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Description
From the hearing of the Committee on Global Opportunities & Creative/Innovative Economy Friday, May 12, 2017:
Sharon Pinkenson, Executive Director of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, testifies on the state of the Philadelphia Film Industry.
A
A
B
You
thank
you
for
your
consideration.
I,
unfortunately,
was
not
able
to
hear
the
testimony
of
of
any,
but
this
this
last
panel
I
do
want
to
respond,
however,
to
the
last
speaker
as
comments,
because
I'm
very
disappointed
to
hear
that
she
was
not
aware
of
programming
for
independent
filmmakers
and
services
for
independent
filmmakers.
The
Greater
Philadelphia
Film
Office
is
unique
among
film
commissions,
because
we
have
a
program
called
Greater,
Philadelphia
filmmakers,
which
has
been
in
existence
for
my
entire
tenure,
which
I'd
rather
not
state
how
long
that
is,
but
it
is.
B
It
is
25
years
and
and
in
Greater
Philadelphia
filmmakers
program.
That
is
a
pure
nonprofit
side
of
what
we
do.
We
serve
the
local
indigenous
film
community
or
at
least
try
to
with
everything
that
they
need
and
those
services
are
all
free.
We
have
to
fundraise
to
support
those
services,
so,
for
example,
every
month
we
have
perhaps
maybe
not
in
July
in
August,
but
every
month
we
have
free
programming,
usually
at
the
last
few
years
of
the
prints
theater
on
the
in
the
black
box,
where
we
provide
educational
and
informational
programming
in
various
different
areas.
B
We
have
hosted
for
for
just
as
long
the
set
in
Philadelphia
screenwriting
competition,
which
has
a
$10,000
top
prize,
a
$2,500
pride
for
the
best
set
in
Philadelphia
screen
screen
play
by
anybody
who
lives
in
the
five
counties
or
$10,000
prizes
for
anyone
who
lives
anywhere
in
the
world
that
writes
the
best
set
in
Philadelphia
screenplay.
We
are,
we
have
a
student
prize
and
we
are.
B
We
are
just
added
this
year,
a
prize
for
the
best
screenplay
by
a
non-white,
diverse
screenwriter,
and
we
are
incredibly
excited
about
that,
and
that
is
a
$2,500
prize
for
that
Best
Screenplay.
We
are
the
as
far
as
I
know,
the
only
Film
Commission
in
the
world
that
has
a
full-time
multicultural
affairs
director.
That's
what
we
call
the
position
that
whose
mission
it
is
to
engage
the
multicultural
filmmaking
community
and
those
who
would
like
to
be
a
part
of
that
to
with
the
connectors
to
provide
programming.
B
Many
of
our
filmmakers
programs
are
just
for
diverse
filmmakers
women,
filmmakers
of
all
different
types
and
and
categories
on
LGBT
how
to
be
able
to
to
get
on
work
on
a
set.
So
we
are
quite
devoted
to
the
filmmaking
community.
We
do
not
own
a
studio
or
equipment,
but
certainly
when
it
comes
to
locations.
B
You
know
and
we're
for
if
we're
asked
you
know
we
will,
we
will
certainly
do
it.
We
don't
know
about
projects
that
we
don't
know
about.
We
certainly
shoot
a
lot
more
independent
films
than
we
do
major
productions
we
work
with
Temple,
University
and
Drexel
University,
and
all
the
universities
and
colleges
and
schools
in
the
area.
B
We
have
an
internship
program,
I
very
involved,
certainly
with
Temple
and
Drexel,
and
you,
arts
and
many
of
the
other
schools
and
as
those
our
interns
have
gone
on,
to
have
great
careers
in
the
film
industry
and
all
you
know,
love
Philadelphia
and
come
back
in
and
try
to
bring
films
here
in
I
know
that
you
spoke.
There
was
a
lot
of
conversation
about
the
Pennsylvania
film
tax
credit.
It
is
the
coin
of
the
realm.
Indeed,
in
the
film
industry
internationally
and
Pennsylvania
was
had
its
first
tax
credit
in
2004.
B
B
So
when
Canada
first
started
luring
film
and
television
projects
to
Canada
other,
they
did
it
through
their
their
Canadian
film
Commission,
their
National,
Film,
Commission,
and
then
the
provinces
added
on
additional
incentives
and
then
other
countries
around
the
world
did
the
same,
and
basically
the
United
States
was
late.
In
the
game,
because
there
was
no
National
Film
Commission,
so
we
film
commissioners
had
to
do
it
state
by
state
legislators
by
legislators
and-
and
it
was
a
it-
is
a
reason
why
the
tax
credit
programs
from
state
to
state
are
very
different.
They
also
please
yeah.
A
B
A
You
so
we
did
hear
from
Representative
Paul
Kosta
who's
introduced
the
bill
to
take
that
the
film
tax
credit
from
60
million
to
one
hundred
and
fifty
million,
and
he
has
explained
some
of
the
problems
along
with
Michael
McCain
president
founder
of
MVM
associated
treasurer
of
the
pennsylvania
film
industry
association
about
the
fact
that
you
know
there.
There
are
limitations
to
our
tax
credit
and
the
fact
that
the
tax
credit
can
be
borrowed
against
which
leaves
less
money
in
the
future.
A
B
A
What
is
the
state
of
filmmaking
in
Philadelphia
today
and,
in
summary,
it
seems
that
you
know
there
has
been
an
increase
and
then
a
decrease
and
right
now
we're
struggling
in
part
because
of
the
tax
credits,
but
other
witnesses
have
also
identified
some
other
other
things
that
the
city
could
do
from
a
bridge.
Loan
bridge
program
out
of
PID
C
against
tax
credits
of
we.
A
Increasing
it,
you
know
from
4.5
million
to
up
to
a
higher
level
those
type
of
things,
and
there
was
testimony
that
there
is
not
as
good
organization
and
infrastructure
in
Philadelphia,
as
in
maybe
Pittsburgh
and
there's
issues
about
the
ability
of
some
of
the
younger.
My
interpretation
younger
production,
folks,
and
not
enough
work
and
a
challenge
in
terms
of
their
their
Union,
the
organization,
the
leadership
and
we
seem
to
be
somewhat
of
a
disorganized,
not
uniform,
not
kind
of
like
on
the
same
page
type
of
city.
Are
we
getting
you
know?
A
Pittsburgh
is
saying
that,
basically,
they
they
have
a
lot
of
projects
coming
in
and
in
fact,
the
lack
of
tax
credits
they've
had
to
turn
a
lot
away,
turn
away
from
the
work.
That's
there
and-
and
it
sounds
to
me,
like
you're,
using
up
a
lot
of
those
tax
credits,
whereas
here
in
Philadelphia
I
know
we
just
had
the
untouchable
you
know
in
in
Sun
Center
studios.
So
how
are
we
doing?
What's
good?
What's
bad?
What
should
we
do
better?
Well.
B
I
would
make
a
couple
of
comments,
one
with
regards
to
the
labor
situation.
We
have
a
very
different
situation
than
they
have
in
Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh
has
all
their
own
local
unions,
so
they
have
their
own
IOC
local
and
they
have
their
own
Teamster
local.
So
they
are
their
biggest
interests.
Those
locals
is
Pittsburgh,
that's
the
most
important
thing
to
then
we
were.
We
never
had
our
own.
We
had
our
own
Teamster
local,
we
had
Teamster
local
107
and
then
they
lost
that
work.
B
A
few
years
back,
you
may
remember:
Teamster
local
107
and
the
brotherhood
of
teamsters
came
in
and
gave
that
piece
of
business
to
the
New
York
Teamsters
and
the
New
York
New
York
Iasi
came
down
back
in
the
mid-90s
and
took
over
Philadelphia.
In
fact,
they
took
over
Connecticut
and
then
New
Jersey
and
then
all
of
Pennsylvania,
with
the
exception
of
a
50-mile
radius
around
Pittsburgh.
So
that
leaves
us
in
a
position
where
we
have
major
union
leadership
whose
primary
consideration
is
not
Philadelphia.
B
B
But
the
reality
is,
if
you
are
a
businessman
which
a
filmmaker
or
businessperson
pardon
me
which
a
filmmaker
will
set
will
want
to
come
and
access
the
tax
credit,
because
when
it
is
available
it
is
a
great
program
they
will,
if
they
don't
have
to
be
in
Philadelphia
or
they
don't
have
to
be
some
in
some
particular
location.
They
will
compare
budgets,
they
will
do
budgets
for
multiple
places
and
multiple
states,
because
you
can
shoot
in
a
lot
of
places
and
ultimately,
Philadelphia
is,
is
going
to
be
more
expensive.
B
I
think
the
idea
which
I
heard
about
a
Philadelphia
incentive
is
an
excellent
idea.
I
think
that
is
something
that
we
should
address
and
if
City
Council
would
support
that.
That
would
be
tremendous
because
we
need
that
extra
push.
We
also
I
think
the
idea
of
having
a
statewide
as
well
as
Philadelphia
incentive
for
diversity
is
very,
very
important.
B
Governor
wolf
recently
announced
his
diversity,
incentive
or
I
would
say
his
diversity.
Pushy
I
have
I
got
a
call
from
your
state
film
office
last
week,
saying
that
the
governor's
diversity
incentive
meant
that
we
had
to
on
our
website
be
able
to
identify
who,
in
our
crew,
who
wish
to
be
identified,
or
anybody
who
had
listings
or
companies
whether
they
were
diverse
or
not
and
I
said,
we've
been
doing
that
for
a
long
time.
We
already
we
already
do
that,
we're
we're
Philadelphians.
B
You
know
we
do
that
so
so
we
will
now
add,
however,
on
the
rule
at
yet
we
did
not
put
on
there
LG.
We
didn't
you
couldn't
checkoff
LGBTQ,
but
we
will
now.
We
will
add
anything
that
they
want
to
do,
that
that
identifies
diversity,
assuming
that
the
individual
wants
to
identify
label
themselves
in
that
way.
So,
but
we
think
that,
for
as
an
example,
we
had
the
film
Creed
on
that
that
film
had
an
african-american
director.
B
It
was
very
important
to
him
to
shoot
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
which
is
a
very
diverse
city,
and
to
have
a
crew
that
looked
like
Philadelphia
and
had
a
more
diverse
crew
and
it
was
extraordinarily
successful
and
the
crew
was
a
great
crew.
We
got
to
see
a
lot
of
people
that
we
hadn't
seen
who
were
local,
who
we
hadn't
seen
working
on
sets
before
and
if
we
can
incentivize
that
kind
of
diversity.
B
B
There
are
a
lot
of
issues
with
the
with
the
regards
to
the
tax
credit,
and
we
are.
We
are
working
with
the
legislators
in
Harrisburg
one
that
we
certainly
hope
that
our
elected
officials
in
Philadelphia
will
be
interested
in
picking
up
the
phone
and
calling
their
legislators.
You
know
in
Harrisburg
to
help
us,
but
we
have
a
number
of
productions
that
are
talking
about
coming
and
some
have
submitted
applications.
B
The
question
is:
will
the
state
film
office
in
Harrisburg
approve
those
applications
or
or
are
they
more
interested
in
in
approving
applications
in
Pittsburgh,
because,
frankly,
the
political
power
right
now
in
the
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania
is
not
in
southeastern
Pennsylvania?
So
so
any
help
that
we
could
get
from
City,
Council
and
the
mayor's
office
would
would
be
very,
very
welcome.
I
had.
A
Mentioned
that
I
had
met
with
the
speaker
talkers
eye
this
morning.
In
fact,
just
got
a
text
from
him,
so
I
do
very
much
hope
to
speak
with
him
about
the
tax
credit.
I
will
say
publicly
that
we
tried
to
get
DCED
and
the
film
office
to
respond
to
us
over
many
weeks
and
I.
Think
we
got
basically
three
or
four
word
answers
from
them.
So
I
just
don't
know
that
we
got
much
rapport
with
them.
A
I,
don't
know
why
I
actually
called
secretary
davon
and
he
was
traveling
and
I
got
a
very
nice
person
and
basically
got
basically
the
same
thing.
I,
don't
know
it
doesn't
leave
me
with
the
kind
of
a
feeling
that
there's
much
interest
in
Philadelphia,
at
least
from
whoever's
in
charge
over
there
great
concern
to
me.
A
Fortunately,
we
have
elections
and
we
can
call
them
out,
as
I
am
doing
now
for
basically
not
giving
us
even
written
testimony
of
a
paragraph
now
I
even
got
written
testimony
from
John
Ford
from
New
York
and
the
Teamsters
said
someone
from
New
York.
We
can't
get
a
paragraph
from
the
state
film
office.
I
hope
they
do
better
by
us
in
the
future,
but
we
will
be
on
this.
I
can
guarantee
you
that
thank.
A
Thank
you.
Well.
That
concludes
our
hearing.
I.
Thank
you.
I
have
a
list
of
things.
I
think
we
can
do
and
begin
working.
Thank
you
so
very
much
and
especially
Shannon
for
all
your
work
and
coming
down
here.
I
understand
the
extraordinary
circumstances.
I
know
you
got
to
run
out,
but
thank
you
so
very
much
and
I
will
conclude
this
hearing
to
the
call
of
the
chair.