game of Thrones -- Winter is Coming" took supporting effects kudos. "Game of Thrones -- The Icewall" won for created environment in a broadcast program or commercial. "Diablo III: The Black Soulstone" took honors for a vidgame commercial or trailer. Stan Lee received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Douglas Trumbull was given the George Melies Award at the 10th annual VES kudofest, held at the BevHilton. Show was hosted by Patton Oswalt.Scorsese spoke about the impact of f/x pioneer George Melies and said, "his films keep turning up all over the world. It's because of the durability of celluloid they keep turning up." Film, he said, "still really remains the best format for the preservation of cinema."Accepting the George Melies Award in honor of his pioneering work, Douglas Trumbull said "We are the most important players in the movie industry. ... But we don't get to participate in the profits." He said he made a deal for a piece of the profits on "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and still gets residuals. Mentioning his plans to direct pix with advanced tech, he said "If you work on my movie you'll be in the profit pool."Stan Lee, accepting the org's Lifetime Achievement award in a quip-filled speech, said, "To show my gratitude, I'm creating a whole new slate of superheroes at Pow Entertainment so you'll never run out of stories to enhance."The complete list of winners of the 10th Annual VES Awards is as follows:Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Feature Motion Picture:"Rise of the Planet of the Apes": Dan Lemmon, Joe Letteri, Cyndi Ochs, Kurt WilliamsOutstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture:"Hugo": Ben Grossmann, Alex Henning, Rob Legato, Karen MurphyOutstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature Motion Picture:"Rango": Tim Alexander, Hal Hickel, Jacqui Lopez, Katie LynchOutstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Miniseries, Movie, or Special:"Inside the Human Body": Phil Dobree, Sophie Orde, Dan UptonOutstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series:"Terra Nova Occupation & Resistance": Kevin Blank, Colin Brady, Adica Manis, Jason ZimmermanOutstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program:"Game of Thrones - Winter is Coming": Lucy Ainsworth-Taylor, Angela Barson, Ed Bruce, Adam McInnesOutstanding Visual Effects in a Live Action Commercial:"Dior J'adore": Pascal Giroux, Julien Meesters, Stephane Pivron, Manuel SouillacOutstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Commercial or Video Game Trailer:"Diablo III: The Black Soulstone": Nicholas S. Carpenter, Graham Cunningham, Chris Thunig, Taka YasudaOutstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project:"Transformers the Ride: The Ultimate 3D Battle": Lori Arnold, Yanick Dusseault, Delio Tramontozzi, Jeff WhiteOutstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture:"Rise of the Planet of the Apes Caesar": Daniel Barrett, Florian Fernandez, Matthew Muntean, Eric ReynoldsOutstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture:"Rango Rango": Frank Gravatt, Kevin Martel, Brian Paik, Steve WaltonOutstanding Animated Character in a Broadcast Program or Commercial:"Canal + The Bear": Laurent Creusot, Guillaume Ho, Olivier Mitonneau, Michal NauzinOutstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture:"Transformers: Dark of the Moon - 155 Wacker Drive": Giles Hancock, John Hanson, Tom Martinek, Scott YounkinOutstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature Motion Picture:"Rango - Main Street Dirt": John Bell, Polly Ing, Martin Murphy, Russell PaulOutstanding Created Environment in a Broadcast Program or Commercial:"Game of Thrones - The Icewall": Markus Kuha, Dante Harbridge Robinson, Damien Mac, Fani VassiadiOutstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture:"Hugo": Martin Chamney, Rob Legato, Adam Watkins, Fabio ZanglaOutstanding Virtual Cinematography in an Animated Feature Motion Picture:"Rango The Dirt Saloon": Colin Benoit, Philippe Rebours, Nelson Sepulveda, Nick WalkerOutstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Broadcast Program or Commercial:"Gears of War 3 - Dust to Dust": Niles Heckman, Richard Morton, Vernon Wilbert Jr.Outstanding Models in a Feature Motion Picture:"Transformers: Dark of the Moon Driller": Tim Brakensiek, Kelvin Chu, David Fogler, Rene GarciaOutstanding Models in a Broadcast Program or Commercial:"Boardwalk Empire Georgia Peaches": Matthew Conner, Eran Dinur, David Reynolds, Szymon WeglarskiOutstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture:"Captain America: The First Avenger Skinny Steve": Casey Allen, Trent Claus, Brian Hajek, Cliff WelshOutstanding Compositing in a Broadcast Program or Commercial:"Boardwalk Empire - Gimcrack & Bunkum": Anton Dawson. Eran Dinur, Austin Meyers, David ReynoldsOutstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project:"a.maize": Roman Kaelin, Falko Paeper, Florian Wittmann Contact David S. Cohen at david.cohen@variety.com

'Cold Light Of Day' Trailer: Henry Cavill Leaps, Bruce Willis Gets Paid

Despite how the trailer for "The Cold Light of Day" starts, the movie isn't actually about Bruce Willis and Henry Cavill as a supportive father-son team, who enjoy a nice family vacation, yachting around the world and having a good old time. Turns out that daddy was in the CIA, and he didn't tell his family, including his son, until it was too late. Check out the "Cold Light of Day" trailer after the jump! "The Cold Light of Day" follows Cavill's character as he fights his way through Spain to fix the mess his father left for him and to save his family from their captors. The trailer offers a cool look at Cavill's action chops in a pre-"Man of Steel" movie. There's even a scene of him leaping building to building. It's not quite leaping tall buildings in a single bound, but 2013 is a long ways away. Also, has anyone else noticed that Bruce Willis seems to have a clause in all his contracts that stipulates that he'll work on a film for one day and no more? SPOILERS, I guess, but it looks like Willis is going to bite the dust pretty soon after revealing his secrets to Cavill. END SPOILERS. That's not a bad arrangement by any means. What did you think of the trailer for "The Cold Light of Day"? Are you on board for Cavill's next pre-Superman action movie? Let us know what you think of the trailer in the comments section below and on Twitter!

Netflix's U.K. bow beats expectations

LONDON -- As Netflix reported buoyant quarterly earnings on Wednesday, the company also revealed that its Jan. 9 launch in Blighty and Ireland had gone far better than expected. In a letter to shareholders, chief exec Reed Hastings said that in Blighty, Netflix was "seeing faster member growth than we did when we launched in Canada." Hastings noted that as membership increased, the company would be able to invest in more content. Netflix, whose major competitors in the U.K. are Amazon-owned Lovefilm and BSkyB, has secured a raft of deals with content providers, including exclusive deals with Lionsgate U.K. and Momentum Pictures, which will see pics such as "The Hunger Games" and "Shame" streamed on the service. Hastings noted that long-term competition "will likely be Sky Go offering Sky Movies and Sky Atlantic on-demand." "We believe we will compete very effectively against Sky Go given our advantages of being an unbundled, low-priced offering with broad content that is purely on-demand and personalized," Hastings said. "Over the coming years, we hope to be able to grow large enough to outbid Sky for one or more of the major studio output deals, as we did this year for MGM." Netflix's international revenue for 2011's fourth quarter was $29 million, which he said was in line with expectations. In the first quarter of 2012, Hastings added, "Combined investments in Latin America and the U.K. and Ireland will result in a total international loss of between $108 million and $118 million." "In future quarters, we intend to increase our investment in the content libraries in each market, just as we have done in Canada since launch," he added. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

Golden Globes Individuals who win Include George Clooney, Michelle Williams

The 2012 Golden Globe Honours wasn't as questionable or lewd as Ough Gervais' memorable turn as host finally year's show indeed, this time around around around, the British comedian's jokes were missing numerous that signature sting nevertheless the effects were surprisingly interesting for cinephiles keeping a careful eye on the road towards Oscar. As much expected, "The Artist" and "The Descendants" were the big individuals who win in the evening, with Best Film wins for films additionally to Best Actor honours for Jean Dujardin and George Clooney. But there has been surprises inside the mix too, including what's surely a globally approved victory for "Hugo" director Martin Scorsese, a script jerk for Woodsy Allen's "Evening amount of time in Paris" together with a Best Actress - Comedy award for Michelle Williams. Mind onto MTV News for that full report on this year's Golden Globes individuals who win. Click for your 2012 Golden Globes individuals who win!

Rachael Ray Restored for 2 More Seasons

Rachael Ray The Rachael Ray Show continues to be restored for 2 more seasons through 2014."Rachael Ray is a solid artist in stations' lineups and it has were built with a recent surge in rankings," CBS Television Distribution's Joe DiSalvo stated in announcing the renewal Tuesday. "We are thrilled to become using the surface eight seasons."VIDEO: Rachael Ray and superstar chefs share holiday cooking tipsPremiering in 2006, the syndicated series won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show in 2009 and 2008. Rachael Ray continues to be nominated four occasions for Outstanding Talk Show Host.