  Tools for 2008 What's New at EP? Updates by Jurisdiction Maximize Your Incentives with EP Upcoming Appearances |
      |
   The Essential Guide to U.S. & International Production Incentives, 2008, 4th Edition, edited by Joseph Chianese, Marco Cordova, and Barbara Rosenfeld. Copies will be available at upcoming events (see Happenings) or pick up a free copy at the nearest EP office. This new 4th Edition features expanded international content. Monthly Production Incentives Email Updates Archive of previous newsletters is now available. To sign up for our newsletter, please send your request to the EP Production Incentives Group. Recent Updates, as of November 26, have been posted to the website, including the "Basic Overview of U.S. and International Production Incentives" PDF. back to top |
|
 Entertainment Partners and EPPS Purchasing, Inc. opened a second Pennsylvania office in Pittsburgh and have hired Mary Ann McBride as a full-time Client Service Representative for Pennsylvania. Mary Ann will operate out of the Pittsburgh office. Entertainment Partners and EPPS Purchasing, Inc. have hired Karen Sortor as a full-time Client Service Representative for Georgia. Karen will operate out of Entertainment Partner's Atlanta regional office. EPPS Purchasing, Inc. procures production equipment and supplies in certain states to help productions maximize their incentives. Please contact Marco Cordova at 818.955.6278 regarding our EPPS Purchasing, Inc. services. Please contact EP's production incentives specialists by email or at 818.955.6216 if you have any questions regarding your next production. We can help you budget your next production and find the most beneficial incentives at no charge. We also provide fee-based services for production incentives administration, finance facilitation, corporate-structure planning, and agreed-upon consulting projects. Visit our Services section for more information and contact information for our production incentives specialists. back to top |
|
 NOTE: SEVERAL ADDITIONAL STATES ARE EXPECTED TO INTRODUCE NEW FILM INCENTIVES LEGISLATION. For more information on proposed legislation and additional incentives updates, visit the Recent Updates section. U.S. Updates CONNECTICUT Effective January 1, 2009, only 50% of expenses or costs incurred outside the state and used within the state will be counted toward the film production tax credit. ILLINOIS The legislature approved an increase in the production services tax credit to 30% of local spend and 15% of local labor expenditures in specified areas of high poverty or high unemployment. This increase applies to productions commencing on or after January 1, 2009. In addition, the sunset date was removed. MICHIGAN We reported last month that legislation had been proposed (HB 6563) to cap the film production tax credits issued under MCL 208.1455 at $112,000,000. That bill has been referred to the Committee on Commerce. SB 1535, capping the credits at $50,000,000, has not moved forward. MISSOURI The Film Office has corrected its Guidelines (PDF) to reflect that the $1,000,000 cap per project has been removed. OHIO The Cleveland Film Office has advised that proposed legislation (HB 196) has been amended to create a 25% transferable investor tax credit for qualifying investments in excess of $300,000, with an annual cap of $100,000,000. The bill will go before the full House next week. OKLAHOMA Screen International reports that eligible film projects can access "soft funding" through general tax credits in addition to the film-specific cash rebate. Click here for the documentation. International Updates UNITED KINGDOM and MOROCCO Screen International reports that the UK and Morocco have signed a co-production treaty that is due to come into effect in the first half of 2009. back to top |
|
 Entertainment Partners has purchased Workers' Compensation policies from local brokers throughout the United States to help maximize your production incentives! Listed below are those production incentives states where EP currently has a local policy. Florida Hawaii Illinois Louisiana New Jersey New Mexico Pennsylvania South Carolina Texas More policies to be announced soon!  Entertainment Partners has an office in each of the following states to help maximize your production incentives (more to open soon!):California Connecticut Florida Georgia * Illinois Louisiana ** Massachusetts New Mexico *** New York Pennsylvania **** South Carolina Utah |
|
| * Entertainment Partners has a full-time Client Service Representative in Georgia to help maximize your production incentives benefits. Please contact Karen Sortor at 678.921.2647 for more information regarding our services in Georgia. ** Entertainment Partners has a full-time account representative in Louisiana to help maximize your production incentive benefits. Please contact Ryan Broussard at 504.296.2505 for more information regarding our services in Louisiana. ** EP relocated one of its most experienced paymasters to its office in Albuquerque to service its New Mexico clients. An EP New Mexico Production Incentives Packet is available. For more information contact the EP Production Incentives Group. **** Entertainment Partners has a full-time Client Service Representative in Pennsylvania to help maximize your production incentive benefits. Please contact Mary Ann McBride at 412.956.7325 for more information regarding our services in Pennsylvania. back to top |
|
 Sundance Film Festival Park City, UT January 15 - 25, 2009 Entertainment Partners is co-sponsoring the New York Film Lounge during the Sundance Film Festival on Main Street in Park City, UT. We will have EP representatives available throughout the festival to consult with you about production incentives, payroll processing, and EP's entire spectrum of products and services. Sundance Production Incentives Panels Yarrow Resort & Conference Center, Park City, UT Monday, January 19, 2009 Domestic Incentives - 10:00 am to 1:00 pm International Incentives - 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Entertainment Partners will present two panels covering recent trends, current issues, and expected changes, as well as a case study. American Law Institute/American Bar Association - Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Friday, January 16, 2009 at 2:30 pm Joseph Chianese will discuss the current economic climate and its effects on production incentives. Topics include: What type of production incentives are currently available, and is monetizing production incentives still an option? What types of production costs are covered, and what types of production costs are not? How do you sell or transfer tax credits? What's left after fees and commissions? How long does it take to get your money? Please visit the Happenings section of our website for current updates. back to top |
|
DISCLAIMER: These newsletter materials have been prepared by Entertainment Partners for informational purposes only and should not be construed as tax advice or relied on for specific projects. Though every effort has been made to remain current, laws and incentives change and therefore this information may have been revised. Please contact your legal or tax advisors to confirm any laws or the effect of incentives on your project. For updates and more information, please visit the Overview section of our website. |