HARRISBURG -- State filmmakers and legislators are trying to keep the cameras rolling in Pennsylvania. Actors, producers and directors from across the state rallied Tuesday at the Capitol in support of legislation they say Pennsylvania needs to remain an attractive destination for those who make movies and television shows. Sharon Pinkenson, the director of the Philadelphia Film Office, said many movie studios have threatened to stop filming in Pennsylvania because it offers them less money to film than other states.
Pennsylvania has been an attractive destination for films and TV shows, she said, because of the state's many historical sites and the surplus of skilled workers needed for the construction of sets. Legislators have introduced bills in the House and Senate to expand the state's financial incentives. The bills would expand grants available to movies with less than a $2 million budget and would give a 25 percent tax credit to films with budgets greater than $2 million.
The tax credit would be applied to corporate net income taxes. Jim Ferlo, D-Highland Park, said the increased incentives are a "prudent" investment because movies and TV shows add millions of dollars to the economy. "We need to step up to the plate and reinvest in this important industry," he said.
Russ Streiner, chairman of the Pittsburgh Film Office, said Lions Gate Entertainment recently spent more than $18 million in Pittsburgh while filming a television series, Spike TV's "The Kill Point." He said studio officials told him they would love to return to the city but would not be able to do so without increased incentives. Bill Patton, a spokesman for House Speaker Dennis O'Brien, R-Philadelphia, said the House will probably not consider the bill until later this week, which would likely not give it enough time to reach the governor's desk by the time the General Assembly is scheduled to recess Saturday.
But he said that because O'Brien and House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese, D-Greene, are co-sponsors of the bill, he would not rule out a "Hollywood ending." Back to headlines HARRISBURG -- State filmmakers and legislators are trying to keep the cameras rolling in Pennsylvania.
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