According to a study from UMass-Boston, Massachusetts can build a stable movie sector with the help of the state’s tax credits and facilities. Now mind you, nobody is asserting MA would become a Hollywood East (thank god), but it could help bring more jobs and spotlight my home city, Boston, and surrounding communities in movies for years to come.
Film tax credits have been controversial. Critics claim that the $$$ generated is short-lived and mostly benefit movie moguls; not the state. But it is difficult to refute the fact that more than 30 films and television shows have been filmed in the state since the tax credit has been offered. More over, the UMass-Boston study said that the film industry in 2008 created about $1 billion in economic activity in Massachusetts, and every dollar spent directly generated nearly another dollar in activity.
According to the article in today’s Boston Globe, Film projection, while the tax credits have helped the state they are not the sole reason for Hollywood’s interest. The Globe article says, “Massachusetts offers a variety of locations – urban, rural, and coastal – and a world-class city, Boston, which is attractive to movie executives and stars.” I agree and think it is a great way to showcase my home city and New England.
Today I had a meeting at the W Hotel in Washington, D.C. I was the first to the meeting so I settled into the lobby to kill time when I noticed someone familiar sitting across from me. At first I could not place the face but quickly realized that it was will.i.am from Black Eyed Peas. I’ll be honest, I did not know his name and had to Google the band to get it when I got home, but I was proud of myself for recognizing him.
If he was the only person I saw today, I would not have bothered to write about it, but when I was queing up for my flight home I bumped into a neighbor who was disembarking from my plane which had just arrived from Boston. Then about an hour later (well actually two because my flight was delayed due to problems at Logan) when I was disembarking in Boston I saw David Gergen who lives in the Boston area and teaches at Harvard University. I have to admit, it provides insight into how much of a nerd I am that I was more excited to see David Gergen than my neighbor or the pop star will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas.
BosGuy 