ColumbusDispatch.Com Article - Ohio Is Rolling!

Tax credits roll to make movies here
4 films to be shot in Ohio will get breaks totaling $2.3 million
Saturday, May 28, 2011 03:07 AM
By Tim Feran


Ohio's effort to attract movie-making to the state is getting another boost with news that four more films have committed to shoot in Ohio.

The four projects are expected to create nearly 900 short-term jobs and have an economic impact of $4.8million, according to the Ohio Film Office, which is making $2.3 million in tax credits available to lure the projects.



"With recent movies such as Unstoppable, Ides of March, The Avengers and more, Ohio is seeing a boom of interest from Hollywood," said James A. Leftwich, director of the Ohio Department of Development.

The four new films include one to be shot partly in Columbus by How I Met Your Mother actor and Bexley native Josh Radnor. At least 24 projects, including the four new ones, are or have taken advantage of the state's tax credits, which began in 2010.

To qualify for the credits, productions must spend at least $300,000 in the state. As much as $5 million in credit is available per production. The credit is given only after production is completed.

Jon Honeck, public-policy fellow for the Center for Community Solutions, a Cleveland-based nonprofit social-services group that has studied film tax credits, said the new films look like a good list for the state. But he cautioned that the benefit will be short-lived.

"Typically, these films will come in, shoot for a couple weeks and then leave," he said. "So they're temporary jobs."

The films include:

• Over the Wall, which will receive a $1.6 million tax credit to shoot in Darke, Mercer and Stark counties in late summer and early fall. The film, starring Kim Basinger, Nick Stahl and Freddy Rodriguez, is set in the world of professional stock-car racing and is expected to hire more than 600 Ohioans as part of the cast and crew.

• Seven Below Zero, with a $335,722 tax credit, will shoot in Goshen, Cincinnati and surrounding areas in midsummer. Starring Val Kilmer, the thriller is expected to hire about 60 Ohioans.

• Liberal Arts, with a $229,909 tax credit, will shoot in Gambier around Kenyon College as well as in Columbus. Written and directed by Radnor, the indie love story is expected to employ about 170 Ohioans.

• Old Fashioned, with a $140,955 tax credit, will shoot in Tuscarawas County. The love story, produced by area native Nathan Nazario, is expected to employ 60 Ohioans.

Ohio's motion-picture tax-credit program, approved in 2009, made a total of $30 million available through June 30 of this year. About $40,000 remains in the pot, a film office spokeswoman said. If a new budget is approved, another $10million will be made available for next year.

The Ohio Film Office reports that films produced in Ohio as a result of the tax-credit program have employed more than 9,000 Ohioans and contributed nearly $120million to Ohio's economy.

Ohio's ranking in popularity as a film site seems to be improving, although the state hasn't done a study to confirm that, said state spokeswoman Katie Sabatino. "We know we're seeing extremely competitive numbers. We can tell we're moving up the ladder."

But Honeck said there are also other considerations.

"The issue is, in a very tight budget with lots of competing needs, is this the best way to stimulate economic development?" he asked. "Not just film tax credits, but all tax credits that purport to increase economic development - do they really make sense on a cost-benefit basis? We really want to see film tax credits and all other tax credits evaluated."