Why is it that Missouri production lags so far behind many other states, which have no more to offer producers than Missouri does?  States such as New Mexico, Connecticut, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania -- and even tiny Rhode Island  -- have some 10 to 20 times the production of Missouri.  Major Hollywood studios are opening permanent facilities in some of these states.  What's the difference between these states and Missouri?
 
One big difference:  They all began with a vision of what could be.  They had a vision of a major new industry in their state.  Whether the vision came from politicians, or the state film commission, or from the local film industry, it gave the local film community a powerful goal to work towards.  That vision led to the development of a thriving industry.
 
Of course, all of these states have developed powerful incentive programs to entice films to come to their state.  But those incentive programs would not have come about, if there had not been someone  -- or some group of people -- who began with a bold vision off what could be possible.
 
Missouri needs such a vision.  Solomon, reputed to be the wisest man who ever lived, said: "For without a vision, the people perish."  Without a vision, the film industry in Missouri may not perish, but it will be destined to remain third-rate -- a graveyard for the lowest of  low-budget indies, box-office duds, and third-rate genre films cranked out for the Sci-Fi Channel.
 
Connecticut has a vision:  The state governor's office has said that it has a goal of building a $1 billion production industry in the state (already well on its way -- production totalled $1 million the six months before its tax credit was passed in July, 2006; since then, total production has been $300 million). Massachusetts wants to become "Hollywood East."  Wisconsin's vision is
to become "The New, Affordable, Film-Friendly Third Coast."   They'll all have to vie with New Mexico, though, which last year had the third-most film production in the country.
 
Wisconsin is probably the best example of what's possible  -- and it could serve as a model for the Missouri film industry.  In 2004, Wisconsin had no feature film production.  The state film office closed its doors in 2005, due to budget cuts.  The fate of the state film industry looked dismal. 
 
On July 4, 2005, a group of about 35 Wisconsin filmmakers got together.  They surveyed the local industry.  They formed a grassroots campaign to build up the state's film industry.  They were able to get a film tax incentive law passed against
substantial political opposition  -- a package of incentives that some consider to be the best in the country.  The bill not only has benefits for Hollywood producers, but for small local independent filmmakers, as well.
 
The bill just took effect on January 1.  Already, two low-budget indie films, with budgets of $1-$2 million each -- have chosen Wisconsin,   But the state's greatest coup, so far, is "Public Enemies," the story of John Dillinger, produced by Robert DeNiro and starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, with an estimated budget of $100-$200 million.
 
What's more, Film Wisconsin continues to help smaller, in-state filmmakers.  The group recently arranged for a Wisconsin-based theatre chain , Marcus Corp. (with over 600 screens throughout the upper midwest), to guarantee theatrical runs of any feature film shot in Wisconsin.
 
As Scott Robbe, the executive director of Film Wisconsin said, "by offering filmmakers a guaranteed commercial theatrical run for their work, coupled with our incentives and our untapped potential as a film location, we anticipate a significant influx of creative projects coming to the state.  Bruce Olson, president of Marcus Theatres, said that the theatre chain "will provide the foundational bookings that may lead to multiple playdates from other theatre circuits in major markets across the Midwest and U.S."
 
There's no reason Missouri couldn't be as successful as Wisconsin -- or any of these other states.  But we must start with a bold, passionate vision.  A vision that's strong enough to stir the blood of the local film community, the media, the public,
and the politicians.
 
Perhaps the new Missouri Motion Media Association will provide that vision (www.momma.org).  I've volunteered to work on the Legislative Committee, and I'd recommend that you check into the organization.. If they provide the vision that's necessary -- and communicate that vision clearly --then  Missouri will have taken the first step to being a major player in the U.S. film industry. Missouri will be well on its way to becoming the filmmaking powerhouse we'd all like to see.