Below is the list of candidates for the six (6) open At-Large positions on TXMPA’s Board. Please take some time before voting begins to review this list and become familiar with the candidates. An e-mail with pictures of the candidates, their bios, and endorsements for these candidates will be placed on the TXMPA website  www.txmpa.org), and distributed to the general membership on Thursday, June 18; if you would like to have your endorsement included, please e-mail TXMPA at  info at txmpa.org no later than Wednesday, June 17.

1) Craig Berlin
2) Garry Potts
3) Jeanette Scott
4) Jeff Horny
5) J. Schuh
6) Justin Muller
7) Larry Cashion
Linda Alcazar Jurado
9) Michael Druck
10) Rick Olmos
11) Robert Curlin
12) Ron Bush
13) Will Raymond

Online voting for these positions will begin at 12:01 AM on Monday, June 22 and will continue until 11:59 PM on Thursday, June 25. Just a reminder: online voting will be handled by Ballot Bin  www.ballotbin.com); as a precaution, please “whitelist” Ballot Bin. This is simply done by adding their e-mail address ( notices at ballotbin.com) to your contact list, so that when voting begins, their e-mail will come directly to your inbox and not to your spam folder.

To be eligible to vote for At-Large members, you must be a paid-up member of TXMPA (at the full or supporting level) by 5:00 PM, Friday, June 19. If you are unsure of your current membership status, please contact your Regional Representative for clarification [or send an e-mail to  membership at txmpa.org]. You may find more information about your Region, and contact information for your Regional Representative, at TXMPA’s website.

Results of online voting, along with the three (3) newly elected Regional Representatives and their respective Alternates, will be announced at our Statewide Annual Meeting, to be held at Texas State University in San Marcos on Saturday, June 27. For more information on the meeting, please visit our website.

As always, thank you for all you do for the moving image industry here in Texas, and we’ll see you on the 27th!

On June 27, Paul Alvarado-Dykstra & Shelley Schriber will officially take over as Central Region board representative & alternate, respectively. I look forward to their input, energy and organizational capabilities as we move forward in our mission – growing our membership, establishing firm financial footing, lobbying the legislative body of Texas to bring work home.

I have spent the last several months in Oklahoma, on a feature film set in Texas. We are filming here for one reason. Legislative incentives. The Oklahoma state legislature has just signed into law a bill granting a rebate of 38% to film productions, and believe me, the studios are lining up and salivating. Never mind that there is NO crew base, NO infrastructure, NO soundstage, NO office facilities. We are based in an abandoned department store. The toilets work intermittently. Next to my desk, the water flows down the pipe each time someone flushes the toilet. But the people are lovely, the locations are good, and the community is eager & ready to build up the crew base and infrastructure to make this a truly competitive destination.

This story is writ large across the country. Incentive legislation is the MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR in drawing film production to any state today. Witness Michigan! They are building one of the biggest sound stages in the country. New Mexico, as we all know, is now firmly ensconced as a production destination, growing from nothing to the powerhouse it is today in a few short years. The main, the only, reason they have been able to accomplish this is the incentive package offered by the state of New Mexico. The single purpose of the TXMPA is to change this imbalance. The biggest lure, the most important factor in bringing back our jobs, is legislative action. That is our goal.

The TXMPA at large elections begin next week. I hope all central region members will vote for our proposed slate:
Craig Berlin
Rick Olmos
Jeanette Scott

We want to have as big a voice as possible from the central region as we move forward on our quest.

Thanks to all of you for letting me represent you. We have made great strides. Now, we must take the next two years to build our membership, raise money, establish a permanent office, and muster forces for the next legislative session. Many people have been out of work. Frustration levels are high. I have been forced to leave home and family for work. Nothing does more to change the equation than legislative action. In 2011, the battle begins all over again. Nothing is automatically renewed. Let’s all band together and come back bigger and stronger, with one voice, to insure the future of the film industry in Texas.

I ask you for your vote, your support, and your time and effort to build TXMPA into a force to be reckoned with.

Respectfully yours,

Jeanette Scott, outgoing board rep for Central Region

Is this the contract we want and need? No. However, after a year of on and off negotiations, this is the contract we’re stuck with and, given the overall economic climate, this contract will pass. At least we got two year expiration that will give the various guilds the opportunity to work together next time and hopefully improve the pitiful compensation package that this agreement establishes for new media. Time will tell, of course, but those of us who’ve been around the block a few times have little reason for optimism that the AMPTP will give significant improvements going forward. Our best hope there is if SAG, AFTRA and WGA can work together in two years. Each day seems to bring a new announcement concerning new media company alliances that will continue to alter the current product distribution landscape. Right now, actors are set to get the short end of the stick. In two years we should have ample documentation to make a strong case for significant improvements to this just approved agreement.

And now some really good news…

TXMPA effort pays off with improved film incentive package… gov will sign into law and now it HAS TO BE FUNDED…

And more good news…

SAG and AFTRA successfully negotiated a new commercials contract so no negative excitement on that front…things are looking very positive for resurgence of Texas film business…Great way to start a new week!

Here’s the email SAG members got concerning the new theatrical contract:

Dear Screen Actors Guild member:

We are pleased to inform you that the National Board of Directors today voted to approve the tentative TV/Theatrical deal and recommend it to the members.

Please see the following announcement.

SCREEN ACTORS GUILD NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES TENTATIVE TELEVISION AND MOTION PICTURE CONTRACTS AND RECOMMENDS RATIFICATION

Los Angeles (April 19, 2009) – The Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors today voted 53.38 percent to 46.62 percent to approve and recommend to members, new, two-year successor agreements to the 2005 Producer-Screen Actors Guild Codified Basic Agreement and 2005 Screen Actors Guild Television Agreement.

The proposed agreement, covering actors in motion pictures and television delivers 3.5% effective annual increases comprised of a 3% wage increase and a .5% pension and health contribution increase upon ratification, and a 3.5% wage increase in year two.

The board passed the below motion shortly after 4:00 p.m. today:

It was moved and seconded that the National Board directs the Interim National Executive Director to send the tentative agreement between the Producers represented by the AMPTP and the Screen Actors Guild for successor agreements to the 2005 Producer–Screen Actors Guild Codified Basic Agreement and the 2005 Screen Actors Guild Television Agreement to the membership for ratification, with a recommendation from the Board to vote ‘Yes.’
Approved: 53.38% –46.62%

“I urge members to carefully review both the pros and cons in the referendum materials, and exercise their right to vote,” said Screen Actors Guild National President Alan Rosenberg.

Interim National Executive Director David White said: “We are pleased that Screen Actors Guild members will soon be voting on a deal for television and motion pictures. We’re eager to get our members back to work and to focus now on the challenges ahead, particularly on initiating a comprehensive effort to thoughtfully plan for the future.

Our negotiating committee, task force and professional staff have worked countless hours on this agreement over the last year. On behalf of the National Board, I thank them for their time, commitment and expertise.”

Chief Negotiator John McGuire stated: “This tentative agreement delivers increased contributions to the SAG pension plan, increased minimums, a significant gain in background actor numbers from 50 to 55 over the term of the contract, and it tracks the new media provisions achieved by other entertainment industry unions. The term of the agreement puts SAG in sync with the other unions, and does not include the extended term recently proposed by the AMPTP.”

Provisions of the proposed deal include:
• A two-year term of agreement concluding June 30, 2011.
• Effective annual increases comprised of 3.0% in wage increases and .5% in pension contributions upon ratification, and a 3.5% wage increase one year following ratification.
• A new media structure that tracks those achieved by other industry unions, resulting in gains for actors including:
o Jurisdiction on all derivative, made-for new media productions; automatic jurisdiction on all high-budget, original, made-for new media productions; plus jurisdiction on low budget original, new media productions that employee at least 1 covered performer.
o Residuals for exhibition of TV and Theatrical motion pictures on consumer pay platforms (Electronic Sell Through) at a greater percentage than those paid for DVD distribution.
o Residuals for ad-supported streaming of feature films and television programs.
o Residuals for derivative new media programs.
• Additional 5 covered background actors in feature films. From 50 to 53 covered background positions upon ratification of the contract, and from 53 to 55 covered background positions in year 2. Adds 1 covered background position in TV, from 19 to 20, upon ratification.
• Increased compensation for guest star premium from 7.5% to 10%.
• Increased trailer money break from $2,500 to $3,000, or more per week.
• Increased overtime money break for three-day performers from $2,700 to $3,000.
Ratification ballots will be mailed to eligible SAG members in early May, with an expected return date at the end of the month. Tabulation will occur immediately upon the conclusion of balloting.

Bargaining for a successor agreement to the 2005 SAG TV/Theatrical Contract began on April 15, 2008.

Our legislative rallying cry/ kickoff mixer & information session will be Monday, January 26 from 6-9 at:

Roux Restaurant
214 E. 6th St, Austin 78701
512 479 0474
just a couple of doors down from the Alamo Ritz.

Special Guests:
Bob Hudgins, Texas Film Commissioner
Brandon Aghamalian, TXMPA lobbyist with Hillco Partners

Come early for networking Happy Hour (till 7) with great food & drink

This is a very important meeting for all of us.

WE HAVE A BILL. WE HAVE BILL SPONSORS IN HOUSE & SENATE.

We have a new speaker of the house. The legislature is in full swing, and we will know who all the power players are- committee chairs, etc. The past few months have been about raising money & membership numbers (which we do still need.) Now we turn our focus to action. At this meeting we will talk about what to do when to whom. Brandon & Bob can answer questions about our legislation, and best tactics for getting it passed & funded. We’ll talk about lobby day. Bring ideas you have for how to make our message heard. We’ll have volunteer assignments, letters to sign, etc. As most of you know, there has been a lot of bad press lately regarding incentives.

Now more than ever, WE NEED EVERYONE TO COME TOGETHER. We’ll have special guests & plenty of networking time, so we promise it will be fun as well as informative. If you are concerned about the state of the moving image industry in Texas, COME TO THIS MEETING! NOW IS OUR MOMENT! BE PART OF THE SOLUTION!

WHAT YOU CAN DO THIS WEEK & NEXT.

1. Recruit 5 new people. An antique dealer, a film buff, an aunt, your neighbor, or anyone else you can get to care. If you can get them to join, great. If not, at least get their emails, go to website, & add them to email list. 20 seconds total. We need to build outreach so when it’s time for letter avalanche we reach as many people as possible.

2. FIND OUT WHO REPRESENTS YOU. WRITE THEM.
Go to this link to find your legislators.  http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us Scroll down to your Texas State Senator & Representative. Then, write them.

It can literally be done in 2 minutes. You just check email, fill in your information, and then enter a brief message. Please support the Moving Image Industry Incentives. Add a brief personal comment like “Thanks for your support. I’m an actor. We need this legislation! Our jobs have left the state. We have families too.” You get the picture.

If you are concerned about the state of the moving image industry in Texas, COME TO THIS MEETING! NOW IS OUR MOMENT!
BE PART OF THE SOLUTION!

by Craig Berlin
Founding Board Member (Retired)
Texas Motion Picture Alliance
 http://www.txmpa.org

Acting is something close to my heart. Talent does not guarantee
success and even though I did a lot of acting in high school and
college, I opted to go behind the camera as a career because it felt
safer (hah!) So, the plight of the production industry in Texas
touches me both from a business and personal standpoint on more than
one front.

Recently I was asked to address the Alliance, a network of Austin
casting directors, agents and acting coaches in order to keep them
up-to-date on the state of the industry but most importantly to help
them reach out to their clients, the myriad of actors we have in
locally. I’d like to pass along the information I shared with them
statewide and specifically address what I understand to be some of
the specific concerns actors have about TxMPA.

You may have heard that the Texas production business is hurting,
making it harder for actors and crew to find work and generally
impacting the state’s econcomy in a negative way. The alarm bells
being sounded regarding production business in Texas are from real
numbers, not just protectionist fear. Texas used to be considered
the “Third Coast” but that has changed. Producers who want to come
here no longer can because the money people won’t allow it. To be
frank, who can blame them? After all, as an industry of “artists” we
spend much of our time trying to convince the traditional business
community that film, music and the arts are “business” too, so we
can hardly expect the business decision-makers of production to
behave substantially differently in regard to “the bottom line” than
other bean counters would.

The truth is, production incentives work and a lack of them hurts.
In 2002, pre-incentive Louisiana had about $20 million/year in
production business. Since the advent of incentives, their business
had grown to over $640 million by 2005. Similar figures exist for
New Mexico. Michigan is currently building the second largest
production studio in the state as a direct result of new business
brought in by incentives, according to the mayor of Lansing. The
list of migration and infrastructure growing elsewhere goes on.

By contrast, Texas is DEAD LAST on the list of states with
incentives. As a result, our business has correspondingly shrunk. We
are now into the billions of dollars in lost revenue. Prison Break
left Dallas and even Robert Rodriguez is likely producing his next
feature in Michigan. We were barely able to hang on to Friday Night
Lights and that had a lot to do with help from the local support and
there are MANY more examples.

As the Third Coast, Texas offered talented and plentiful crew and
actors as well as varied locations, good facilities and of course,
Texas charm. While the charm and locations may remain, the rest of
our infrastructure is eroding due to lack of business. Some studios
are not being built because we lack incentives; others are not
getting badly needed upgrades. Our crew and actors are working
out-of-state more than they are working locally and that makes it
difficult to keep your roots here. As of now, the local crew labor
union IATSE reports they have more crew working out of state than in
Texas. While talent agents typically do not report specific numbers,
a SAG survey included alarming information as well. One talent agent
reported nearly 100 performers, or 75% of the agency roster, had
found work in Louisiana or New Mexico in the past year. Another
agent cited 36 film and television projects in Louisiana employing
75 of the agency’s Texas performers and five projects in New Mexico
employing 9 Texas performers in the past year. A third agent
reported total gross earnings from out of state in 2007 comprised
27% of the agency’s film/tv gross and increased to 28% in 2008,
whereas five years ago there were not measurable out of state
earnings. With the possible exception of commercial business in
Dallas, we simply cannot be satisfied with the status quo and expect
to have any kind of industry left in this state.

It is widely believed by those in the trenches that we have about 9
months to get our act together (no pun intended) and make something
happen or our a signficiant portion of our industry will be dealt
such a severe blow that it will literally wither and any opportunity
for regrowth will be years down the road. It is imperative that
actors join the cause individually and both JOIN the TxMPA and
participate in the grass roots effort by writing their legislators –
ESPECIALLY the naysayers such as Senate Finance Chairman Steve Ogden
in Williamson County.

While Bob Hudgins, Texas Film Commisioner, is an amazing advocate
for our industry, he is not in a position legally to take an
official stand and furthermore, his office is underfunded and
understaffed to do all the marketing we need to bring more business
to the state. Once we have successfully achieved better incentives,
the TxMPA needs to have a long-term mission of helping to solicit
business for our state and help improve our infrastructure, as well
as making sure that the “total package” we offer stays attractive
and competitive with other states.

It is often difficult for even the most talented actors to get jobs
when business is plentiful. Just imagine how it will be when
business is virutally nonexistent. Personally, I hope to do some
acting again in the future and my daughter is interested as well.
Beyond that, my job depends on a healthy production community.
Production business is not only good for the entire state but is
also significant part of what makes Texas “cool,” much as is live
music is for Austin. More importantly, we and our friends and
colleagues may have a mass exodus if we aren’t able to turn things
around.

As a local vendor, it has been difficult enough to compete with
internet companies to supply a local clientele made largely of
transplants from California and elsewhere who do not share the “Buy
Local” mentality of old in regard to their current home. With the
local business migrating elsewhere, it is likely that what remains
of local producers and potential location shoots may very well be
left with few options when the number of local suppliers left to
serve them shrinks even further. Just last week I learned that the
mobile HD editing facility Confidence Bay is moving to L.A. so they
can sustain their business until the industry climate is better
here, at least they have the ability to come back, if and when we
fix things. They are not alone.

A fair number of actors seem to have a particularly difficult time
believing in the issues or supporting TxMPA. There has been
concerned expressed by some regarding where the TxMPA money ends up.
As the first treasurer for TXMPA I can vouch for the fact that at
least 90% of the money raised goes to lobbying expenses. It case it
hasn’t been made clear, with over 5000 bills in front of a
legislature which only meets every other year, NOTHING gets passed
in Texas without a lobbyist. Most of the remainder of the money goes
to fundraising and promotional expenses. There are no paid board
members, employees or other gravy trains and most expenses such as
travel are absorbed by individual board members. As Chairman of the
Membership and Fundraising Committee our first year, if I went to
other cities to promote the organization I paid my own way.

Any way you slice it, our first priority must be to pass better
incentives to put Texas back on the list of viable choices and that
is the TxMPA’s prime directive. We can’t do it without the financial
and grass-roots support of the entire community, including actors.
Please let me know if you need help with specifics about how to get
involved beyond joining the organization; otherwise please visit
 http://www.txmpa.org and sign up. It’s an investment in your future
and we need you.

In Texas we are HOPING to get the legislature to increase our incentive from the current dead in the water 5% to a comparatively modest 15%. We are hoping that the existing infrastructure will make 15% more competitive. So far, 15% hasn’t primed the pump much for Indiana. Notice that Texas is not on the list at the end of the article of states offering competitive film incentives.

Here’s an excerpt from the Indy.com article:

Even Bloomington’s Angelo Pizzo, the writer/producer of two of the most quintessentially Indiana movies, “Hoosiers” and “Rudy,” admits that if forced to choose between shooting his next projects here or in another state with better incentives, it might be hard to persuade his financiers to stay here.

“One of the reasons I got behind the (incentives) bill is there are a number of projects I’m involved with that I want to shoot in Indiana. And right now, I’m faced with a real dilemma. Do I, out of sentiments, out of wanting to support the film business in Indiana, do it for 15 percent here, or for 42 percent (in Michigan)?” he said. “Economically, it’s hard for me to justify.”

Pizzo said that even on a low-budget project of $5 million or $6 million, the difference between Indiana’s incentives and other states offering 25, 30 percent and up can come to a million dollars or more. For his long-gestating feature film about the Indianapolis 500, with a budget of at least $70 million, the savings (in other states) would be astronomical.

Associated Press

May 9, 2008, 04:54 PM

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says California must increase tax incentives to movie and television studios as a way to keep them from moving their productions out of state.

He says incentives being offered by other states are luring studios away and costing California tens of thousands of jobs.

His comments on Friday came days after ABC Studios said it was planning to move production of “Ugly Betty” from Los Angeles to New York.

A new law there triples New York’s film tax credit. Companies can receive a 35% credit if at least three-quarters of their production is filmed in the state.

Schwarzenegger told reporters in the state capital that he has been pushing California lawmakers to approve tax incentives for the film industry for the past four years. So far, he has not succeeded.