Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Film Industry topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board committee backs expanding San Francisco film rebate to include web series, lowers small-producer permit fee
Summary
The Budget & Finance Committee voted to forward an ordinance that would extend the city's film rebate program through June 30, 2015, add web series to eligible productions and authorize an additional $1 million in program capacity while lowering daily permit fees for very low-budget productions.
Supervisor Mark Farrell opened the committee meeting by introducing legislation to expand the city's film rebate program and lower some permit fees. He said the amendment would add web series to the program, extend the rebate through June 30, 2015, and authorize additional funds so producers know incentives will be available when they plan shoots.
Susanna Robbins, director of the San Francisco Film Commission, told the committee the rebate program has helped bring production, local spending and jobs to the city since 2006. Robbins said the proposal asks three changes: cut daily permit fees for productions with budgets under $100,000 from $100 to $50; include web-series and similar online productions among those eligible for rebates; and extend the program for one year through 06/30/2015 with an additional $1,000,000 in authorization. "We want to try to attract part of this new wave of production to San Francisco," Robbins said, arguing that web-based productions now employ crews and background talent at levels comparable to TV series.
Budget analyst Mr. Rose briefed the committee on fiscal tables, saying earlier rebate activity totaled in the low millions and that the proposed additional authorization would be subject to Board appropriation. He noted that the City's projected fund balance and the requested $1 million in added authorization together would make available more funding for the remainder of the extended period, but any appropriation would be determined during the regular budget process.
Public commenters representing producers, unions and local production staff—line producers, the Teamsters, SAG-AFTRA representatives and local independent producers—almost uniformly urged adoption, saying rebates and lower permit fees help keep small and union jobs in the city. Speakers pointed to recent productions and pilots that would not be viable in San Francisco without incentives and said permitting costs can be a barrier for micro-budget productions.
Supervisor Eric Marr moved a positive recommendation and the committee advanced the ordinance to the full Board without opposition.
What happens next: the committee's positive recommendation sends the ordinance to the full Board of Supervisors, where appropriation of any additional funds would be decided in the budget process.
