With the Hollywood movie “Everybody Loves Whales” wrapping up in Alaska within the next few weeks, state economic officials are wondering what the next big Alaska movie project will be.
Whatever the plot or size, one thing is sure: movies filmed in Alaska bring money to the state, which is why state officials are hoping their tax incentive will convince Hollywood to take an extra look, before shooting elsewhere.
“The Grey,” a survival thriller starring Liam Neeson, set in Alaska and planned for a 2012 release, has been scouting different locations in Alaska, however the production has also been looking around Vancouver, which could end up adding this to the long list of movies set in Alaska but filmed out of state.
The State Commerce Department officials say that they still haven’t heard from the filmmakers, however that the company has expressed concerns about the lack of winter sunlight. Another bad sign is the fact that a production office for the film was operating this week in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Currently about 30 productions have pre-qualified for the state subsidy that allows producers to recover up to 44 percent of their spending in the state. According to Alaska Film Office manager David Worrell the state hopes to attract more long term projects such as TV series and reality shows to “level the valleys between those major productions that may come every few years.”
While Alaska’s tax incentives are among the most generous in the country, the state will need to work on several things before being able to attract big Hollywood productions. This includes improving infrastructure, and building sound stages, which the state currently lacks. Without this it will be very hard for the state to convince Hollywood producers to shoot in Alaska instead of other states closer to home.
