From StarNewsOnline

An actor with long-time Wilmington ties is returning to the Port City for a new role.

ccording to The Hollywood Reporter, Skeet Ulrich has signed on to the John Wells-produced medical drama pilot that is filming in town.

Ulrich attended the University of North Carolina Wilmington for three semesters during the 1988/1989 school year and enjoyed surfing at Wrightsville Beach. But the Virginia-born/Concord, N.C.-raised actor is best known for his movie and television roles that include “Scream,” “The Newton Boys,” “As Good as it Gets” and another CBS show, “Jericho.”

The as-yet untitled medical drama pilot from Bonanza Productions revolves around a team of medical professionals who travel the United States helping those in desperate need. Ulrich will become a member of the ensemble cast that includes Janeane Garofalo (“24,” “Freak Show,” “The West Wing”), Amy Smart (“Scrubs”), Rachelle Lefevre (“Twilight”) and Jay Hernandez (“Friday Night Lights,” the “Hostel” movies, “Lakeview Terrace”).

His character, according to The Hollywood Reporter, will be a Harvard-educated cardiologist who enjoys the adrenaline rush of the medical team’s volunteer missions because it helps him deal with his troubled personal life – his ex-wife is a junkie who he still loves. He hopes that she will go into rehab and rejoin him and their six-year-old daughter.

The John Wells pilot opened production offices at EUE/Screen Gems studios on North 23rd Street late last month.

Gov. Beverly Perdue and economic recruiters are equipped with a more generous tax credit as they travel to Hollywood to try to attract more movies and television productions to film in North Carolina.

Perdue is leading a group of 20 Commerce Department officials, film boosters and others who arrived on Wednesday in Los Angeles for a three-day trade mission. They’ll meet studio executives, hold a reception and also visit some recruiting prospects outside the film industry. Wilmington Regional Film Commission director Johnnie Griffin and North Carolina Film Office director Aaron Syrett will also attend some events.

“It’s basically to say, ‘We’re here, we’re ready, we have a great incentive, we’d love to see you,’ ” said EUE/Screen Gems executive vice president Bill Vassar.

Vassar said previous governors would make trips to Los Angeles about every other year to drum up business for the state.

Perdue might also do some politicking while she’s there. She told the N.C. Metropolitan Mayors Coalition at its meeting in Wilmington last month that she would ask the General Assembly to update the state’s film incentives package. The package was already overhauled once, last year, to make North Carolina more attractive for television and movie projects. The tax break film productions can get back from the state was increased from 15 percent to 25 percent of qualifying expenses.

This time, Perdue told the coalition, she would travel to California to meet studio heads to discuss the state’s $1 million cap on the wages eligible for the tax credits during a production. The governor said this cap remains a problem when it comes to enticing producers.

Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco said having Perdue along attracts a crowd because she’s the state’s CEO.

The state will pay $11,000 for the trip.

Staff writer Amy Hotz contributed to this report.

News 14 Carolina – Perdue signs film production incentive bill into law
http://news14.com/content/local_news/coastal/613873/perdue-signs-film-produc
tion-incentive-bill-into-law/

Wilmington Star News – UPDATE: Gov. Perdue signs N.C. film incentive bill
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090827/ARTICLES/908279983/1177?Title
=UPDATE-Gov-Perdue-signs-N-C-film-incentive-bill

News 13 WLOS – Perdue signs film credit bill from NC lawmakers
http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.nc/22bfeba2-www.wlos.
com.shtml

The Sun News/AP – Perdue signs film credit bill from NC lawmakers
http://www.thesunnews.com/564/story/1039398.html

Asheville Citizen Times – Gov. Perdue signs film incentives bill
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090827/NEWS/908270
52

ABC News 11 – Governor Beverly Perdue signed a film production incentive
bill into law Thursday.
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=6985258

MSN Money/AP – NC governor signs film credit bill from lawmakers
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/category/industryarticle.aspx?feed=AP&Date=
20090827&ID=10342784&industry=IND_MEDIA&isub=

Yahoo Finance/AP – NC governor signs film credit bill from lawmakers
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/NC-governor-signs-film-credit-apf-2781705239.h
tml?x=0&.v=1

Variety, N. Carolina boosts prod’n tax incentive
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007847.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&ref=bd_f
ilm

The Hollywood Reporter, North Carolina ups production tax credit
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/business/news/e3icb4369b
575a64547e6865c174966f9ea

The Wrap, North Carolina’s Film Incentive Raised to 25%
http://www.thewrap.com/article/north-carolinas-film-incentive-raised-25_5630
WRAL, Perdue signs film credit bill from NC lawmakers

NBC, Perdue Signs Film Credit Bill From NC Lawmakers
http://wake.mync.com/site/Wake/news/story/40860/perdue-to-sign-tax-credit-bi
ll-for-filmmakers/

News & Observer, Perdue signs film credit bill from NC lawmakers
http://www.newsobserver.com/1565/story/1664135.html

WNCT, Perdue signs film credit bill from NC lawmakers
http://www2.wnct.com/nct/news/state_regional/article/perdue_signing_film_cre
dit_bill_from_nc_lawmakers/48229/

Winston Salem Journal, Film industry is given a boost
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/aug/28/film-industry-is-given-a-boos
t/

WWAY, Perdue signs film incentive bill
http://www.wwaytv3.com/perdue_signs_film_incentive_bill/08/2009

WECT, Perdue signs film incentive bill
http://www.wect.com/Global/story.asp?S=10994139

BizJournals, New law hikes N.C. film and TV tax credits
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2009/08/24/daily35.html

News & Observer, Fatter filmmakers’ rebate becomes N.C. Law
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1665355.html

Raleigh, N.C. (Aug. 27, 2009) Today, in a public ceremony in Raleigh Gov. Bev Perdue signed legislation increasing the film incentive to 25 percent in North Carolina. The new incentive will be effective January 1, 2010. Advocates of the change say the increased incentive will cement the state’s leadership as a destination for filmmakers, Hollywood studios and independent producers.

“North Carolina is one of the most cost effective film production centers in the country,” says Chris Cooney, co-owner and COO of EUE/Screen Gems Studios, in Wilmington. “Raising this incentive ensures that the impressive talent already here in this state—crew, grip, lighting and set design professionals—will stay here and continue to contribute to the economy and the excellent reputation we’ve built over the last 25 years.”

EUE/Screen Gems Phones Ringing; Ready to Go

“In the last few weeks we have had renewed interest in our studio.” Cooney continues. “The Hollywood studios and producers from around the world have been talking to us, waiting for this 25 percent incentive that will allow them to shoot with us.”

“We anticipate new productions to open offices within the next 90 days” adds Bill Vassar, Executive Vice President of EUE/Screen Gems Studios. Vassar manages the studios in Wilmington and is the liaison with studio executives and producers. “Our mission is to make sure each production is comfortable and the production runs efficiently. This is a 50-acre turnkey operation with all the support services you find on a Hollywood lot. We have 10 stages and the local crew,” says Vassar. “That’s why the announcement of the 25 percent incentive has my phone ringing off the hook.”

The Dream Behind Stage 10

Vassar and Cooney also know the newest jewel in the EUE/Screen Gems Studios crown, Stage 10, will soon be buzzing with activity. The stage is the third largest sound stage in North America with a large special effects water tank. Its size is designed to accommodate large-scale blockbuster films. The comprehensive resources of Stage 10 include a 37,500-foot, column-free stage with a 10.5-foot-deep water tank that can be expanded. EUE/Screen Gems is inviting directors to make this their next creative playground, the place where hurricanes, tidal waves, natural disasters and entire cities can be built, filmed and washed away. Stage 10 is the third largest stage in United States and houses the second largest water tank in the United States.

“Seeing this stage come to life the way we envisioned will be one of my personal triumphs,” Cooney reflects. “People thought we were crazy to build this stage in this economy, but it filled a hole in the industry.”

Expansion Into Charlotte Possible

With the opportunities the incentive brings to the entire state, EUE/Screen Gems is also exploring opening studios in Charlotte. “Can we make filming mountains and urban scenes as easy as filming in Wilmington?” Cooney says. “We’re thinking about how we do what we do best and build on the existing relationships and reputations of businesses in Charlotte. We think there’s real potential.”

About EUE/Screen Gems Studios, Wilmington, N.C.

EUE Screen Gems Studios has been home to more than 300 film, television and commercial productions. Television projects include “One Tree Hill” for Warner Bros. Television (now in an unprecedented seventh season); “Little Britain USA” on HBO; the HBO series “Eastbound and Down”; and “Dawson’s Creek” for Columbia Pictures Television. Recent film projects include “Nights In Rodanthe” for Warner Bros.; “The Secret Life of Bees” for Fox Searchlight; “The Marc Pease Experience” for Paramount-Vantage and others.

For more information on the EUE Screen Gems Studios, visit www.screengemsstudios.com/nc or www.stage10nc.com.

RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue signed the films incentive bill into law Thursday in an effort to bring more film productions to the state.

“This is important stuff,” Perdue said. “This is big business. This is a lot of workers. It’s a lot of money for the state of North Carolina, and it’s a good thing for our economy.”

And it’s meant also to be a good thing for filmmakers. The new law allows production companies a 25 percent tax credit for film projects in the state, which is up from the current 15 percent.

“We’ve set it up. You’ve got the incentive, we want jobs, jobs, jobs,” Keith Crisco, the N.C. commerce secretary, said.

Now, the pressure is on to get more cameras rolling in the state.

“That’s what we do every day, and now we’re going to raise our game to get even more shows and TV and commercials into the state,” Chris Cooney, the COO of EUE Screen Gems Studios, said.

The bill will help to ensure the state remains a strong competitor in film production dollars, which totaled more than $91 million in direct spending last year.

Right now, the film industry employs 2,500 people statewide.

“These are people who live in North Carolina. They’re here, they’re trained, they’re ready to go to work,” Sen. Linda Garrou said.

Wilmington is currently North Carolina’s hot spot for production, but Perdue wants the whole state to get a little bit of the spotlight.

“We’ve turned a page in North Carolina’s film history, and that’s really important because this is an industry we can continue to win big in,” Perdue said.

More than 800 movies have been filmed in North Carolina. The increased incentive takes effect in January.

Who: Chris Cooney, COO and Co-owner of EUE/Screen Gems Studios, Wilmington will be in Raleigh on Thursday, August 27 for the signing of the film incentive by Governor Perdue. (Details on time and location will be forthcoming from the Governor’s office.)

What: Film Incentive increase to 25% keeps the North Carolina film industry alive and vital.
• The incentive begins January, 2010.
• EUE/Screen Gems has a $15 million investment in its new Stage 10 (www.stage10nc.com), the third largest sound stage in North America; it also has a special effects water tank.
• Since the incentive passed, EUE/Screen Gems has been on the phone with film studios expressing renewed interest in filming in NC.
• Cooney may consider possible business expansion into Charlotte market.

When and Where: Raleigh—call 704-936-7783 to schedule interviews all day Thursday; also available at signing.

By Joe Johnson
StarNews Correspondent

Published: Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 10:38 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 10:38 p.m.

Raleigh | Some last-minute work Thursday night to save the film industry in the state resulted in a new tax incentive for production companies to make motion pictures in the Tar Heel State.

The House approved a bill that would give production companies a 25 percent tax break against qualifying expenses beginning Jan. 1. Present law allows production companies to receive a 15 percent tax credit against their qualifying expenses incurred in the state.

Proponents of SB-943 said it was necessary to increase the tax credit to prevent further erosion of the motion picture industry in the state. While the state has first-class production facilities in New Hanover County and the workforce to go with it, more and more production companies have chosen to do work in other states that have more lucrative incentives.

“This is about jobs, jobs and more jobs,” said Rep. Danny McComas, R-New Hanover. “There are jobs that are leaving North Carolina. If we keep them here then we will be collecting those taxes.”

The legislature got moving on increasing the incentives package after the state lost out in June to Georgia for the production of “The Last Song,” based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks and set to star Miley Cyrus. Gov. Beverly Perdue was in Wilmington for a tour of the Screen Gems Studio when it was announced the production of this movie would occur in the Peach State.

The bill, which passed with a 78-26 vote in the House, returns to the Senate for final approval on Friday.

Pushing the effective date to the first day of 2010 was needed so it would not affect the tightly crafted state budget that passed earlier this week.

Rep. Sandra Spaulding-Hughes, D-New Hanover, used a map of the state with dots representing productions that have occurred in North Carolina to sway members of the House Commerce Committee and to show the film industry has a statewide impact.

“Most everyone benefits,” Hughes said. “A lot of the production is near the larger cities but a lot of counties have had productions. The jobs that come with these productions have a way of helping not only the state but the local economy.

“Without this credit, North Carolina will lose business to other states with better incentives.”

Competition with other states for production dollars has become more keen, especially from Georgia, which has a 30 percent credit.

North Carolina got its first taste of the film industry in 1984 and since then an impressive production infrastructure and workforce blossomed to support it. McComas said he hoped the new tax incentive would entice the film industry to grow back to the level it had in previous years.

“I don’t see a downside to passing these incentives for the production companies,” McComas said. “We won’t be giving up any taxes unless the companies spend money I the state. We’re not going to lose anything, but what we gain will be greater.”

Joe Johnson: (888) 300-7753

By Amy Hotz
Amy.Hotz@StarNewsOnline.com

Published: Friday, August 7, 2009 at 4:54 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, August 7, 2009 at 4:54 p.m.

John Bankson is ready to come home. And now that Senate Bill-943 is on its way to Gov. Beverly Perdue’s office, he and many more film industry workers just might be on their way back to Wilmington.

After about a yearlong fight, the bill to increase North Carolina’s film incentive from 15 percent to 25 percent finally passed over all the hurdles in the state legislature – Thursday in the House and Friday in the Senate, and is on its way to Perdue’s desk. Perdue has long been a supporter and is expected to sign it.

“That means I’ll be able to put my children to bed at night. That means that I will not have to drive six hours round trip every weekend to see my family,” said Bankson, a property master for movies. “It means that Wilmington businesses will begin to see a major spike in spending.”

Bankson, who has worked in Wilmington’s film industry off and on for years, says he had to move to South Carolina to work on “Army Wives” because of the souring economy and the fizzled film industry in Wilmington.

The trend of skilled film workers moving out of Wilmington began when other states raised their film incentives. South Carolina offers up to a 20 percent rebate on wages and up to a 30 percent rebate on supplies.

Georgia gives a 30 percent rebate. Other states give as much as 40 percent to productions that film within their borders.

At 15 percent, North Carolina just wasn’t competitive, said Kelly Tenney, who is on the N.C. Film Council board and is a co-producer on made-in-Wilmington “One Tree Hill.” He and many others in the local film community have been working on increasing the incentive for about a year.

The work paid off. Tenney says they got “absolutely” everything in the bill that was wanted and he feels the people who moved away will come back.

“It was a lot of hard work, a lot of people supporting the film industry that aren’t even in the industry,” said Tenney. “And it was really great to see the bi-partisan vote and that everyone believes in the film industry.”

According to EUE/Screen Gems Executive Vice President Bill Vassar, the higher incentive is already working. More than one project is being considered for the area, he said, and “Stage 10 might get a grand opening.”

“Dream” Stage 10 at the studios on North 23rd Street is the 37,500-square-foot monster stage with an indoor special effects water tank the studio completed building this spring. It has sat empty all this time.

“I’m very excited about how this is going to bring people back to North Carolina. I’m excited about how the lot’s going to be buzzing again,” Vassar said. “Does that mean we’ll get every job? No. Are we going to be more competitive? Absolutely. Are we going to win every job over Georgia? No. But it’s going to bring work back to North Carolina.”

Amy Hotz: 343-2099

On Twitter.com: @AmyHotz