Film incentive program to get another facelift

On January 5th, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter hosted a Creative Industries Press Conference at Newell Design Studio (the professional home of Friend of the Casserole Jeffery Ryan Moody). Gov. Ritter discussed a new three bill package of legislation that would streamline efforts to assist the creative industries in Colorado.

Gov. Bill Ritter unveiling three bills designed to promote arts and film in Colorado at Newell Design, Denver Jan. 5, 2010.  Photo: Richard J Schneider


The first of Ritter's proposals would relax restrictions on incentive legislation passed in 2009. From CFVA's Richard J. Schneider: 

Currently, Colorado offers a 10 per cent cash rebate on eligible production budgets spent in Colorado. Out-of-state companies pass Colorado on by because other states offer richer incentive packages. Plus, Colorado's requirement that 75 per cent of the crew must be state residents and 75 per cent of the below the line budget must be spent in the state are considered too restrictive to lure outside business into the state.

Ritter's new proposal relaxes some of those restrictions, but doesn't add any additional funds to the incentive package, which receives about $300,000 a year from state gambling revenues. Also, the governor said none of the bills in the package will cost taxpayers any additional funds; the bills mostly involve reorganization and changes to make sure existing incentive revenues are paid out.

The other two bills in the package would:

Merge the Colorado Council on the Arts, Art in Public Places and the Office of Film, Television and Media into a new Colorado Creative Industry Division within the Governor's Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

Clarify and strengthen the state's Arts In Public Places program that requires a one per cent set aside on certain state-funded construction projects for public art.

If you are a member of the Colorado Film and Video Association, you can view the whole article on the CFVA site. If you are not a member, the Pebble Casserole encourages you to become a member to gain full access to this and the other excellent information that CFVA offers.