Focus of the Alabama Film Incentive Bill

The House passage of the Alabama Entertainment Incentive Act of 2008 has gained a moderate amount of press coverage. Some of it has been very good for the industry. Some of it has missed its mark on the importance of the film bill.

There have been stories that sparked the imagination with dreams of Hollywood productions and red carpet affairs. There have been stories about what filmmaking is from a director's standpoint. Images of the excitement of cameras and actors filling the communities have been covered by the press corp.

The stories that need the most attention are the ones that I have seen the least.
America is in one of the worst economic times in our history. The times that we are living in today will be in the history books tomorrow. There are millions of people out of work and more losing their jobs everyday.

States have suspended income tax rebates, laid off thousands on their own payroll and closed or consolidated schools to save money. Alabama is still moving forward even in these difficult times. But people are suffering in our state too.

The film incentive bill is more about developing a new source of income for our economy. It is about providing new jobs and new careers opportunities. It is about stopping millions of dollars of projects by Alabamians and/or covering Alabama stories from leaving the place that inspired these people and stories in the first place.

Representative Joseph Mitchell summed it up best when he told me that it is "about the electricians, the capenters, the sandwich vendors, the dentists, the mechanics and all the other vocations that go into making the industry".

He is absolutely right! It is all about these people that will benefit from the productions that are made here.

We don't see these people on the news or mentioned very often in the press stories. These are the aspects that we should be promoting and opening a dialogue about in our communities across the state.

In order to be successful, we have to let all vocations know that they can be a part of the industry in some way. We have to gain the support of the community leaders and all Alabamians. People have to know that the film industry cares about them before they will care about us and understand our dreams for Alabama. TJB