By: The Don

M. Night Shyamalan is a long-time filmmaker that is currently apart of Hollywood’s film industry. Growing up in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia, Shyamalan is no stranger to Pennsylvania. He specializes in directing, producing and screenwriting. He made Hollywood fame when he wrote his all-time famous film, The Sixth Sense (1999). The script was very enticing and interesting to studios, that a huge bidding war occurred to acquire the script and rights to make the film. The film would later go on to be a huge success earning, $672.8 million worldwide, so it’s safe to say he knows what he is talking about when it comes to movies.

This past week on Thursday, October 31st, M. Night Shyamalan went before the Pennsylvania House Democratic Policy Committee at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, to try and convince lawmakers to increase Pennsylvania’s Tax Credits. He is lobbying to have film tax credits either uncapped or increased to attract more opportunities for movies and TV productions as many are finding better opportunities in places like Atlanta and other cities.

What is the Film Tax Credit?

The film tax credit is an incentive to movie studios and production companies that are given to encourage states to film their films in. The idea behind a film tax credit is pretty simple: by moving production to a state, you’ll be able to save money on taxes owed, or get some other perks in exchange for shooting on location there. The film tax credit is capped at $70 million right now in Pennsylvania. M. Night Shyamalan is pushing for an increase. The tax incentive maxed out six weeks into this fiscal year, according to Sharon Pinkerton, director of the Philadelphia Film Office.

Why is Film Tax Credits Important?

Film Tax Credits are important because it helps states provide jobs to hundreds and thousands of people. It also helps the state’s economy to grow. Filming locations also attracts more people to visit their state and helps increase their tourism. The Film Production Tax Credit offers a 25 percent tax break to film productions that spend at least 60 percent of their costs in Pennsylvania, so once the combined tax credits across all participating productions hit $70 million, no more credits are available to anyone until the next fiscal year.

Why is this Important to Philadelphia?

Philadelphia is an arts town. There are many hard-working people in Philadelphia, especially filmmakers. Philadelphia has a lot of freelance filmmakers because it is close by to New York City. New York City is a large film hub, and many Philadelphians and Pennsylvanians commute there in search for work in the entertainment field. Philadelphia the fourth largest city in the United States, and if we get an increase in tax credits, we will have our people stop traveling far distances for work and be able to work within our very beautiful city. Philadelphia is also historical. For example, the film National Treasure (2004) had shot a few scenes in Philadelphia and explained the important events that happened back in 1775.

Conclusion

Shyamalan and others in the film industry in Pennsylvania will be lobbying to have tax credit changes made during the governor’s next budget. I believe this is imperative to the city because as stated, it will help provide numerous jobs, stimulate the economy and show off Philadelphia on the big screen. A perfect example would be Creed 1 and 2. Both films were filmed all over Philadelphia and helped local communities by showing the realness of what Philadelphia has to offer. What do you think?

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