California film tax credit lottery draws only a few lucky winners
Producer Andrew Lazar was all set to shoot an adult romantic comedy in Hermosa Beach, where the story is set.
But now, he’s forced to have the $10-million movie rewritten with Miami Beach as the backdrop so he can take advantage of Florida’s film tax credit.
The reason: His film didn’t make the cut of 28 projects approved last week for California’s state film tax credits.
“I’ll just have to change the location and the script because these tax credits are so important for making movies,’’ said Lazar. “It’s a heartbreak because the story would have been perfect for California,” added the producer, whose screen credits include “Jonah Hex” and “Get Smart.”
Lazar’s experience was widely shared among filmmakers who came away disappointed Friday when their projects didn’t win the “lottery” -- the annual selection of films and TV shows eligible to receive a piece of the $100 million allotted for state film tax credits.
-- By Richard Verrier, Los Angeles Times