Starting on January 14, 2010, the VPA will launch what is known as "Two-A-Days" at the General Assembly. This targeted approach to educating lawmakers on the importance of the film production industry in Virginia has been a highly successful program in the past and we’re sure it will be this year. We will need two volunteers every day to be on hand at the General Assembly Building in downtown Richmond to share our message with our legislators. 

Volunteers will be given all the information they need to successfully talk to lawmakers about the importance of film incentive legislation to our industry, but you can start with the TALKING POINTS below. It is not necessary for you to be an expert lobbyist. What lawmakers love to hear are your personal stories!  If you have never volunteered to lobby (which is an elegant word for "telling your story to legislators") now is the time to get involved! You can volunteer for as many days as you like over the course of the General Assembly's session.  

For more information or to volunteer, contact VPA lobbyist Josh Myers at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Becky Beckstoffer at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 800.854.6233, or Margaret Ivy-Smith at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (or call 804-339-2754).

VIRGINIA’S MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY - TALKING POINTS

Virginia’s Proposed Tax Credit Program: SB257 & HB861
• Offers a tax credit based on the qualified expenses incurred in Virginia during production
• Rewards the hiring of Virginia workers
• Promotes workforce development and supports the state’s university film programs by rewarding the hiring of new Virginia workers
• Provides additional benefits to projects filmed in distressed areas of the state
• The proposed program is estimated to generate more than 500 jobs

What Tax Credits Can Generate
Tax credits can revitalize Virginia’s motion picture industry and bring jobs, revenue and economic growth. 
• Based on data from states with film incentives, job growth from incentive programs is 19 percent
• A study on the impact of the proposed tax credit plan showed that film industry employment could double in four years with the incentive program
• Every dollar invested in incentives could produce an economic impact of $14.3
• Recruitment of motion picture production will stimulate interest in Virginia as a tourist destination

The Media Industry in Virginia
• In 2007 the economic impact of the industry was $601 million
• In 2008 the impact was $378 million – a 37 percent decline from the previous year
• The economic impact of the industry since 1980 is greater than $4 billion
• The industry supports more than 4000 workers and also impacts numerous other industries such as hotels, rental companies, hardware stores and caterers
• The motion picture production industry is much more than movies – it’s also television, historic documentaries, television commercials, mini-series and cable television such as the Discovery and Learning Channels, PBS and National Geographic, all of which bring revenue to the state in either production or post production
• Films, television shows and documentaries are powerful generators of tourist visitation to Virginia; Iconic films such as Dirty Dancing, Cold Mountain and the acclaimed mini-series John Adams are examples
• The media production industry contributes more than $80 billion annually to the US economy

Competitive Threat
• Forty-three state legislatures have instituted significant film incentive legislation in their jurisdictions
• Virginia is one of these states but is last place in funding; Virginia invests less than $1 million annually on film incentives
• For example, Pennsylvania has $43 million in tax credits, West Virginia has $10 million and North Carolina has no cap on the amount of credits issued
• Virginia cannot compete with these powerful incentive programs and is rapidly losing market share
• The economic impact of projects that have been lost to other states since 2006 is $367 million
• The potential economic impact of 12 projects that are interested in filming in Virginia, but are in jeopardy due to other states’ incentives,  totals $385 million

Based on reports on the economic impact of the film industry in Virginia by the VCU Center for Public Policy (2005, 2006, 2007) and Mangum Economic Consulting (2008, 2009)