LINCOLN — Movie producers Alexander Payne and John Beasley called for “action” Tuesday in a long and so far unsuccessful effort to permit financial incentives for film-making in Nebraska.
Nebraska is one of 10 states that don't offer any tax incentives for locally produced movies, television shows or commercials. The two Hollywood veterans said that ends the conversation quickly with potential film prospects.
“We have zilch. That goes over like a lead balloon,” said Payne, the award-winning director and screenwriter of “The Descendants,” “Sideways” and “About Schmidt.”
Payne, an Omaha native who splits time between his hometown and Los Angeles, and Beasley, an Omaha-based TV actor and movie producer, testified in support of a bill that would allow cities to use some of their economic development funds to reimburse expenses of movie crews working in Nebraska.
The modest proposal is expected to have a better chance of passage in the Nebraska Legislature than past proposals because it involves no state money and it allows cities to choose whether they want to negotiate for a movie project.
Payne said even “conservative” Kansas has adopted a 30 percent tax credit program to lure movies. That program, he said, might force his next film, titled “Nebraska,” to be shot mostly in the Jayhawk State.
“I'm being pressured to shoot in Kansas instead of Nebraska. And I'm hard-pressed to offer resistance,” Payne told the Legislature's Urban Affairs Committee. “What do our counterparts in Kansas see that we don't see?”
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Beasley said a $12.5 million movie project he's involved with, “The Marlin Briscoe Story: the First Black Quarterback,” may also be shot in Kansas, even though Briscoe was from Omaha and played college football at Omaha University.
“The investors in question, they want their money to go as far as it can go,” he said.
The film-incentive proposal, Legislative Bill 863, is the latest in a long line of unsuccessful attempts to adopt film incentives in the state.
Past efforts, which go back to at least 2000, died primarily because of their cost in state tax dollars and because of questions about whether movie-making provides a significant economic boost. A 2009 study in Nebraska projected a $1.08 return in economic benefits for every $1 spent on incentives.
Lincoln Sen. Colby Coash, who has appeared in some small-budget films, said LB 863 is different because it costs no state money — only local tax money — and gives cities control over the films they choose to subsidize. It might inspire bidding wars between cities to host movie crews, Coash said.
“And besides, it's just the cool thing to do,” Payne added.
Tourists, he said, are still traveling to California's wine country because of “Sideways,” and South Dakota still gets visitors because “Dances With Wolves” was filmed there.
LB 863 would allow cities whose voters have adopted so-called “LB 840” economic development plans to use the sales and property tax funds gathered for film projects. Such funds are now used to help new businesses and tourist-related activities.
Fifty-nine Nebraska communities, including La Vista, Fremont and Blair, have such LB 840 programs; Omaha and Lincoln are among the communities that do not, but officials said they could choose to adopt such programs, which require voter approval.
Last year, the City of Valentine provided a $5,000 discount on local lodging, food and other expenses for a Colorado film crew shooting an independent movie called “Aviation Cocktail.”
Coash said the film crew ended up spending $40,000 to $50,000 in the north-central Nebraska community, and is considering coming back to film a larger movie.
Payne, who's shot three films in Nebraska, said the state used to have an economic advantage as a “right-to-work” state. But it has lost that advantage after states such as Michigan, New Mexico and Louisiana adopted generous tax breaks for movie production.
Payne and Beasley said Coash's bill would offer only modest benefits, but it would at least allow Nebraska to say it has incentives and would help build an infrastructure of movie workers in the state.
Beasley said his Briscoe movie is considering Dana College in Blair, Neb., as a potential location. Payne said that Lincoln and communities within 60 miles are being considered for some shooting of the comedy “Nebraska,” either this May or in 2013.
“We would love to work in Nebraska,” Beasley said.
Contact the writer:
402-473-9584, paul.hammel@owh.com
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