The Daily Reveille
Friday, March 22, 2013
STATE
page 3
Jindal’s tax proposal could devastate film industry Jonathan Olivier Staff Writer
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s new tax plan proposal is causing concern in film industry circles across Louisiana, and some of those affiliated with the film industry fear the possible changes will devastate the industry. The part of Jindal’s plan that raises eyebrows in the film industry include possible changes to Louisiana’s Motion Picture Investor Tax Credit. The tax credits have lured in various film companies to the state in the past, and Louisiana has in turn benefitted drastically as a result, said Executive Director of the Louisiana Film and Entertainment Association David Tatman. Jindal’s tax proposal would place a $1 million cap on “star talent,” which refers to the amount an actor can be paid by production companies and then applied as an expense for tax credits, Tatman said. There is currently no cap on actors’ salaries. “This would have a phenomenal impact on our industry,” Tatman said. “It will make Louisiana less attractive to do larger productions.” Tatman expressed concerns that film industry leaders will move out of Louisiana and take their business elsewhere. “Georgia, for example, would be a state that would become much more attractive than Louisiana, if this were to pass,” he said. “In the past, other states have tried to do similar things like New Mexico and
Michigan, and they made changes to their program, and Louisiana has actually benefitted from it because that means the productions and much of the activity moved to Louisiana.” Tatman said the tax proposal would have a tremendous impact on what has grown into a large industry in the state. “Right now we estimate there’s somewhere around 14,000 people working in the [film] industry in Louisiana,” he said. “According to our numbers, we are close to or past the seafood industry in terms of the number of jobs that are produced in the state. That’s pretty significant, as [Louisiana is] one of the largest seafood producers in the country.” The tax plan would have a dramatic effect on companies such as the Baton Rouge-based Celtic Media Centre, which is the largest studio facility in the state, said Director of Studio Operations Patrick Mulhearn. “It would be devastating to us in particular because we tend to get these really big movies that have big stars in them,” he said. Though the film industry would be directly affected, Tatman said the Louisiana economy will take a hit as well. “Then there’s the other part of this that trickles through the economy and that is it’s not just actors, or lighting people or sound recording – it’s plumbers, it’s electricians, it’s caterers, it’s hotels, it’s restaurants,” he said. Mulhearn said he and his colleagues are optimistic the Jindal administration and LED will
THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES
Actress Anna Kendrick sits in the Quad Oct. 24, 2011, for the filming of “Pitch Perfect,” which was filmed on campus last fall.
compromise on the issue. “I would think that they’re going to take a harder look at it I’m sure, I would be shocked if there isn’t some sort of compromise that happens between now and the end of the session,” he said. The LFEA is currently working with the administration to ensure changes made will not negatively impact the state’s film industry, Tatman said. “We are working with them, we will continue to work with them and the legislature to make sure that whatever we do, whatever changes are made to the program,
that it doesn’t put Louisiana at a competitive disadvantage with other states,” he said. According to a Nola.com article, Louisiana Economic Development secretary Stephen Moret said the Jindal administration is committed to the film industry and the proposal would have “a negligible impact” on many of the productions. “We will continue to work closely with the industry on potential tweaks to our proposal in order to do what is best for Louisiana’s economy,” Moret said according to the article. According to Mulhearn, the
tax credits and exemptions that companies receive in Louisiana prohibit money from going into the state treasury. The portion the film industry prohibits is miniscule, he said. “Where film falls on the scale of everything that’s out there, it’s really less than 2.4 percent of an impact… where all the money that’s not coming into the state treasury, the film industry is only responsible for less than 2.4 percent of that,” he said. Contact Jonathan Olivier at jolivier@lsureveille.com
LGBT
Louisiana Queer Conference to be held on campus Saturday Gill of ‘The Trevor Project’ to speak Erin Hebert Contributing Writer
Members of the local LGBT community and their allies across the state will have the chance to unite Saturday at the third annual Louisiana Queer Conference, LAQC. Open registration for the allday event begins at 9 a.m. in Coates Hall, with the conference welcome beginning at 9:30 a.m. The cost of registration is free for University students and $5 for the public. Lunch will also be provided. The University’s Spectrum organization is hosting the event, along with local LGBT group Equality Louisiana. LAQC’s primary goal is to provide “leadership development, networking opportunities, and social support” to LGBT students and allies in Louisiana, according to the conference’s website. The conference’s keynote speaker will be Alison Gill,
government affairs director for The more than 200 people have already Trevor Project, who will discuss registered for the conference online. methods for turning education into Organizers are expecting ataction. tendees from across Louisiana, inThe Trevor Project is the fore- cluding students from every major most national orgauniversity in the state, Kilnization for crisis christ said. 2013 Louisiana and suicide prevenKilchrist said a tion services to Queer Conference “Queer Prom” will also LGBT youth, ac- When: 9 a.m. Saturday be held in the Atchafacording to its weblaya Room of the Student Where: Coates Hall site. Union at 8 p.m. The prom, O r g a n i z e r s Cost: free for University which will have an “Unhope to increase der the Sea” theme, began students, $5 for the public attendance from as a way for LGBT youth the last two conferto receive the high school ences and provide a larger range of prom experience they may have workshops for attendees, according missed out on, Kilchrist said. to international studies junior, Spec“So many LGBT people aren’t trum Vice President of Administra- allowed to bring who they want to tion and LAQC Chair Moriah Gra- prom in high school,” Kilchrist said. ham. “It was essentially just an idea of alWorkshop topics available at lowing them to be who you are and the conference will include politi- bring who you want.” cal activism, strengthening student Main events at the conference organizations and transidentities, will be held in 143 Coates Hall, with along with a variety of others, Gra- workshops occurring in various ham said. locations in Coates. Spectrum President and biological engineering senior Kameron Contact Erin Hebert at Kilchrist, who held Graham’s chair ehebert@lsureveille.com position for last year’s LAQC, said
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