WHEREAS, Philadelphia has been the setting of many acclaimed movies and television shows. The City’s neighborhoods and skyline provide an iconic backdrop to hundreds of such productions; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia offers prime locations for filming, from historic buildings to beautiful parks to bustling college campuses; and
WHEREAS, Several incentives are available to filmmakers looking to bring their productions to Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Film Production Tax Credit Program, a hotel tax exemption, police assistance, and fee-free locations are all offered in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Attracting film production to Philadelphia and encouraging independent filmmaking directly benefits to the City. Production crews use local hotels, restaurants, other businesses, and labor; and
WHEREAS, While movies and television shows are still filmed in Philadelphia, the frequency with which large-budget film productions have chosen to locate in the City has greatly declined. Meanwhile, cities such as Pittsburgh have seen significant increases in the number of films made within their limits; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia has a sizable number of schools that produce talented filmmakers and young professionals whose creative talents Philadelphia should be competitively seeking to retain upon their graduation. Losing these creative individuals to other cities as they search for opportunities in the film industry hampers Philadelphia’s long-term competitiveness in many creative industries; and
WHEREAS, The film industry offers opportunities for diverse people of all backgrounds to contribute towards making movies and television shows. Philadelphians should be able to work on film projects of all genres and budgets in their own City; and
WHEREAS, Film production is important to Philadelphia’s national reputation and the local economy. The more movies and television shows choose to shoot in Philadelphia, the more of a hub of the creative economy the City becomes; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby authorizes Council’s Committee on Global Opportunities and the Creative/Innovative Economy to hold public hearings on the state of the Philadelphia film industry.
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