Office of Motion Picture &Television Development

1. Office of Motion Picture &Television Development Vincent Gray, Mayor Crystal Palmer, Director FY2012 and FY2013 Oversight and Performance Hearing February 11, 2013

2. Washington, DC with its immediately recognizable monuments and memorials has been the setting of numerous movies, mini-series and television shows, documentaries, commercials, video games and music videos. The intrigue of the nation’s Capitol with the power of politics, military strategies and investigative journalism has inspired many a storyteller and in doing so has produced many award-winning productions filming on location in the nation’s Capital.

3. The Warner Bros. motion picture, Argo that filmed in the District in FY 2012 has been nominated for several Academy Award’s and Golden Globe Awards and won "Best Director" from the Director's Guild of America. Showtime's Homeland and HBO's Veep filmed here in FY 2012 and FY 2013 and were nominated and won Emmy and Golden Globe Awards. Other major productions that filmed in the District included Lionsgate's The Marriage Counselor, Paramount's GI Joe, Universal's The Bourne Legacy and the critically acclaimed, Zero Dark Thirty.

5. Other Projects Filmed in the District in FY 12 Include COVERT AFFAIRS (USA Networks): A drama series about a young CIA trainee, Annie Walker will return to DC for more filming in FY13. JEOPARDY! (Columbia/TriStar TV): The long-running TV game show filmed “Power Players” week here in the District at DAR Constitution Hall. AFTER TOP CHEF (Bravo): Bravo follows the stars of previous seasons of their “Top Chef” franchise as they try to parlay their Top Chef fame into successful culinary careers.

6. HOUSE OF CARDS (Netflix): A political thriller series starring Kevin Spacey, based on a book and British miniseries of the same name returns to DC for more filming in FY13.

7. Other Projects that Filmed in the District in FY 13 Include Philomena Lee (BBC):Based on a true story, the film centers on Philomena Lee; Judi Dench plays an Irish woman seeking the illegitimate son she was forced to put up for adoption. Christmas in Washington (TNT): Celebrating its 31st anniversary this year, Christmas in Washington is a holiday tradition benefiting the Children’s National Medical Center. What Would Ryan Lochate Do? (E!): The Olympic gold medalist, is set to be the star of his own six-episode show that will follow the swimmer. White House Down (Sony Pictures): A Secret Service agent is tasked with saving the life of the U.S. President after the White House is overtaken by a paramilitary group.

9. Inaugural Coverage in FY13 Entertainment and media companies from all parts of the world applied for permits to capture on film this year's Inauguration. The influx of production contributed a significant amount of revenue and temporary jobs for District residents. As a result, the second quarter of FY 13 will be one for the record books! 

10. DC stands for “Documentary Central” according to the Los Angeles Times, and The Hollywood Reporter refers to the District as “Docuwood.” Documentary projects that have filmed here include, Smithsonian Network’s The Aliens Inside Us, PBS Frontine, and BBC’s Newsround.

11. The Office of Motion Picture and TV Development’s (MPTD) FY2012 budget was used to provide assistance to filmmakers throughout all phases of production and to promote the District as the destination of choice for production, distribution, exhibition and the creative process.

12. A portion of the FY2012 budget was used to underwrite various promotional and operational elements of the office. Some of these funds were used to purchase film and video equipment, obtain market research data, photographic services, office supplies, etc. Other funds were directed towards personal services. MPTD is comprised of a small staff and provides 24 hour/ 7 days a week assistance to all productions filming on location in the District.

13. Services Provided to the Industry • Production support and community relations assistance. • Concierge services that offer assistance with finding office space, hotel and vendors. • Assistance in finding locations to launch film premieres. • Script breakdown • Produce and publish a film brochure and production resource guide. • Research assistance • On-line Location Gallery • E-photo delivery so filmmakers can continue to review and receive images on demand. • Technical and logistical assistance throughout all phases of production.

14. MPTD will soon be using ReelScout, an online software utility system.  ReelScout offers state-of-the-art location management, location assistance, production management and a crew and production services tool. This feature will offer MPTD the ability to effectively track, manage, and promote local crew and local businesses that provide production support service to entertainment and media companies. MPTD will offer public access to DC locations through a mobile phone application (or “app”) managed and maintained by ReelScout.  MPTD will be one of first film offices on the East Coast to introduce this feature.

15. Marketing, Promotions & Public Relations • Participated at major film and television trade events. • Continued building the versatile mapping system as an interface for accessing generalized destinations as well as more specific location information. • Arranged educational opportunities for District residents interested in learning more about employment and business opportunities in the industry. • Created on-the-job training opportunities for District residents. • Designed and created promotional kits that highlighted the District’s locations, its studio and production facilities, and its first rate technicians and talent. • The District was featured in The Washington Post, City Paper , The Examiner and a number of industry trade publications as a major destination for filming.

16. Social Media Engagement Social Media Engagement –Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter provide a convenient and cost-effective way for MPTD to communicate messages to its target audiences. MPTD strengthened its social media efforts by boosting content and engaging users in dialogue. MPTD currently has 1,155 Facebook likes, and 5,364 Twitter followers. Video Sharing Website –MPTD uses YouTube to send digital videos of locations of interest to filmmakers worldwide. It is a cost-effective and efficient way to deliver content on demand.

17. MPTD Launches “Reel Talk with Film DC” MPTD Summer Intern Lauren Bellamy interviews Matt Noonan, DC Location Manager In August MPTD launched its first ever podcast series, “Reel Talk with Film DC.” The podcast series is a monthly interview based program featuring professionals and experts in the film, television and other related industries.

18. Film & Television Community Partnerships The District has a blossoming skilled talent pool. MPTD recognizes the value of nurturing and developing the local film community and connecting those residents to the industry at-large. MPTD has built strong partnerships with local industry organizations such as Women In Film and Video (WIFV), The DC Film Alliance, and the Television, Internet and Video Association of DC (TIVA-DC). MPTD is actively involved with its local film partners and participates in various film industry related events and activities to promote the District and its local talent and resources.

19. Workforce Development Effort MPTD has completed a comprehensive proposal for an integrated workforce training program that will train District residents in the various vocational skills that the local media industry employers seek in entry-level hires. The program “training module” will place the participants with local “employer partners” so they can gain further practical hands-on experience and benefit from networking with working professionals in the industry. MPTD is currently working to secure a local “training provider” for the program.

20. First Ever Speakeasy Shorts Film Competition The DC Film Office partnered with DC Shorts and Speakeasy in 2012 to host the inaugural Speakeasy Shorts competition, a unique event that combines the art of storytelling with the craft of filmmaking in a two-weekend experience. Eight teams of filmmakers, two of which are D.C. residents, were assigned to eight storytellers to create short films based on original stories, shot and produced in the District. Filmmakers and storytellers being honored at the finale event.

21. D.C.’s Got Talent Since 2011, MPTD has featured talented and creative DC filmmakers as the “Filmmaker of the Month” This prestigious acknowledgement recognizes a District-based filmmaker each month who exemplifies the vast amount of talent and creativity based here in the nation’s Capital. The purpose of this feature is to bring attention to this wide range of artistry that has so long been untapped and overlooked. Ben Crosbie2012 Telly award for "Keeping the Kibbutz” Robin SmithEmmy for “Shooting Back: Photography By Homeless Children” and for “A Call to Care”

22. Filmmakers of the Month Honored at FilmfestDC Workshop The city’s largest and most comprehensive film festival, Filmfest DC, helped the DC Film Office celebrate the one year anniversary of Filmmaker of the Month initiative by honoring all of the Filmmaker of the Month recipients. The recognition took place at a workshop featuring a panel of accomplished independent filmmakers from around the globe entitled “Personal Connections of Public Stories: From Idea to Projection.”

23. There’s No Place Like D.C. Continued by popular demand in FY13 is the “One City Location of the Month.” It consists of a wide range of varied, cinematically compelling locations that are available to film and television productions. The historic Eastern Market was featured in Bravo Television’s Life After Top Chef, Capital Hill played the silent star in Netflix’s House of Cards, and Georgetown was showcased in Tyler Perry’s film, The Marriage Counselor.

24. Financial Incentives Financial incentives have increasingly changed the way that film location decisions are made, to the point that many films made on location do not consider coming to states without such programs. Without incentives, even the nation’s Capital, which offers services that other jurisdictions cannot, finds it challenging to be the venue of choice for production. Therefore, the District is planning to conduct a feasibility study to determine the best way for the city to attract production in today’s competitive environment.

25. MPTD Incentive Study • ECONorthwest has been selected as the firm to assist MPTD in creating a viable incentive program for the District. The public policy objectives for the incentive program include: • Restore and strengthen the film, television, and digital media industry as a component for the economic base of the District • Attract and sustain a pool of trained professionals and business to the District to supply and support the production industry and generate quantifiable revenue for the District • Increase employment opportunities for District residents • Stimulate tourism in the District • Improve the economic success of existing business in the District • Develop the infrastructure in the District necessary for a thriving entertainment and media industry including a soundstage

26. MPTD Soundstage Study • The District is geographically positioned as a natural extension of the East Coast film, television, video gaming and new media community. In conjunction with the right infrastructure, state-of-the art soundstage and the revival of an incentive program, the District's production industry has the opportunity to capitalize on its proximity to New York. Recently, MPTD issued an RFP for a study that will address and quantify how the development of a soundstage will do the following: • How the soundstage can serve as a catalyst to attract other ancillary businesses • Fulfill the need for jobs and job growth opportunities in the District, including jobs such as production office staff, producers, production managers, set construction, etc. • Bring new revenue to the city • Increase the utilization of local businesses of all kinds

27. NEW MEDIA Increasingly, the video game and motion picture industries are becoming more inter-connected. Today, it is rare for a successful motion picture to not create a video game version to enhance its revenue stream. As a result, MPTD plans to make the District a destination for the creation of new media. The entertainment software industry now rivals and even surpasses the revenue-generating potential of the motion picture industry and other more traditional delivery platforms for creative/entertainment content. The District is poised to leverage its creative talent, equipment and facilities to attract new media to the nation’s capital.

28. BET Soundstage In FY 2012, RSA Productions created content for Activision’s video game Call of Duty: Black Ops at the BET Soundstage. Activision is a leading international publisher of interactive entertainment software products and content. Activision currently offers games that operate on the Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. PlayStation 3, Nintendo Co. Ltd. Wii, and Microsoft Corporation Xbox 360 console systems; the Nintendo Dual Screen and Nintendo DSi handheld devices; the PC; the Apple iPhone, the Apple iPad and other mobile devices.

29. Our goal is to promote the economic development that filmmaking provides in terms of jobs and revenue, spur tourism, and create a global awareness of the District’s people, landscape and culture. During FY2012, MPTD strategically allocated its financial resources in order to place the District at the forefront of production, distribution, exhibition and the creative process.