Local elected officials took a unified stand in support of North Carolina’s film industry grant program at a press conference Thursday.
 
At the press conference, hosted by the Wilmington Regional Film Commission, speakers acknowledged that the state’s tax credit incentive was very likely a thing of the past and that the important task facing film supporters is to press for an expansion of the grant program – currently funded at $10 million for the remainder of this fiscal year.
 
Though they did not announce a specific target amount they would advocate for to the state legislators now in session, the local officials repeated their message about the film industry’s impact on jobs – a message that kicked up in earnest last year when the tax credit system came under fire.
 
“We want to ensure that the film and television industry remains viable and supports thousands of jobs in the state,” said New Hanover County commissioner Beth Dawson, who chairs the regional film commission. “We are working to increase the funds in the grant program.”

She also noted that New Hanover County commissioners and Wilmington mayor Bill Saffo have placed film incentives on the radar screens of their counterparts across the state.

“We have been successfully able to add film incentives as a legislative priority of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, and the mayor has accomplished a similar goal with the Municipal Mayors Association,” she said, adding that the two organizations will be lobbying the legislature to address these priorities.

Wilmington mayor Bill Saffo, the film commission’s vice chairman, said that it’s “clear that the grant program is the way to go” because of political realities in the General Assembly.
 
“So we need to increase the grant program to a level that could still be competitive” with film incentives in other states, he said. “What that number is, who knows?”

The mayor said he feels local efforts “have made some inroads” in demonstrating to state officials the value of film and television production as a clean industry that is not affected by recession.
 
“We’re going to work diligently with our local delegation and do everything in our power” to save the film incentives, Saffo concluded. “We want to send that message.”

Since the tax credit’s sunset Dec. 31, the Wilmington area has seen a dramatic drop in interest from film and television projects. Saffo said there had been a 70 percent decrease in inquiries; Wilmington Regional Film Commission director Johnny Griffin said it was more like a 90 percent decrease.
 
“We’re in the pilot season right now, and normally we’d get 20 to 25 inquiries. This year, we’ve had three,” he said. “In 2014, film projects spent $170 million in our area. Based on their spending habits in the past, Under the Dome will spend $32 million to $35 million this year; we’ve also got Bolden! shooting, and they are spending. If nothing changes with the grant program, we’re looking at a total expenditure from projects this year of about $50 million – and that’s the high side.”
 
Bill Vassar, executive vice president of EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, wanted to make it clear that the studio plans to stay put.
 
“We’ve weathered storms before and have no intention of closing,” he said.
 
The message from officials who spoke, including Dawson, Saffo and Wilmington Chamber of Commerce CEO and president Connie Majure-Rhett, is that a healthy film and television industry in North Carolina has benefits for small businesses all around the state.
 
“I think we need to start calling the small business community part of the [film] crew,” she said, adding that the chamber plans to start an outreach campaign to small businesses in southeastern North Carolina and across the state, spreading the message that the film industry benefits businesses everywhere, even if filming isn’t happening in their area.
 
“If Asheboro only hears about Wilmington, they don’t think it affects them,” she said.
 
Chris Bromley, a currently unemployed film production manager involved with the Small Business for Film outreach initiative, said that the organization now has 489 small businesses from around North Carolina on its rolls, up from 341 two weeks ago.
 
“We’re growing by leaps and bounds,” he said. “It’s important for our leaders to see.
 
“Usually, I would be working on two films right now, but what I’m doing now is looking at real estate in Georgia and Louisiana and preparing to uproot my family. Film crew members aren’t single people; we have families.”