Monday, September 13, 2010

Positive News?

In the Des Moines Register article linked below, candidate for governor, Terry Branstad and others are open to revising the Iowa film credits. Chet Culver. the incumbent, of course is still committed to ending them.

"Branstad, others open to revise film credits"
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100913/NEWS10/9130317/1007/news05/Branstad-others-open-to-revised-film-credits

One idea mentioned in the article which is troubling if you think about it is to limit the credits to films with "Iowa-type stories" such as "The Bridges of Madison County". This, although it would make sense to legislators who still consider the Film Office to be part of tourism, would not make a lot of sense in regard to the practical realities of attracting film and television productions. In case the legislature hasn't checked, most stories are not set in Iowa and to limit it to this state would limit the films shot here. It would also chase away films that could be shot here because of locations that are similar to other areas of the country. It would set Iowa back even further than it was before the film credits when the only productions that would even consider shooting here were those that needed either a small town location or a farm. Considering the fact that the movie "Aaseamah's Journey" built an Iraqi village set on Iowa land, this idea of limiting film awarded credits to those Iowa-centric stories lacks imagination.

Hopefully the film credits will return, will be written well, and run correctly without any limited ideas hampering their effectiveness like this "Iowa stories only" idea.

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