ACamera and Lighting Services, Inc. would like to make everyone in the Colorado film and television community aware of CINEMA (Colorado Innovators of New Entertainment, Media, and Arts) Day, which will be held at the Colorado State Capitol on February 8th at 7:30AM, speakers will begin at 8AM.
The Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media is organizing the event along with local businesses and organizations. Production companies, equipment rental companies, producers, crew members, actors, hotels, restaurants, car rental companies, building supply providers, real estate owners, grocery stores, business owners, employees and anyone interested in the benefits of the NEW Film and Television Incentive Program becoming law and also in increasing a revenue stream for the State of Colorado is invited to attend. The list of positively affected businesses and persons is much, much longer; almost everyone can benefit from the incentives being passed and everyone is welcome to attend the rally on CINEMA Day to find out more about how they can benefit and to support the Incentives being passed.
If the incentive as proposed thus far is successfully passed into law it will mean an increase of the performance based production rebate incentive from 10% to 20% of production expenditures and a cap increase from $1 million to $3 million. Also for the first time it will create a State guarantee loan program that Producers will be able to utilize to bring productions and therefore jobs to Colorado. When the incentives perform as well as anticipated, each successive year it may be increased bringing substantially more and more production jobs to Colorado. With a portion of the new proposed incentive program centering on a low-interest bank loan program guaranteed by the state, the opportunity to increase funds and therefore productions can be substantial once the model is proven. In subsequent years the amount of the loan guarantee program could be increased based on past performance.
The new proposed Incentive Program is a way for productions to not only receive an increased incentive in the form of money saved with the performance-based incentives that Colorado currently offers, but also a new incentive in the form of producers having the ability to secure financing and at favorable rates.
If the rally goes well it is hoped that the Joint Budget Committee members will vote unanimously to approve the Incentive Program for the final JBC bill that goes to the House and the Senate for their respective votes. The JBC members must vote unanimously to approve the bill before the final approved JBC bill can actually be put before the House and Senate. This is a critical first step that must be accomplished so that the full House and Senate can consider the Incentive Program and vote “Yes” on the bill finally writing it into law that Coloradans will benefit from. Without the JBC’s approval nothing goes any further, so it is CRUCIAL that those interested in supporting the incentives have a very strong showing of support at CINEMA Day.
This year the new Film and Television Incentive Program has funds set aside by Governor Hickenlooper in his proposed budget, it has bi-partisan support in both houses and major Legislators sponsoring the bill. Of course there are people who don’t like incentives of any kind and there are people on the fence that will need assurance that they are coming down on the right side of things. So in addition to showing your personal support on Cinema Day for the Incentive Program, your fellow colleagues, friends and the Legislators that are going to pass the Incentives, you may also contact your Legislators personally.
The actual bill pertaining to the incentives proposed thus far will be written by February 1st. Then it will be possible to see more specifics about the incentives bill and what it will do. Please note that things can and will change pertaining to bills as they are being crafted by law makers. What a bill contains in the beginning may not be there when it gets passed, if it gets passed. If you wish to keep track of the incentives as they move through the law making process, you should be able to read the bill once it is written and released at this page: .http://www.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2012A/csl.nsf/BillFoldersAll?OpenFrameSet
The purpose of what has been written here is to gain enthusiasm and awareness for CINEMA Day and what the Legislators are looking at with the incentives. CINEMA Day is for everyone to show support for the film and television industry they work in or work in concert with and let law makers know there are a lot of Coloradans that will be affected by the incentives in a positive way if passed. The incentives can be an opportunity to put Coloradans to work among other positive benefits to Colorado’s economy.
If you wish to know more and do more, below please find compiled various information on the Incentive Program, the Joint Budget Committee, your Legislators and contacts so that you may get up to speed on the Incentive Program, get questions answered and also contact your local Legislators if you wish to let them know your feelings on passing the Incentive Program-
Memorandum to the Joint Budget Committee Members, Summary of Potential JBC Bills Discussed During the FY 2012-13 Briefing and Hearing Process, from: John Ziegler, JBC Staff on January 11, 2012-
The Governor requests legislation to decrease the amount of moneys transferred from limited gaming tax revenue to the General Fund by $6.1 million to fund the Governor’s Office of Energy and increased performance-based film incentives administered by the Colorado Office of Film, Television, and Media.
The Governor requests legislation to raise the allowable incentive for film production from 10 percent to 20 percent of the total amount of the production company's qualified local expenditures. Additionally, the Governor requests the creation of a gap loan program to provide up to 20 percent of a production’s costs in the form of a low-interest bank loan that is guaranteed by the State.
http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/jbc/pl01-11-12.pdf
For information on the role of the Joint Budget Committee please see-
http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/jbc/jbcrole.htm
The Joint Budget Committee members and the districts they represent are as follows:
Representative Cheri Gerou, Chair
District 25 - Jefferson County
303-866-2582
Representative Jon Becker
District 63 - Adams, Cheyenne, Crowley, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Lincoln, Morgan, Washington, and
Yuma Counties
303-866-2906
Representative Claire Levy
District 13- Boulder, Clear Creek, and Gilpin Counties
303-866-2578
Senator Mary Hodge, Vice-Chair
District 25 - Adams County
303-866-4855
Senator Pat Steadman
District 31 - Adams and Denver Counties
303-866-4861
Senator Kent Lambert
District 9 - El Paso County
303-866-4835
http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/jbc/member.pdf
To locate your Legislator in your District please see-
Go to and get the 4 extra numbers attached to your zip code.http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/
Take that full zip code and enter it here in the search box at the upper right hand corner – you will then be directed to a page that will give you all your major government officials. Under the Heading State Legislative you will find your State House and State Senate representative.http://www.votesmart.org/
Colorado Office of Film Television & Media:
1625 Broadway, Suite 2700
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303.592.4075
Fax: 303.892.3848
E-mail:info@coloradofilm.org
Website:http://www.coloradofilm.org/