10 QUESTIONS with…. Cleveland Indian Hall of Famer Kenny Lofton

1. A few words about your most recent project:
We have a lot going on. My most precious item right now is what we call the "Kids Trilogy". It is a series of 3 films that take place in the middle school setting that if it were possible I would like to film in Cleveland. We are currently trying to raise $12m so we can go into production.

We just finished a fun travel destination show. Can't say much about it because we are out pitching it to studios.  We also have 7 other tv projects in various stages of development.

2. What led to the establishment of your production company, Filmpool?
I got my degree at U of A in Radio/TV. I always knew that once I left baseball I wanted to work in the tv/film industry. The opportunity opened up and I jumped on it.

3. What is your ultimate goal in the film industry?
To produce fun family entertainment.

4. What appeals to you about creating family-oriented projects?
My family has always been there for me. It is my way to express that family is very important.

5. What has been your favorite experience in the entertainment industry so far?
The process from development through the finished product.

6. What has been the most difficult thing about producing film and television projects?
Getting the financing.

7. The 80’s and 90’s saw the release of many great baseball movies. Why are very few baseball movies being produced these days?
There is so much you can do with baseball to make it entertaining in the movies.

8. Now that our local film industry has started offered incentives such as the Film Tax Credit program, rent-free space at the Convention Center, and loan guarantees, would you consider Ohio as viable filming location for one of your film projects?
Most definitely. If I am able to get the money to produce my projects Cleveland would be a great place to work.

9. Cleveland Indians’ owner, Larry Dolan, is an advisor to the Greater Cleveland Film Commission and a strong supporter of the Cleveland Film Industry. Would you consider approaching Larry with one of your film projects?
I would love to sit down with Larry Dolan, Dan Gilbert and Randy Lerner.

10. What advice would you give to anyone pursuing a career as a film and television producer?
Patience....Patience...and more Patience.

Award-winning director films Jeff Nichols' latest project in Northeast Ohio

Jeff Nichols, the creator of the award-winning film, "Shotgun Stories", recently wrapped his latest film here in Northeast Ohio.  Lead actor, Michael Shannon, received an Oscar nomination for his role in "Revolutionary Road."  Nichols utilized many locales throughout Lorain County.

Local filmmaker, Mike Wendt, worked on Nichols' latest movie and wrote a personal account describing his experiences On Set of this highly anticipated film.

Other articles on the "Untitled Jeff Nichols Project":

Jeff Nichols wraps new film; 
Jeff Nichols filming new movie in northeastern Ohio;   
Hollywood moves a film production to Lorain County, Oscar-nominated actor stars in new movie

10 QUESTIONS with…… Joe Ostrica of Old School Sinema

1. A few words about your latest project:
We have "THE SPOOKSHOW," a rock-n-roll/supernatrual/slasher flick, which has some great bands in it, including Cult of the Psychic Fetus. Packed with a high body count, lots of sexy girls and gore and humor, the movie also has an apperance by the legendary Bill Hinzman of "Night of the Living Dead" fame.

I also produced "SHE DEVILS A-GO-GO," which is coming out this fall. It's about a group of guys who encounter sexy and mysterious "she devil" go-go dancers and take them back to their place. This is going to be exploitation fun that would make Roger Corman and Russ Meyer proud! Go to www.ossmovies.com and look us up at Facebook under Oldschool Sinema for more info.

2. What is the best thing about making films in Ohio?
The community in general, not just the actors and crew members, are thrilled to work on a movie project. You have a lot of people opening their doors and pitching in, even if you don't have much of a budget. In L.A., it's basically "how much money can I make out of these guys?"

3. What is the worst thing about making films in Ohio?
The 5-month winters. Unless you have a winter project and don't mind freezing your ass off (and all those crew and cast members working hard with you), it's tough from late November until early April. Things just kind of shut down during the winter months in Ohio.

4. Have you ever approached the Cleveland Film Commission for help? If yes, what was the outcome? If no, why not?
No I have not, and that's because I heard nightmares of dealing with them. The former regime was just looking for money from struggling artists and they would bend over backwards trying to recruit Hollywood productions, but do nothing to help improve the local film community that lives here 365 days a year. They lost many Hollywood productions because producers didn't think there were enough experienced crew people. Well if the CFC helped develop and network with local filmmakers, that would not have been a problem.  I'm not sure what's going on with the current group, but so far I haven't bothered at this time. I bet if I had a big-name actor and a budget in the millions they would find me though.

5. What are your thoughts on the latest developments in the Cleveland film community (the new tax credit, NEHST Studios, etc)?
The next tax credit is about 10 years too late, but I guess it's better late than never. Since that time Pittsburgh has turn into a huge location for movies and Michigan seems to be getting everything the last couple of years. Just like in sports, Cleveland seems to be losing to the two states around it.

6. You definitely embody the DIY spirit. What was your initial motivation to make films?
I was a "Star Wars" generation kid and was fascinated by those at an early age and wondered how they did that. I began reading about the making of movies in any book or magazine I could get my hands on and wanted to be a filmmaker since I was 6 years old.

I've always been a big horror fan and admire the careers of Roger Corman and Russ Meyer. I always had more respect for the DIY guys who basically made their careers without the Hollywood system. I do however love several filmmakers that work within Hollywood, but still hold on to their personal vision, guys like Scorsese, Kubrick, DePalma, Tarantino, the Coen Bros., P.T. Anderson and several others.

7. What do you feel has been your biggest success?
I launched OLD SCHOOL SINEMA with a bang (well on the cult film/underground circuit anyway) with "THE HORROR CONVENTION MASSACRE." It was an original concept, I was able to land cameos (for free!), it has T&A and blood (and lots of it!), got some strong reviews and a LOT of publicity. I took a chapter out of the Roger Corman book in that it's more important how you market a film than how you make it. You can have the worst movie ever, but if you market it well, you can have a hit. Well I know "THCM" is a fun and original movie and fans of that genre love it, and that's why it made quite a splash and generated two sequels already (the third of which resumes filming this fall).

8. Will you continue make films in Northeast Ohio or would you consider moving to a city with a more established film industry, say New York, Chicago or Austin?
I love NE Ohio, it's been my home for decades and I have established a loyal group of people that will work hard and love to have fun making movies. It's like our own band of misfit filmmakers, kind of like what I imagine John Waters had in Baltimore. Even if a studio offered me $1 million to make a movie, I'd rather make 4 or 5 movie with that budget, but I guarantee you they would each look like they were made for $2 million. We know how to stretch a dollar and add production value out here.

9. What advice would you give to some who wants to make their own film?
If you want to make movies, stop talking about it and start doing it. I know I spent too much time talking before I made my first movie. Start with a short film, or even just one scene. There is no better training than getting that "on-the-job" experience.

10. If you were in charge of the Ohio film community, what changes would you make?
I would do what I could to bring all filmmakers and members of the local community together and try help them establish relationships with one another. It doesn't all have to be competitive. We're in Ohio and we can all use help from everywhere. Getting others to help others, even if it's just helping on script notes or giving advice on casting or locations or where the best deals are, that would be great. There is a lot of talent in Ohio and this could become a film mecca if everyone helped each other out more.

I would also do anything I could to get cities, communities, businesses, etc. involved in film productions where it was a win-win for both parties. There are many ways in which filmmakers and those they seek help from can help each other out, and without any party losing money. In this economy, everybody needs all the help they can get.

6 feature films? $31 million to be spent in Ohio?

Steve Keider of the Cleveland Film Group interviewed Sridhar Reddy, the director of the recently wrapped horror film, "Lilith."  This is the first of many proposed feature film projects to be produced by NEHST Studios.  During the interview Reddy provided insight on where the financing for his movie came from:

Sridhar Reddy : Lilith took a different road to reality than most films, in that it never really went through a traditional “greenlighting” process that is typical with studio films. As a true independent, the real “green light” was when my funds were confirmed in the bank from my own fundraising efforts. Naturally, when that happened, I was pretty excited to get to work and shape the ideas in my head into a film.

Reddy's own blog mentioned a number times that "Lilith" was a low budget production.  Here is his description of the project:

Lilith has been nothing short of a small miracle, as the quality of work we’ve gotten from a crew of less than thirty people, on an unrealistic budget and an impossible schedule, has been astounding. I couldn’t be more proud of my film family, they’ve taken care of me and made my dream a reality.

There have been many newspaper and blog articles trumpeting Ohio's leap into the film production arena thanks to the newly-minted film tax credit program.  There have also been predictions on the success we should expect to see in 2010:

This year, expenditures in the state from film production are projected to be more than $31 million. That's a significant increase over previous years before the tax credit was enacted. 
Six film projects are under way in Ohio, one each in Cincinnati and Akron, and four in Cleveland.  "Every month the number of inquiries increases about new movies being made here," says Henthorn. "Before, you might see a few movies every couple of years."

and

Nehst Studios, a New York-based independent studio that has offices in the Cleveland Convention Center, has applied for Ohio film-tax credits for three other movies under a new program designed to stimulate the state's economy. Production companies only receive the credits when production is finished and the books are reviewed by the state.  Meistrich has said he will seek tax credits for "Lilith" after it begins filming in March. He declined to reveal the film's budget but said it is destined for a theatrical release.

and

Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Film Commission Director Kristin Irwin says the bottom line is that movie making is big business and Ohio and its communities should be as competitive as possible to attract it.  "Film production is an economic development tool that cities can't ignore," she says. "When jobs are needed this is too important to pass up."

and...well, you get the idea.  These same cheerful soundbites have been floating around different outlets, but any analysis or follow-up seems to be hard to come by.  Folks are patting themselves on the back for bringing multi-million dollar film productions to Ohio, but these projections haven't quite yet materialized  Here is the list of 6 Ohio feature films that are supposed to be filmed in 2010:

Akron: 
"25 Hill"; a $500,000 production that has already wrapped

Cincinnati: 
"Life After"; budgeted at $5 million and is eligible for a $1.2 million tax credit.  Still listed as "in development", and filming in 2010 seems unlikely

Cleveland: 
"Freerunner"; stars former Parma resident Sean Faris and produced by native Ohioans
"Untitled Jeff Nichols Project"; filmed in Lorain County by award-winning director Jeff Nichols
"Lilith"; A low-budget horror filmed that wrapped in May; budgeted at $300,000.  This is Larry Meistrich's first film in Cleveland since establishing NEHST.

"Strangeland 2";  won't film until 2011 at the earliest
"Cleopatra Smiles"  won't film until 2011 at the earliest
"The Kid Who Only Hit Home Runs"; won't film until 2011 at the earliest

NEHST is still trying to raise funding for these three films, and the "Lilith" director raised all of his own funding.

"6 films at a collective budget of $31 million" keeps being announced, but there hasn't been any sort of updates to let us know the reality of the Cleveland (and Ohio) film industry.  We will be following up with the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, The Ohio Film Office and NEHST Studios for additional information.     

"25 Hill" and the All-American Soap Box Derby

The USA Today published an article in April detailing Corbin Bernsen's motivation behind creating "25 Hill" and his interest in helping Akron's Soap Box Derby. 

Bernsen has raised about $500,000 to finance 25 Hill, most of it from the Akron community. "This has the potential for a theatrical release, even if the budget is pretty low," says Bernsen, 55. "But if it ends up on TV or DVD, as long as it rekindles interest, I'm happy."

The film's website also chronicles Bernsen's inspiration and creative process in bring "25 Hill" to life.  This is a good example of a film production that was conceived for Ohio and was fully supported by the local community.  Hopefully more will follow.

Kenny Lofton is pursuing a career as a film producer

Kenny Lofton, a recent inductee in the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame, is currently trying to set up film projects in Los Angeles.  Per Kenny, he is attempting to secure financing for a series of "kids trilogies."

He started Filmpool, a Los Angeles-based post-production facility, in 2004, and now he is looking to produce a slate of feature films.  Kenny earned a degree in television and film production from the University of Arizona, and he has always been drawn to the production side of the entertainment buisiness.

Film Tax Credit programs across the country

The website, Tax Credits LLC, provides a comparison of state film tax credit programs.  Their list was updated in May, and it doesn't yet include the new tax benefits provided by Ohio.  It doesn't include of all the states, but shows a nice overview of 14 states that are actively trying to attract film productions.

NEHST Studios productions

On January 29, 2010, the Plain Dealer ran an article weighing in on the "pay to audition" website from NEHST Studios.  Also mentioned was a status update on two of NEHST Studios current film projects, "Lilith" and "Cleopatra Smiles."

Meistrich said he'll hire SAG actors for speaking parts in “Lilith,” a feature-length thriller that is the first in Nehst's slate of films to be made in Cleveland. An open casting call will be announced once a casting director has been hired, he said.

 Meistrich has said he will seek tax credits for “Lilith” after it begins filming in March. He declined to reveal the film's budget but said it is destined for a theatrical release.  Nehst recently announced that Vivica A. Fox will star in its film “Cleopatra Smiles.” But Fox’s representative declined to comment on her involvement, saying the film does not have a start date or confirmed funding.

Meistrich said his funding is in place and he is negotiating with Fox. 

 Per Meistrich, his funding for "Cleopatra Smiles" was already in place and he was negotiating a salary with Vivica Fox.  Her rep, however, seemed to have a different version on the progress (or lack of progress) of the film project.  If Larry's funding was already in place, then he would need no other financial assistance in order to start production.
 
Six weeks later, another Plain Dealer article announced the $1.2 million loan guarantee that Meistrich was granted by the Cleveland City Council. 
 
A City Council committee on Tuesday approved $1.2 million in loan guarantees for three planned feature-length films produced by Nehst Studios, a New York-based production company that has established an office here.

The three films are "Cleopatra Smiles," a romantic comedy starring Vivica A. Fox; "The Kid Who Only Hit Home Runs," which is based on a popular children's book; and "Strangeland 2," a horror-film sequel starring Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider. 
 
The city's guarantee is for 10 percent of the combined budget for the three films. This is the first time the city has made such a guarantee.  All three movies will be shot in Cleveland and its suburbs, said Nehst Chairman Larry Meistrich. Production will begin on the three films once all the details have been finalized, he said. 

That loan guarantee would be used to find additional funding and raise the necessary $11M combined budget for the three film projects.  That means "Cleopatra Smiles" went from fully funded and ready to begin production to unfunded and in need of a loan guarantee from Cleveland in a period of six weeks.  "Cleopatra Smiles" is no longer listed on neither NEHST's IMDBPro film slate nor on a list of future films by Vivica A. Fox. 
 
All three films will supposedly go into production simultaneously, and now those projections have been pushed back to sometime in 2011.
 
November 17, 2008, an earlier Plain Dealer article announced NEHST's rent-free deal for the empty Convention Center.
 
The Cleveland City Council Monday approved a one-year, rent-free lease with a filmmaker that will occupy 17,000 square feet at the downtown Convention Center.  Mayor Frank Jackson last month announced the deal with Nehst Creations, which aims to be a production house for small films made in the area and spur the growth of film-related jobs here.

Nehst is committed to spending $125 million in Northeast Ohio if the state legislature passes a proposed tax credit for filmmakers, officials say.  The deal would grant the company occasional use of other areas of the convention center, provided the areas aren't rented out at the time. Comparable space in Detroit could fetch more than $1 million in rent a year, the mayor's chief of staff said last month.

Over a year and a half have passed since this announcement.  Meistrich's promise of spending $125 million on film productions motivated the powers that be to pass the current film tax credit program.  The inaugural slate of theatrical films promised to be shot on location in Cleveland have not yet materialized.  The only real movement has been the completion of the low-budget film, "Lilith" and the generous loan guarantee.  When will all of these promises and wishes come to fruition?

10 QUESTIONS with.... Thomas McClure of the Heyman Talent Agency

Here is the first in a series of interviews entitled "10 QUESTIONS with."  Thomas McClure is the Director of the Heyman Talent Agency in Columbus, Ohio, and he provided us with great answers.  Enjoy.

1. A few words to discuss your current projects: Heyman Talent is working on everything from Abduction (feature film with Taylor Lautner) to a Safe-Auto Commercial...from a Wendy's training video to a politcal commercial...

2. What changes have you seen, both good and bad, in the Ohio film industry over the past few years? I've seen current technology completely improve the lives of everyone in the industry. Heyman actually caters our website around our clients' needs. Almost everything can be done digitally now..including audition submits. However, even the delivery of the digital auditions is something we've mastered...to help save clients time and money. Ohio has seen more feature films this year...which is a great thing! Something that could be bad and good would be the fact that we're seeing many new players (from casting directors to production crews) in the film industry in OH. Because they are new, they don't really understand the standards, etiquettes, expectations of the industry. I feel that our agents help educate the new players in a way that it's a team effort and not belittling in anyway. We want everyone to be successful in the industry.

3. Nesht Studios’ screentest.biz requires actors to pay between $3.95 and $14.95 to submit for a role. What are your thoughts on this? Actors are taught to not pay for auditions EVER! Actors already have to pay for materials such as: head shots, resume, Union fees, and sometimes websites (that market their headshots and resume to clients). It's a symbiotic relationship between casting and actors. Without each other, they could not get a film made. So to charge an actor money just to submit for a role doesn't sound quite right.

4. How do you view the recent performance of the various Ohio film commissions? Honestly, I'm only familiar with the Columbus Film Commission and I feel that they are doing a great job and really pushing to get more film in OH. However, I believe that all three film commissions (Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland) need to really come together and create a synergy to really bring the big productions into OH.

5. What changes would you make to improve the local film industry? I would place the knowledge in the minds of all OH Film Industry professionals the proper processes, standards, and ettiquettes to follow. If we have LA Filmmakers coming to OH to shoot a major motion picture, then they are going to expect all OH film industry professionals (actors, agents, casting, crew, directors, etc..) to know the proper processes and standards to follow from start to finish. Otherwise, we'll all get laughed at here in OH trying to play with the big boys. I'm not saying that all OH Film Industry professionals lack this knowledge...Ohio actually has quite a number of professionals that know exactly what LA expects. However, there are some that lack this knowledge and can easily make Ohio look unappealing for a revisit from LA Filmmakers.

6. Which region, northern or southern Ohio, has a stronger presence in the commercial industry? I feel that there's just more going on in Columbus and Cincinnati when it comes to the commercial industry.

7. What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue an acting or modeling career? Have passion and be willing to learn. Don't expect to be discovered overnight. Save up your money and take classes and workshops from reputable instructors. Keep sharpening your craft! Channel your paid direct bookings through your agency because your agency will protect you and fight for you if something doesn't go right...as well as try to get you the proper rate for your job.

8. How does the Ohio talent base compare to other states? OH has a great talent base and part of it is due to OH having a lot of on-camera projects. However, we also have an office in Louisville, and I will say that most of the acting roster there are theater actors which have been successful in making the jump into TV/Film/Commercial.

9. Pittsburgh has enjoyed an influx of new film productions. How can Cleveland, Columbus or Cincinnati match or surpass that? As I said above...the film commissions need to work together to accomplish that. We want what Pittsburgh has right now...a lot of big productions.

10. How could you convince a struggling actor to stay in Ohio instead of moving to New York of LA? It really depends on the priorities and passions of that actor. If this actor was someone who wanted to see OH Film Industry grow, then I'd tell them to do something about it. There's a movement in the OH film community to go out and get the big productions to come here. Also, due to technology, we are able to submit our actors for projects in Chicago, NY, Pittsburgh, Nashville as well as locally. But, it is difficult to make a living soley on acting in Ohio. However, we do have a handful Ohio actors that are quite successful because they act for TV, Film, Commercials, Industrials..as well as theater. So it is possible.

The controversy of "paying to audition"

There are many resources available on the internet that weigh in on the controversy of paying to audition and paying to submit for film or television roles.  Actors are often advised to never pay for auditions or headshot submissions, no matter what the offer.  Agents and managers only make money when their actor client is paid for work, and producers and directors should not ask actors for money to be in their productions. 

We've included links to a handful of stories and websites that provide background on how to audition for legitimate film and television projects.  For further information, you can contact the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) even if you're not a member.  They can provide qualified advice on the business of auditions.

You don't have to pay for a job interview

There are certainly many legit companies that offer a chance to meet and read for casting agents and directors in a classroom setting; but be aware that if any fee is charged for these sessions, your participation may be in violation of SAG Rule 11

The state of California is clamping down on the practice of "pay to audition" workshops, in which actors pay to be seen.

NEVER pay to audition, no matter what they tell you. Paying to audition is almost always a scam. Usually "pay to audition" production companies (made famous in movies like Bowfinger) are actually nonexistent companies which have no intention of putting on an actual production or completing a film.

A legitimate casting office will never, ever ask for money to keep your picture and resume on file. Never.

Best Places for Filmmaking

In October 2009, Variety polled hundreds of film professionals to find the best locations to shoot a movie.  Here are the winners in various categories.  They also included international locales, but we will only list North Americans spots.

TOP 5 North American locations:

#1 California (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and spots throughout the state)

The state enacted a 20%-25% tax credit that went into effect in 2009.

#2 New York (Manhattan, the rest of New York City plus upstate locations )

The state has established a 30%-35% refundable tax credit on qualified film expenses.

#3 New Mexico (Albuquerque, other cities and remote areas )

New Mexico offers a 25% tax rebate on all production costs and local labor payments. This aggressive incentive has spurred a heavy production slate, promoting growth in studio and stage space.

#4 Chicago

A 30% transferable tax credit is available in addition to a deep crew base, high-end post facilities and multiple equipment-rental houses.
 
#5 Louisiana (New Orleans, other cities and parishes )

The states provides a 35% transferable tax credit combined with large studio and stage facilities.

OTHER CATEGORIES:

Best Visual Appeal - Hawaii

Best Incentives - Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina

Best Film-Office Support - Connecticut, Utah, Vancouver

Best Production Resources - Montreal, Toronto

Best Doubles for Other Locations - Arizona

2 Ohio Film Festivals coming up in October

I am passing along information on two upcoming film festivals in Ohio:

The First Annual Canton Palace International Film Festival will start on October 7th.  Its goal is to raise funds in order to preserve the Historic Palace Theatre in Canton.  The Palace is a beautiful theater that was built in 1926.

The Cincinnati-Oxford International Film Festival will be held from October 8th to October 16th.  This is an effort to combine the Oxford International Film Festival with Underneath Cincinnati and the Southern Ohio Filmmakers Association.  There goal is to expand the scope and the reach of this burgeoning film festival.

Here are two additional Ohio film festivals suggested to me by filmmaker Tiffany Laufer:

The Chagrin Documentary Film Festival

The Akron Film Festival

Be sure to support the filmmakers and film festivals of Ohio.

Current status of film tax credit programs in other states

Film tax credit programs that were developed prior to the program recently passed by the Ohio Legislature have met with varying results.  New Mexico and Louisiana seemingly have very successful programs that attract dozens of film productions each year.  Both states also have the experienced film crews and production facilities to accomodate large budget films.

There has no been a conclusive answer on whether providing production companies with tax money and interest-free loans has resulted in benefits which outweigh the costs.  A recent study by the Heartland Institute provided less than favorable results.  “when film tax credits do hit their mark and induce more local film production, the resulting stimulus to overall economic activity appears to be rather modest.” 

Here are some varying accounts of the perceived effectiveness of tax credit programs across the country:
Michigan
Louisiana
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Iowa
Pennsylvania
New Mexico

Cleveland guaranteed a $1.1 million loan to NEHST Studios

The City of Cleveland guaranteed a $1.1 million loan to Larry Meistrich's NEHST Studios back in March.  The details of the deal are "The city loan will provide partial guarantee for a $5.2 million loan being sold by Fifth Third Securities that will cover 45% of the cost of the films. NEHST has secured equity financing for 55% of the cost of production. NEHST will be asking Cuyahoga County for a similar loan guarantee." 

This was done to help NEHST secure $11.6 million in film financing for three films that will also benefit from the tax credit program set up by the Cleveland Film Commission.  The three films are now expected to be filmed in 2011, although Meistrich's most recent film, "Lilith", was not part of this package.  The tax credit would be applied to the combined budget of $11.6M, although that figure is not yet at the $50-$100M level that had been discussed when the tax credit program was being finalized.

Larry Meistrich had planned to produce at least 8 feature films back in 2008

In 2007 and 2008, Larry Meistrich and NEHST Films had announced a film fund worth $250 million dollars, and this would finance eight films to be produced back in 2008. This slate included:

THE KILLING MOON  Writer/Director – Sridhar Reddy (19 Revolutions)

AND ONE FOR ALL  Director – Ron Kanecke

BOY'S NAME Writer - Rene Ashton (Be My Baby)

THE FLICKER'S DANCE Writer/Director - Priyanka Kumar

FRIGHT FEST Writer - Wayne Chesler (Rights Of Autumn, The Hotel Manor Inn)

BLOOD STRIPE Writer – Cary Abbott

FIND YOURSELF Writer - Sam Winter

NATIONAL TRIUMPH LEAGUE Writers - Darian Barnes (NFL Star), Joshua Goldfond

No further information is available on the status (or demise) of this large fund, but many similar funds have been adversely affected by the current economic downturn.  NEHST's current list of completed projects and films in development can be found on IMDB here and here.  We will be contacting folks involved with the proposed $250 million fund and some of these projects in development to get up-to-date status reports.

NEHST Films and the Ohio Tax Film Credit

The Ohio Tax Film Credit is currently in place.  A total of $30 million has been made available over a two year period for film and television projects made in Ohio.  The tax credit was pushed through in order to attract producer Larry Meistrich and his production company, NEHST Studios, to Cleveland.   Meistrich pledged "to train crew members and make the films using as many local workers as possible."  The rise and fall of Meistrich's former production company, The Shooting Gallery, has been well documented, and the Cleveland Film Commission and the Ohio Legislature has put their faith in him to ramp up film production in Northeast Ohio.

Here are the specifics on the tax credit program per Thomas McClure of the Heyman Talent Agency and John Lawson:

"The tax credit starts at $300,000. The bill provides for a refundable credit against the corporation franchise or income tax for motion pictures produced in Ohio. The tax credit is equal to 25 percent of non-wage and nonresident wage Ohio production expenditures and 35 percent of Ohio resident wage production expenditures. Up to $5 million in credits is available per production. A total of $30 million in credits are available in the FY 2010-2011 biennium, with $10 million of the total available in FY 2010 and $20 million available in FY 2011."

Thank you for providing these specifics.  This highly touted program has a chance to expand the film industry across Ohio if it is implemented correctly.

New movie, FREERUNNER, is filming in Cleveland

A new movie is shooting in Cleveland.  FREERUNNER stars Sean Faris, an accomplished Hollywood actor and former Ohioan.  The production involves Vitamin A Films and Strategic Film Partners, both based in Los Angeles.  This will be the first film directed by producer Lawrence Silverstein.  The production was announced by the Cleveland Film Commission recently as the 9th film to apply for and receive the Ohio Film Tax Credit.  The Commission indicates that every dollar spent using the these tax credits will generate approximately $1.50 in economic activity for the state.