Comments
Posted by Mariah L. on March 24, 2010 – To make Sacramento stand out amongst the competition, incentives need to be innovative and unique. The greatest regional incentive is funding. To draw productions to the Sacramento region, I strongly believe that the greatest incentive we could offer is a film fund endowment set up with provisions that will benefit both the fund and participating filmmakers. To attract high – caliber productions to Sacramento, a voluntary, non-profit endowment could be structured to provide development funds for films made in the Sacramento region that will be repaid with an additional return on investment upon sale/ distribution of completed films. After provisional qualification, a film would hypothetically need to secure a reputable domestic theatrical distributor and have marketable talent attached before funds were dispersed. The fund would need to have first-dollar gross participation in returns. An additional provision for applicants to the fund could be that the production must include a mentorship component to train qualifying Sacramento natives through formal mentorships and internships on respective productions. Not only would this attract Hollywood producers / insiders, but it would also generate publicity (marketing) and help to fund infrastructure that would su pport local filmmakers.
Infrastructure for film industry constituents would ideally include access to training, mentors, equipment, and facilities in addition to the standard film commission services. Filmmakers benefit from access to libraries with trade publications, grant sources, industry software, and networking opportunities. Filmmakers also struggle for access to equipment, legal aid, and multiple types of production insurance. All of these components should be considered as part of the infrastructural plan. Emerging filmmakers can also benefit from labs and grant programs that can be funded by membership dues, classes, and social activities.
Implementing these measures and sharing them with Hollywood trade publications and the associated press would generate the buzz required to put Sacramento on the motion picture industry’s map and create more credibility for our regional festivals.
Posted by Lisa G. on March 21, 2010 – I think the idea of turning Sacramento into a great city for the arts is an awesome idea. I would like to suggest that churches be encouraged to develop art programs of some sort. I bet that if a church's leaders asked its parishoners to create a program, it would happen. I have no doubt that they'd even get some teenagers to help out.
I'd really like to avoid any tax increases. I think you'd be surprised at the amount of help you'd get just for the asking.
A summer arts festival would be awesome. It would undoubtedly bring in lots of visitors to the area, and could end up being a means for artists to get discovered. It should include workshops to instruct artists on the business end of being an artist. That's generally a weak point, but is very much needed for them to really make it.
