I hope so. I'm so tired of being unemployed.

Local TV/film production hopes tax credit will turn around slow times

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - The local film and TV industry has taken a beating from the on-going writers' strike, but the provincial government has provided some light at the end of the tunnel. BC is boosting tax credits for the entertainment industry that provides thousands of jobs, ranging from actors to truck drivers.

With some productions slipping out of town to take advantage of better tax breaks in Ontario and Quebec, BC has matched their tax credit increases, boosting the basic tax credit to 25% (up 7 %) and the incentive tax credit to 35% (up 5 %).

Glenn Bottomley at the talent agency, Local Colour, says it gives him hope business will get back to normal once all the entertainment industry's labour problems are solved. He says the writers' strike has really hurt the talent business. "We're in the neighbourhood of being down 30 to 50 percent of where we would be at this time of year normally."

The Motion Picture Production Industry of BC salutes the tax credit improvements.

Thanks to the WGA strike we didn't get to see the usual TV broadcast for the Golden Globes this year. Hopefully we'll get to see an Oscar show. I do love it so even if I am often disappointed at the Academy's choices. This year has been a particularly excellent year for the kind of movies I enjoy; the more artsy and story driven 'independent' films.

Although I did enjoy Transformers this year, I'm not typically a fan of blockbusters. Although they're aesthetically pleasing and full of huge stars and even bigger effects they often leave one feeling unfulfilled.

This year things are looking a little different. Take the nominations for Best Picture for example:



As someone who loves a great story I need a little soul in my films. There's no Titanic in the lot this year. Thank goodness.

The only one here I have yet to see is Michael Clayton, but the others are definitely at the top of my own list. I can't wait to swear at the TV again on Oscar night! Yay!

Here's a video broadcast the nominations from January 22, 2008:



The rest of the nominations for the 80th Academy Awards are listed after the jump: