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.

Are We Doomed? Part 2

Gene just quoted an article from today's Des Moines Register that inferred that Terry Branstad would probably not be supporting film tax credits. Here is a link to the article so you can read it for yourself:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100818/NEWS09/8180366/Branstad-would-cut-Iowa-Department-of-Economic-Development

Where does that leave us? Talk about us being between a rock and hard place! If the incumbent is re-elected and a new film bill comes up we know we can probably count on him getting out the old veto pen and Culverizing it. If Tweedledee is the choice, he'll probably be grasping at that same writing instrument. Some choice!

I'm planning to do a symbolic vote myself and do a write-in for Tom Wheeler. At least we know he is for film and it might send a message to both the winner and the loser of the election that we're here and we mean business.