The film and video industry pumped more than $220 million into the Virginia economy last year, a record for the state, according to figures released this week by the Virginia Film Office.
Northern Virginia — bolstered by its proximity to the District — brought in more than $58 million.
“The District is a powerful generator of business,” said Mary Nelson, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Film Office. The District generated nearly $48 million in revenue last year from film and television production and some of those shoots spilled over into suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia.
For example, “Mission: Impossible III,” starring Tom Cruise, shot scenes at several Virginia locations during 2005, including the 14th Street Bridge in Arlington.
But while Virginia had a record-breaking year — 18 films and 315 television shows shot scenes in the state in 2005 — the competition for screen time between Virginia and Maryland is fierce, Nelson said.
“Maryland is a competitor,” she said. “They’re probably our greatest competitor because their state has invested a lot of time and money into growing the industry.”
The Maryland General Assembly passed the Wage Rebate Program in 2005 as a way to attract more production to the state. The program gives 50 percent salary rebates for every person hired to work on a movie or television show up to $2 million for each production.
Maryland’s total film and television revenue grew by more than $30 million between fiscal 2005 and fiscal 2006. Last year, the state brought in $66.3 million from film and television shoots. Maryland doesn’t include revenue from in-state post-production facilities or smaller commercial and video shoots in its calculations like Virginia does.
Maryland expects to close fiscal 2006, which ends June 30, with about $100 million in revenue.
Jack Gerbes, director of the Maryland Film Office, attributes that boost directly to the incentive package.
“The first question out of a producer’s mouth is ‘What kind of incentives do you have?’ ” he said.
Virginia does not currently offer incentives, but there is a request on the table for funds in the fiscal 2007 budget. The state House version of the budget allocated $1.6 million for incentive packages, while the Senate version designated $300,000.
“If we don’t get incentives,” Nelson said, “we’re going to fall by the wayside.”
Regional screentime
Movies and TV shows shot in the Washington region in 2005/2006:
The District
» “Mission Impossible III”
» “The Good Shepherd” (scheduled for 2006 release, starring Robert De Niro and Angelina Jolie)
» “The Sentinel” (starring Michael Douglas and Eva Longoria)
Virginia
» “Mission: Impossible III”
» “Flags of Our Fathers” (scheduled for 2006 release)
» “Evan Almighty” (sequel to “Bruce Almighty,” scheduled for 2007 release)
Maryland
» “The Visiting” (scheduled for 2007 release, starring Nicole Kidman,)
» “Step Up” (scheduled for 2006 release)
» “Rocket Science” (independent film, scheduled for 2006 release)
