Design Review Committee disapproves replacement "Sign"
The Terminal: Ten Years Later
The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that Governor Riley had finally signed HB69 into law, creating tax incentives for the entertainment industry in Alabama. It was drafted and introduced to the Legislature by Rep. Richard Lindsey back in February, going through several revisions.
The bill was pushed along with the help of local supporters like Lindley Praytor, a local makeup artist and actress who prompted supporters into action and updated them via Facebook, and Alabama State Representative for District 60, Earl Hilliard. Hilliard serves on the Birmingham/Jefferson County Film Advisory Board and is a local film maker.
The law gives discounts on sales, income and lodging taxes to production companies spending at least $500,000 to film any type of commercial film or commercial in the state or spending at least $50,000 to make soundtracks. This will give Alabama the same chance as other states like Georgia and North Carolina to attract movie and TV production projects. Prior to this bill, film projects like Sweet Home Alabama (a movie with Alabama in its name!) were shot in neighboring Georgia because of the poor to non-existent tax incentives in the state.
Some recent film projects in Alabama include Honeydripper (directed by John Sayles) and Sony Pictures’ Talledega Nights.
Read HB69 here.
Photo: The Alabama. joshself/Flickr.
