Posts Tagged ‘massachusetts production coalition’

Get those boxing gloves on Hollywood East because the Massachusetts Production Coalition (MPC) is punching out an exclusive screening of the making of The Fighter this Tuesday November 30th at the studios of WGBH from 6-9 pm.

An event where Red Hawk Entertainment, Dorothy Aufiero, the Producer of The Fighter, and the fabulous Boston Casting founder Angela Peri, who did local casting for the movie will both be speaking about the process of the locally shot flick.  Join in on all the fun including networking, tours of WGBH, food, drinks, and free parking — all for $25. MPC members attend for free but guests are encouraged to come check it out.

The MPC will also knock you out with the official premiere of The Fighter on Friday, December 10th at 7pm at the Boston Common AMC Loews Theater.  Get your tickets to this hot event now (also $25) which includes a drink at the social event following the film. Destination of the shindig following is still pending.  Dorothy Aufiero, the Producer of The Fighter, will be attending the premiere as well.  Just another easy way to network in Hollywood East!

The rated R feature is based on the true story of boxer Mickey Ward played by Mark Wahlberg and his trainer bro Dick Eklund, the almost unrecognizable 100lb Christian Bale, chronicling the brothers’ early days on the rough streets of Lowell, Mass, Eklund’s battle with drugs and Ward’s fight for the title.

It was just a few months ago when Wahlberg, aka “The Other Guy” was having a beer at the Hingham Shipyard moments after the good vibrations star received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  More recently, he hooked up with Seth MacFarlane for the movie Ted and 60 Minutes ticked away sharing the stars early years growing up in Dorchester, MA Wahlberg has come full circle in The Fighter, his proudest effort yet. We won’t start any rumors that Wahlberg will be attending the Dec 10th premiere but it wouldn’t surprise us if he arrived fashionably late!

Don’t miss these two opportunities to mix and mingle with the makers of this season’s next blockbuster — made in Mass to boot! Watch the trailer below and look for one of our fav local actresses Erica McDermott, who plays a principal role as Walberg’s sister.

Two features filmed in Hollywood East and chock full of celebs will premiere in the next couple of weeks! Knight and Day, starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, will premiere at the Lowes Boston Common theater at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 25. If you’re from the area you might see someone you know in background since many of the extras were found by Boston Casting.

You’ll also be supporting the MA Production Coalition (MPC), the voice for the production industry in the commonwealth. Tickets for the premiere are $35, but order in advance because they won’t be sold at the door. Even if you’re not into action films come support the Legislative Committee in their fight to preserve and protect the MA Film Tax Credits. That, and Cameron Diaz is her usual smokin’ self. For more info take the jump to www.massprodcoalition.org.

If Thursday nights are more your thing, check out the Grown Ups premiere with its huge ensemble cast of the usual suspects of the comedy cub. Who better to play a group of immature 30-somethings than Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider?  Even better, Grown Ups was filmed in Massachusetts so watch out for familiar sites around the Bay state.

You can catch the sneak peek preview at 7:30 p.m. on June 24 at Fenway’s Regal Cinemas. Two pre-screen receptions on the 24th will be held at the Landmark Center Atrium (next to Regal) from 6-7 p.m. for $25. Come try the clam chowder from  Woodman’s of Essex, which is a featured spot throughout the film. If you really want to make a night of it, a VIP reception will take place at Burtons Grill on Boylston Street, complete with appetizers, drinks and a ticket to the premiere, all for $100. For more info on the preview take a look here.

The people of the Mass. film community spoke and apparently were heard after House Bill 3854‏, the state’s attempt to cut the film tax credit, was struck down by lawmakers on Thursday, March 11th.  After much debate, the Joint Committee on Revenue rejected legislation HB 3854 filed last year by Representative Steven D’Amico that would have rolled the film tax incentive back to 2006 levels.

A Boston Globe article quoted the president of the MA Production Coalition upon hearing the result, “Defeating this bill is an important step in preserving the hard-won gains for the scores of Massachusetts businesses and the thousands of working men and women in the Commonwealth who have benefited from the film credit” …” The Commonwealth simply can’t afford to lose the film credit.”

Enacted in 2006, the Mass. Film Tax credit provides a refundable tax credit for 25 percent of qualifying wage and non-wage production expenses and a sales tax exemption for in-state spending.  No doubt the local film community will be celebrating this win tonight.  Click here for a complete list of every feature film shot in Massachusetts.

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With a nation-wide economic recession on our heels, many companies have been increasing their prices and cutting back salaries in order to keep their businesses afloat. Who knew that governments would be vying with each other to charge the entertainment industry less?

According to an Associated Press article, many states have been providing tax breaks and other incentives to the entertainment industry in order to persuade production companies to film movies on location. Recently, some states have even increased tax breaks and proposed new bills that would motivate more production companies to film and produce movies in their state.

Under the reasoning that decreasing taxes on production and filming costs would entice major motion picture producers to film in-state and boost the economy with temporary jobs and business, many big-time production companies have taken a back seat and waited for the states to battle against themselves.

The Massachusetts Production Coalition’s summary of the Massachusetts Tax Incentive for the Motion Picture Industry features a sales and use tax exemption, a transferable 25% payroll credit, as well as a transferable 25% production expense credit to motion picture production companies that produce motion pictures in Massachusetts (where “motion picture” is defined as a feature length film, video, or digital media project, a televisions series with a season not exceeding 27 episodes, or a commercial or series of commercials for a single client with production expenses over $50,000 in a consecutive 12 month period). According to the Vermont Film Coalition, the state is proposing a new bill that would allow production companies similar tax incentives for movies filmed in the state. The bill would feature sales and use tax exemption, a transferable 25% payroll credit (a 30% payroll credit for Vermont resident hires) and a transferable 25% production expense credit.

Thus far there has been differing views on whether or not the tax incentives have actually helped the states’ economies, or if it has only been disadvantaging them in another, unseen area. Only time will tell if these entertainment tax breaks help states to get out of debt or, to add to the current economic downturn, augment it.