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County approves $45,000 film incentive structure for independent production 'Blue Bunny'
Summary
The court approved a nonbinding letter of intent to provide up to $45,000 in film incentives to Verus Studios for the independent production 'Blue Bunny' — consisting of a proposed $25,000 upfront grant and up to $20,000 in performance-based rebates — and asked staff to confirm funding sources.
El Paso County approved a nonbinding letter of intent on Monday to offer a film incentive package for the independent production Blue Bunny, presented by Verus Studios, with proposed funding of up to $45,000.
Economic development staff described the incentive as a 2‑part structure: a recommended $25,000 upfront grant intended to offset transportation, lodging and equipment rental not available locally, and a $20,000 performance‑based rebate tied to local spending, local hires and confirmed festival or community screenings.
Why it matters: County staff framed the request as a small, targeted incentive intended to promote film production and showcase El Paso. The production budget shared with the county was about $107,000; the proposed $45,000 would represent roughly 42% of that budget. Staff said the incentive is eligible for “hot fund” economic‑development dollars but that final funding sources would be confirmed after the court approved the letter of intent.
Details and precedent: Economic development staff compared the proposal to two recent film incentives: a Tex‑Mex Motors production that received a $58,000 grant from a larger $600,000 film budget and an El Paso Film Race award structured as $10,000 upfront and $20,000 in rebates. Presenters asked for a similar blended structure because Blue Bunny is an independent production without the studio infrastructure of major streaming platforms.
Court action and follow-up: The court approved the letter of intent and instructed county staff to finalize an agreement, including clawback language and reporting terms. County staff said they will work with budget and legal offices to identify the funding source—likely hot funds—and to include performance metrics (local payroll, hotel nights, screening venues and similar measures) in the final agreement.
What the county did not guarantee: Commissioners and staff emphasized this is a nonbinding letter of intent rather than a grant contract. The final disbursement of funds, any upfront payment and the rebate schedule will be subject to a binding contract that includes clawback and reporting requirements.
