'Darkness' debut spotlights film tax deals

ROCKPORT — When "Edge of Darkness" featuring Mel Gibson hit the big screens yesterday, you can bet the line to get tickets included residents of Rockport.

The movie was filmed in part on Rockport's Cape Hedge Beach in September 2008, and debuted in theaters nationwide yesterday.

The release comes the same week Gov. Deval Patrick has proposed cuts to the state's film industry. The cutback would limit the total number of credits to $50 milllion a year for state dollars spent to subsidize films being shot on location in the Bay State in 2010 and 2011, just half the $100 million or more extended in credits in 2008 and last year.

The cut would mean the state's 25 percent tax credit could subsidize no more than $200 million worth of production activity each year, and film and arts officials are concerned that would slow down what has become a growing economic engine for the state and its communities.

Nick Paleologos, executive director of the Massachusetts Film Agency, said in an e-mail that the credit has resulted in new economic activity in the state since it was created four years ago.

"We agree that, in these difficult times every sector of the economy must contribute to the wellbeing of the commonwealth," Paleologos. "However, we believe that this proposal may do more harm than good in helping our state to recover, since it does not fully take into account the far-reaching job creation and economic stimulation benefits of the film credit through the commonwealth.

"We will work closely with the Legislature and the governor's office to remove the cap," he added.

At least Cape Ann towns agree that the film crews mean business.

The upcoming movie "Grown Ups " — set to hit theaters June 25 — was filmed extensively last summer at Centennial Grove and Woodman's Restaurant in Essex, as well as at other various Cape Ann locations.

The film, starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade, Salma Hayek and others, is a comedy about five friends and former teammates who reunite 30 years later to honor the passing of their childhood basketball coach.

The town of Essex received $150,000 from renting Centennial Grove and many improvements were made to property by the production company on top of that. Many local officials and business owners say the movie has pumped close to $1 million into the local economy during this recession. Antique stores, restaurants, local builders and saw mills all indicated they benefitted from having the filming in town.

Meanwhile, Rockport has also benefitted from Hollywood's increased presence over the past two years: "The Proposal," the smash 2009 comedy hit starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, and "The Last Harbor" — which was titled "Hatteras Hotel" at the time it was filming, and stars HBO "Prison Break" actor Wayne Williams. That film is due for release later this year.

In "Edge of Darkness," the primary scene filmed on Cape Hedge Beach features Gibson's character returning to the beach to scatter his slain daughter's ashes into the sea.

As part of the location agreement, the production company donated $2,000 to Rockport's animal shelter.

Before Disney's "Proposal," filmed on Bearskin Neck in April 2008, the last film scenes shot in Rockport had been for 2003's "Stuck on You," starring Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear.

Rockport Chamber of Commerce Manager Peter Webber said many visitors came to Rockport this past season, at least in part, because of the buzz generated from "The Proposal."

"It would be disappointing if this tax incentive for filming in Massachusetts were significantly reduced," Webber said yesterday. "I haven't seen the (governor's) proposal so I don't know the specifics of the plan, but from our vantage point on Cape Ann, it's been very beneficial.

"Filming brings great direct benefits to the communities they film in," he added. "I understand why they're looking at things like this, but it would be disappointing if it did in fact happen because I fear it would have an adverse effect on future filming in Massachusetts and around Cape Ann."

While many town officials and business owners echo Webber in saying film productions provide a boost to the local economy, a July 2009 report by the Patrick administration released last July concluded that Massachusetts taxpayers are not getting their money's worth.

The report stated that the commonwealth is getting just 16 cents for every dollar it spends on the incentives, and that much of the benefits from the program — originally signed into law by then Gov. Mitt Romney in 2005 — are going to out-of-state companies.

According to a statement released by the Massachusetts Production Coalition, a group of companies that make films in the region, the Massachusetts film credit has created more than $1 billion in new economic activity in the commonwealth since it was created four years ago.

"It has been a tremendous boon to the commonwealth, acting as an incentive to local investment by production companies that have come here in large numbers," the statement read.

"We agree that in these difficult times every sector of the economy must contribute to the well being of the commonwealth," it continued. "However, we believe that this proposal may do more harm than good in helping our state to recover, since it does not fully take into account the far-reaching jobs creation and economic stimulation benefits of the film credit throughout the commonwealth."

The governor's office proposes that the cap take effect by March, and that it remain in place for two years.

Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at 978-283-7000 x 3451 or jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.

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