Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1011062
THE ARTISAN SUMMER 2018 • 21 This is a time for us to celebrate the amazing accomplish- ment of getting the California Production Tax Incentive passed for five years. Without all of our IATSE leaders' and members' hard work and those of our leaders in all of the other unions and the Film and TV Alliance across the board, this would not have happened. I appreciate the opportunity that our Local 706 President Sue Cabral-Ebert recently gave to me to travel to Sacramento to thank the legislators who voted for the bill to pass. This voting and thank-you campaign has been worked at tirelessly by our union and unions all across California. Our mission was to thank those who voted for the bill and to encourage them to vote to put the money from the bill into the budget. For those who have not been informed yet, the budget puts forth $330 million each year for five years and all of the money is slated for below the line. This extends the credits with the bill now until 2025. Think about it realistically, this is all money allocated to the working film and television crews and their support systems in California. This keeps jobs in California, this ACTIVISM & ADVOCACY Film & TV Tax Incentive Success! On June 27, 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law, legislation that extends the current California Film and Television Tax Credit Program 2.0 through 2025. In 2014, the California IATSE Council (CIC), joined by the other guilds and unions, successfully fought for two years to get a bill passed to create this incentive program. We knew our members were hurting and we would not let up fighting until film and television production came back home to California. At the time, we told the California legislature that if they passed the incentive bill, production would return. And we were right. But we probably don't need to tell you that. More than 45,000 cast and crew have been re-employed or employed on the 150 film and television productions that got the incentive. That's $2.3 bil- lion in wages paid to you and to other below-the-line men and women. And we have also brought back $5.9 billion to the state economy. While the current program does not expire until 2020, we all know that producers make production decisions a year or more in advance. We did not want to wait until the last minute to go for a renewal. We knew it was important to act now so that work would be here past 2020. Starting last year, the CIC began its work to pass new legislation to extend the current program. And we are thrilled to announce that we have succeeded. Legislators thought our bill was so important, they attached it to the state's 2018 budget. We owe thanks to the two members of the legislature who carried our water: Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon and Sen. Holly Mitchell. It was their bills and their guidance that resulted in this success; to the Senate and Assembly Leadership who made the final decision to put us in the budget—Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon; and to Gov. Brown who signed it into law. The CIC was not alone in this fight and we recognize the efforts of our sisters and brothers in DGA, Teamsters, Laborers and SAG- AFTRA who worked side by side with us. Most of all, we owe thanks to you—especially the many members who turned out to have their photos taken or signed "thank you" cards to the elected representatives in Sacramento. Our effort to pass this extension may be concluded but our work is just beginning. And we know you'll be there with us as we work to create a strong, vibrant and diverse film and television workforce throughout our Golden State. As we said throughout this campaign, Keep Filming in California! —Julie Socash Thank You California Legislators & Congrats Brothers and Sisters A letter from Julie Socash, Local 706 & TV Tax Credit Program Lures Two More Relocating TV Series Expanded Program 2.0 Begins with Projects from Georgia and New York 2018 – California's Film and Television Tax Credit Program 2.0 begins its pair of relocating TV series, making a total of 15 series that have moved here countries with help from the expanded incentive. are "Good Girls" (season 2) from Atlanta, and "You" (season 2) from New expanded tax credit program is off to a great start with a pair of relocating TV passage of legislation to extend the program for another five years," said Executive Director Amy Lemisch. "We're bringing long-term, high-quality our commitment to fighting runaway production." Girls" is California's first relocating TV series from Georgia, while Horizon Scripted thriller "You" is the fourth from New York ("The Affair," "The OA," and from New York previously). 'Good Girls' to California and employ hundreds of California workers on an and Universal Television," said Jerry DiCanio, EVP of production operations for look forward to many years of continued success in California and are grateful legislature, and California Film Commission for making this possible." Girls" plans 103 shoot days in California for its next season; "You" plans 80 shoot series are on track to employ 420 crew, 429 cast and 7,060 extras (including man-days) in California. Approved conditionally for $15.4 million in tax credits, million in qualified expenditures (defined as the portion of total expenditures below-the-line workers and payments to in-state vendors). ongoing success drawing long-term TV projects, the TV application period held to relocating series and recurring series already accepted into the tax credit two new relocating projects announced today, 26 recurring series in various currently in the program and eligible for tax credits. Since the launch of total of 66 television projects -- including new TV series, pilots, MOWs, miniseries have been accepted. series currently in the program and eligible for tax credits. The series are in production, and the list is subject to change as applicants may withdraw from the reservation of tax credits reassigned. -more- A Roundup of Policy News & Efforts