Sent to Denver Post July 16, 2004
Published in Denver Post July 25, 2004
The parts in brackets were not published by the Denver Post
Dear Editor:
Re: "Movies for the Whole Family" Denver Post July 16, 2004
I agree that uplifting family movies are sorely needed and Mr. Anschutz's willingness to invest $300 million in such productions is commendable.
However, according to their websites, the Anschutz Filmgroup, Walden Media and Bristol Bay Productions (fka Crusader Entertainment) all have their corporate headquarters in California, and according to the Internet Movie Database, not one of their productions was shot on location in Colorado or used a Colorado facility for post-production editing or sound work. I think it would far more commendable if Mr. Anschutz spent some of that money filming in Colorado with the thousands of excellent cast and crewmembers who live here.
Colorado has a variety of locations from cities and towns to mountain and plains. The only thing we truly lack is an ocean, but "The Surfer King" is going to be doing part of its production here in August and September despite this handicap. Why should Anschutz eschew the wonderful actors and actresses of Colorado or the numerous grips, gaffers, and set designers who live here? There are cinematographers and movie lighting rental houses and world-class stunt performers here in Colorado. There are sound stages and Avid editing systems at the Comcast Media Center and Colorado Studios and numerous smaller production and post-production facilities across the state.
[While the Colorado Legislature has not seen fit to follow the lead of many other states and attempted to spur local movie production with tax incentives, the truth is that taxes are already lower in Colorado than most other states. A study by the Colorado Legislative Council done in November 2003 using US Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis data determined that Colorado ranked 42nd in sales taxes, 25th in individual income taxes, and 42nd in corporate income taxes compared to California's rankings of 28th, 10th and 7th. Some states offer sales tax rebates of 10-20% to companies that bring film production into the their state. But since Colorado's sales tax is already 39% lower than California's and 38% below the national average, the savings are built right in. There's no need to wait for the rebate check.]
Labor and other costs are also less expensive here than in LA. [(I know from personal experience that buying a sandwich for lunch costs nearly twice as much in LA as it does in Colorado.)] It makes economic sense for Mr. Anschutz to shoot his movies here.
[My message to Mr. Anschutz regarding his film production investments would be (to borrow a phrase from another Colorado company, American Furniture Warehouse): "Bring it home."]
Darlene Cypser
Inferno Film Productions, LLC
Littleton