In addition to the
proverbial ‘village,’ we discussed last month, nurturing a budding film
industry requires infrastructure. Without entertainment infrastructure, i.e.,
stages, studios, facilities needed to create film, television or recording
projects, large production companies cannot function effectively, so will
generally find a location to shoot that can provide the needed infrastructure. Additionally,
“soft infrastructure,” i.e., experienced production and post-production
professionals, and a favorable tax incentive structure are fundamentals of a
thriving film industry.
The development of the Tennessee
film industry has taken several years and a number of state administrations.
David Bennett, who was Film & Music Commissioner from 2003 to 2007,
championed a tax incentive program to combat the loss of revenue going to
bordering states like Louisiana, Georgia, and North Carolina. However, he was faced with a state regime
that did not share his vision and relinquished his post. Not much happened until a pro-industry
administration assumed power in Tennessee and pushed for a more profitable
industry structure in the state. (Nashville
Scene)
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| Eric Close, TV Mayor of "Nashville" and Karl Dean, the real Mayor of Nashville |
The current Film
Commissioner, Bob Raines, has worked hard to create a film-friendly environment
where shows like “Nashville” can be produced and maintained in the state. To accommodate the needs of producers, his office
has joined forces with Nashville’s Mayor Karl Dean, the Office of Economic
& Community Development, the Metro Arts Commission, Film Nashville, and a
number of film oriented organizations to form the Nashville Film Television
Transmedia Council, similar to the Music City Music Council, which was
organized in 2009. The mission of the
council is to create more film and television opportunities in the state and
ensure that the required infrastructure is in place, including trained,
talented production personnel.
The educational/training
component includes colleges and universities such as Middle Tennessee State
University (MTSU), Lipscomb University, Columbia College and Belmont, plus film
schools that specialize in film and TV production.
“The
industry is here,” says Read
Ridley of Columbia College. “There’s a need for
skilled film technicians. This is what needs to happen in order to steer more
opportunity and build a diversified workforce for the film market in
Nashville.”
"It's a
chicken and egg situation," says Loucas
George, producer of the series, “Nashville.”
"Without the infrastructure you don't attract the business. … Without the
business, the infrastructure doesn't develop. … Now the infrastructure is
developing."
The positive
financial impact of "Nashville" is felt all over the city, and the
show has spent more than a $1 million to build a suitable sound stage facility
that could attract more projects to the area.
“The show has employed
actors, music artists and production workers,” says Mayor Dean. “It has also
generated increased tourism dollars that can be applied to many areas of our
city's budget.”
Because of the financial
advantages, new state incentives have been initiated to bring in smaller film
and television productions. Originally, only projects with million dollar
budgets qualified for the program, but the minimum per project or per episode
budget has been lowered to $200,000. (Music Row)
At a recent event, members
of the local film community gathered to salute the mayor for his efforts in
establishing and reinforcing Nashville’s entertainment infrastructure. Representatives from the actor’s unions (SAG/AFTRA),
the production unions (IATSE), public television, film festivals, and support
organizations, including Women in Film & Television, Film Nashville and the
Arts and Business Council all pledged support.
Eric Close, who portrays
Mayor Teddy on “Nashville” summed it up by saying, “So many have been impacted
by the show. ‘Nashville’ is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more to come!”
