From CT Productions:
TO: Friends of the Connecticut Entertainment Industry
FR: Connecticut Production Coalition Founding Members (See Founding Members below)
With the current worldwide financial crisis unfolding around us, nearly everybody agrees that there has never been a more important time to diversify our state economy in order to thrive in the 21st century. And you can help by adding your name to a new coalition to build the Connecticut film and digital media industries. It is free and simple to join.
In 2006, the State of Connecticut took an important step in achieving the goal of diversification by creating a 30% transferable film, TV and digital media tax credit incentive program in order to spur development of new industry in our state. The program has provided an excellent start in the long process of firmly establishing this new industry, but there is still a significant amount of work to be done. Though the effects are really just beginning to kick in, we’ve already seen a wide variety of businesses flourish, new jobs created, and infrastructure built. Going forward, a permanent new industry will be established and the whole State will benefit from a stronger, more diverse economy, a richer culture, and of course, increased tax revenues.
To support the State’s efforts, a group of us has banded together to form the Connecticut Production Coalition, and it is our hope that you’ll join us.
With CPC, it is our goal to bring anyone and everyone together who has benefited or sees the opportunity to benefit in the future from this incentive program. This is not just limited to those who work directly in the industry, but includes any person or business that serves or has the potential to serve the industry. The benefits are distributed among a wide variety of businesses and we want to make sure that every voice of support is heard. By unifying, we will be able to speak strongly of the important work that is being done to build this industry and improve the State’s economy. Again, we are writing to ask you to join us in this effort.
It is free to join the Coalition, and you can opt-out at any time if you choose to. We want this to be as inclusive as possible so that our State leaders understand just how many people have been positively impacted by this program and the potential it has to serve as an economic pillar for the state, especially as the Governor and Legislature make decisions concerning the current overall budget shortfalls.
Once you are a member, you will receive a Quarterly Newsletter with information on current and expected productions, upcoming events, major facilities announcements, legislative issues, calls to action, stories from coalition members, job opportunities in the industry, etc. You will also get invitations to Coalition networking events of which we hope to have many!
Connecticut Production Coalition Mission Statement:
Together, we are committed to building a strong, robust and sustainable film, television and digital media industry in Connecticut. We come together on a bipartisan basis to support and promote the value of this industry in Connecticut to markets worldwide, state lawmakers, the media, and other related industries.
On our website (www.productionct.com) you can find a Fact Sheet to give you more background, and a Coalition Resolution detailing the mission of CPC and its members.
We will keep you posted in the coming weeks as we issue statewide and targeted local press releases.
We hope that you will give serious consideration to joining the Connecticut Production Coalition, and please forward to friends and colleagues to urge them to join as well. Together, we can help build a strong, robust and sustainable film, television and digital media industry in Connecticut. We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you from the founding members...
Kevin Segalla, Connecticut Film Center
Bruce Heller, Connecticut Film Center
Howard Baldwin, Baldwin Entertainment Group
Karen Baldwin, Baldwin Entertainment Group
Chris Campbell, Palace Digital Studios
Tom Carruthers, Connecticut Film Festival
Ephriam Cohen, The Fortex Group
Brandon Curiel, Venan Entertainment, Inc.
Donna Elkinson, Elkinson + Sloves, Inc.
Andrew Gernhard, Synetic Cinema Intl
Mike Kuhar, VisualEFX
John Lanza, Kostin, Ruffkess & Co, LLC
Fred Litty, Sonalysts Media Group
Al Maiorano, Televersemedia
Mark Osora, Sheptoff, Reuber & Co, P.C.
Jeff Taylor, Elements Post
Neal Thomassen, Angel Eyes Productions, llc
Ron Wishna, RM Studios, LLC
This is not an RIFC Production