I am a filmmaker and I want to stay home and work in Washington. My livelihood depends on a steady, reliable flow of film projects being made here, and for the past ten years, the motion picture production incentive has been responsible for attracting the projects that keep me working.
Film production is good for our community. When a production comes to town to film, it means a huge boost to the local economy because they spend money with caterers, restaurants, hotels, gas stations and local shops, and they provide jobs for our local cast and crew. I worked on the television series “Northern Exposure” and that show spent $50 million per year in Washington and to this day people still visit the town of “Cicely” in Roslyn.
Right now in Olympia there is a bill to renew the motion picture production incentive program. The program will go away on June 30 unless elected officials in Olympia act, and if the program isn’t renewed, I’ll have to move (along with many of my friends and colleagues.) I certainly hope that it passes so that we can continue to see film in our community.
Vicky Berglund-Davenport
Lake Stevens
