Over the last eight years, Gov. Gavin Newsom has presided over a major increase in state support for Hollywood.
But with Newsom on his way out, and the industry still floundering, Hollywood leaders are working overtime to build relationships with whoever his successor will be.
In recent months, a coalition of Hollywood unions has met with nine candidates for governor, including one of the two major Republican contenders. The unions are aiming to impress the importance of sustaining and improving upon a $750 million state subsidy for film and TV production.
“There are a lot of headwinds,” said Rebecca Rhine, the president of the Entertainment Union Coalition. “What we really need is for a structure that really allows us to fight for this work that every other country in the world seems to want.”
The candidates, in general, have been receptive. Before he dropped out of the race on Sunday, Rep. Eric Swalwell pledged to expand the state incentive, saying on social media that “it’s time to bring the industry back where it belongs.”
Tom Steyer also committed to an expansion in a Substack post last month.
“The expanded California Film and Television Tax Credit program is working — it helped keep local production afloat late last year — but we’ve got to do more to reverse the devastating loss of entertainment jobs in Los Angeles and around California,” Steyer wrote.
The union coalition met with both of those candidates, as well as Katie Porter, Antonio Villaraigosa, Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Betty Yee and Ian Calderon. (Calderon has also dropped out.) In addition, the unions spoke with Steve Hilton — one of the two leading contenders on the Republican side. The group extended an invitation to the other one, Chad Bianco, but have not been able to set up a meeting.
The coalition does not make endorsements, but is striving to make sure it has a relationship with whoever comes out on top.
“We have a story to tell,” said Rhine, who is also the Western executive director of the Directors Guild of America. “When we tell it, there is really universal support and understanding of what the value is of having this work and this industry centered here.”
The Teamsters union backed Porter last fall. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees does make endorsements, but has not done so yet in this race.
State lawmakers are already exploring ways to make California’s film incentive more generous, including by underwriting post-production and by backing commercials.
The Hollywood unions are also pushing for a federal incentive that would more effectively compete with subsidies in the U.K., Europe, Canada, and elsewhere. Whoever is elected governor of California would be expected to play an advocacy role in that project.
“We are willing to look for partners on this issue in the governor’s office, in the Legislature, and at the federal level,” Rhine said.
Source: variety.com
