Myth: If you work in film, you are “Hollywood” and make good money.
Fact: The majority of workers in this industry — particularly those in Massachusetts — are considered low-middle income families and thrive due to continued projects being brought to the area via film tax incentives.
It is one thing to threaten the film tax incentives because you think it will save Massachusetts money. But it is misguided to threaten the incentives because you want to provide “aid to low-middle income families” instead, when we ARE low-middle income families.
I’ve worked in New England for seven years and currently reside in Waltham, MA, due to the work and resources available. If jobs are removed from here, I won’t switch careers, I’ll change where I live.
That means I won’t spend taxes here. I won’t spend rent here. I won’t buy groceries, utilities, equipment, local services, etc. That might not seem like much from one individual, but what happens when you remove an entire workforce? That will be a devastating blow to Massachusetts income and tax revenue for ALL businesses/industries.
For us, filmmaking is not a hobby. It is our livelihood. And the film tax incentive is a sustainable platform to foster our industry; it has been proven successful in many other states. Remember: it’s not about creating jobs. It’s about bringing the work that already exists TO Massachusetts, thus benefiting everyone.