Alright, so there's something that's REALLY been bothering me recently.
There are a TON of new movies and TV shows that take place in Missouri, but they aren’t,
y’know, shot in Missouri.
Ozark, Sharp Objects, Thank You For Your Service, Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri...
These stories take place in Missouri, but, are they filmed here?
Nope.
Georgia, Georgia, North Carolina, Georgia and California.
Why?!
This drives me crazy.
As a Missourian, someone active in the filmmaking scene of this state, I know TONS of videographers
and electronic media professionals who live here and are DESPERATE to be involved in these
kinds of productions.
But the last time a major motion picture that took place in Missouri that actually SHOT
here was Gone Girl, and that was like, 5 years ago!
Nothing recently.
So why doesn’t Missouri ever play Missouri?
Well, it turns out it’s not an issue with the state’s geography or industry.
It’s all about MONEY.
But hey, aren’t MOST things in the entertainment industry?
Since 2014, most film and TV production companies have actually avoided shooting in Missouri,
because Missouri no longer offers a Film Tax Incentive.
What is a Film Tax Incentive?
I’m glad I asked.
Also known as Movie Production Incentives, they’re tax benefits offered on a state-by-state
basis to encourage in-state film production.
To put it in a nutshell, if I own a production company that's looking to shoot a movie, and
I meet certain qualifications, then the state I shoot it in might offer to reimburse a certain
percentage of the production costs.
Maybe a state exempts my production company from certain taxes, maybe they offer fee-free
locations to shoot in, maybe it's a cash grant - any special perks that a state decides to
extend to film or TV companies in exchange for their business falls under this category.
As it turns out, movie production incentives are a big driver for economic development
in places all over the world.
There are around 90 different places in the world that offer incentives.
Fiji, for example, offers a 47% tax rebate on production costs in the country.
Certain States in the US offer incentives, as well, and local governments decide not
only the requirements to qualify for them, but the benefits that can be offered.
If you’ve ever wondered why almost every story that takes place in the Midwest is filmed
in Georgia, you can thank the State’s film incentive program.
Georgia’s Entertainment Industry Investment Act provides a 20% tax credit for companies
that spend $500,000 or more on a single or multiple projects.
They’ll even toss in an extra 10% if you include their promotional logo in the film's
end credits.
Thanks in part to these tax breaks, Georgia has grown into the third largest production
hub in the United States.
Here’s the thing: making movies costs money.
More often than not, a LOT of money - and a TV show setting up production constitutes
a HUGE investment in the local economy where the project is being filmed in.
The TV show Nashville, for instance, shot in Tennessee for 6 seasons, and this provided
around 250 full time jobs for residents in the state.
When you factor in tourism generated from the show, you’re looking at over $700 million
dollars being injected into that state’s economy.
Now, Where’s all this money going?
Well, everywhere.
Film and television production budgets aren't just spent on lights, cameras, and actors.
In order to produce a show, production companies will spend money on hotels and housing for
the cast and crew, vehicle rental, restaurants for craft services, security, convenience
stores, office space and office supplies, and a ton at hardware stores to build sets
to film in.
The point is, when a movie or show is being shot in an area, the producers will spend
money on all kinds of things, and if it’s a show that lasts for, say, six seasons, that’s
a long-term commitment to a local economy.
So, naturally, lots of states want to incentive productions to come shoot in their area, and,
states that DON’T offer these incentives will lose out on many an opportunity.
Let’s say I have a budget of around $5 million dollars to make a show.
That’s a lot of money - still pretty small potatoes in the context of producing a Netflix
original - but, still.
As a producer, I want to spend that money as wisely as possible.
The further I can stretch that $5 million dollars, the better my show is going to be.
If I have two possible states to shoot the show in, and one state offers to reimburse
me 20% of my production budget, while the other states offers me nothing, I’m going
to go where the incentive is, and YOU would, too.
And, wouldn’t you know it, when the the Missouri Film Production Incentive program
ENDED ON NOV. 28, 2013, productions largely stopped happening here.
Ozark (the Golden Globe and Emmy nominated Netflix original) tells a story that takes
place in Missouri.
The production crew of that show even considered shooting it here, but when no production incentives
were offered to them, they decided instead to shoot in Georgia, only sending a skeleton
crew out to Missouri for six days to shoot exterior shots they would splice into the
show during editing.
They spend a grand total of $100,000 here.
When you consider how much money is spent DAILY on productions like that, and that Ozark
is now getting a THIRD season, you come to realize just how much money the state missed
out on.
I’m not the only person thinking about this.
The moviemaking community in Missouri is banding together to try and make the state more film-friendly.
Last month I was invited to speak at the Ozark Mountain Web Fest, a celebration of online
video and Missouri filmmaking, and while everyone was out to lunch, I sat down with Stephanie
Scupham, the Kansas City Film Commissioner, to talk about the push to reinstate Missouri
film incentives.
Austin: So, we've got these web streaming shows that are massively popular.
We've got Academy Nominated and in some cases Academy Award Winning films.
We've got tons of novels that are going to be adapted.
They all take place in Missouri, and they're all shot in Georgia.
So, why doesn't Missouri play Missouri?
Steph: We are so popular for content!
We're talking about Ozark, Sharp Objects, we're talking about Three Billboards, and
then a lot in development as well that I heard on a recent trip to LA.
So, the reason that those AREN'T shooting here are simply because we are not competitive
with other states that have a film incentive.
In the US and US Territories, there are 36 programs.
Missouri is one of the states that does not have any kind of incentive program for film/TV
production.
So, without one, we are being looked over almost every time.
(Austin, narrating): Steph and others are a part of MOMMA, the Missouri Motion Media
Association, an organization that, in part, is pushing local lawmakers to reinstate film
incentives for Missouri.
Stephanie’s actually found great success in her local area of Kansas City.
The statewide incentive might be gone, but local towns can still establish their own
individual programs.
A few places in Missouri have, and, the hope is that their success will cause a chain reaction
throughout the entire show-me state.
You see, the ultimate idea isn’t just to convince outside productions to come to Missouri,
but to encourage the already established film and TV community here to invest their creative
talents right back into their home state.
When I learned that over the last decade, Georgia has seen an increase in TV and film
production spending from $67.7 million dollars in 2007 to $2.7 BILLION in 2017, and that
as a result, there are over 41,000 people employed in entertainment manufacturing, I
just kept thinking to myself, "Boy, what an amazing opportunity that Missouri just keeps
missing out on."
Maybe Missouri will bring film incentives back.
If YOU want to join the push to reinstate them, I’ve linked to MOMMA in the description.
But, you know something?
I’m staying here and working in the state even WITHOUT an incentive.
I support my local community, I love my home state, I know it like the back of my hand,
and I’m gonna keep making awesome stuff in Missouri.
And if you’re a filmmaker - whether from outside the state or within it - I hope you’ll
make awesome stuff here, too.
It’s a state with small towns, big cities, and rolling hills.
A state with views like none other.
A state with beautiful lakes, rivers, and streams.
With parks, and fairs, and festivals.
A state that truly experiences all 4 seasons.
A state with museums and libraries and history.
But don’t just come shoot exteriors and then move your main production elsewhere.
Missouri is MORE than just pretty sights.
Missouri is its people.
Friendly, honest, hard working men and women from various trades and different walks of
life.
And specific to YOUR interests, it has more than 11,000 professionals working in the motion
picture and commercial production industry.
Its colleges and universities offer 38 film and digital media programs to ensure future
industry workers.
I’m one of them.
I was an electronic media production student in Missouri.
The truth is that this state is full of people and places that can help bring your movie
or commercial or show to life.
So, for your production, why not let Missouri play Missouri?
Videos like this don't get made without the help of a lot of people.
Today's sponsor, Audible, made it a reality.
Many of the small town stories mentioned in this video started as books, and those books
can be found on Audible.
There's no better place to listen to audiobooks, because the platform has the largest selection
on the planet.
You might consider checking out Thank You For Your Service, by David Finkel, which we
referenced a few times during the show as a small town story recently brought to the
big screen.
Every month, Audible members get 1 credit good for any audiobook they choose, and 2
Audible Originals they can't get anywhere else.
Plus, your books are yours to keep.
With Audible, you can go back and relisten at any time, even if you cancel your membership.
Didn't like your audiobook?
Then, exchange it, no questions asked!
Start a 30-day trial, and your first audiobook is free.
Go to audible.com/austinmcconnell or text austinmcconnell to 500500.
That's audible.com/austinmcconnell or text austinmcconnell to 500500.