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Front Row Seat: Episode 3: Globeville Studios, an Iphone Non-Sequiter and Colorado Film Funding
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Front Row Seat: Episode 3: Globeville Studios, an Iphone Non-Sequiter and Colorado Film Funding
By Tom Brainard
This week we focus on solutions. It is no secret that the legislative process for anything can be laborious, frustrating and perhaps even archaic. However, we are fortunate to live in a place where private industry can take ownership of a problem and act on a solution, distinct from government.
That’s great and all, but first I have to give brief, but profound praise to the Apple Iphone. Having nothing to do with film, I say this:
Traditionally, if a man is out shopping with his wife or girlfriend, that man might find himself seeking refuge on a velvety bench or some such device in a clothing store, while his better half is donning myriad outfits, eternally uncertain of the correct choice. This can be frustrating for said man, but he is unlikely to voice such concerns for fear of reprisal. Enter our hero, the Iphone. Waiting long hours in uninteresting, non-gadget based boutiques with nothing to do but give faux-praising nods when wifey asks your opinion? There’s an App for that. There’s actually a ton of apps for that, so thank you, dear Iphone. Now back to our program.
Having had several more enlightening conversations in the last couple of weeks on the subject of film production in Colorado, I have formulated a hypothesis regarding possible catalysts.
As a disclaimer, I am well aware that there is actually a good deal of production going on at any given time here in our state. We have crews for physical production and post that are more than capable of handling any scale of task in their field. Many of them work constantly, but many do not.
Additionally I am aware from first hand experience, that we have a valid and even exceptional education base for the entertainment industry. From community college classes on trade skills to Film Theory majors at the University of Colorado, our collective creative output could easily be a robust pipeline for development, production, post, distribution and marketing workforces for any content type. As it stands now, one learns here then leaves, often taking their state funded education with them.
Finally, I wish to fully recognize the entertainment entities that are based in Colorado. Starz and their Overture Films, Liberty Media, Direct TV, AEG Live, The Starz Film Center and on and on.
Take all of this in unison, and one could argue that a foundation exists for legitimate growth of this industry in Colorado.
The governmental based entities with the power to act on this are busy with other things right now, so I will introduce three ideas here as talking points, that are solutions absent of tax based assistance.
Enter Justin Spicer and Allen Mclain of Globeville Studios, based in Denver. I sat down to interview these fine gents recently. From that conversation I gleaned a good deal of information on the recent history of film in Colorado and from them a very educated perspective on how to spur things along.
Globeville is in the business of making movies. However, doing so in Colorado rarely pays the bills for too long, so they apply themselves to other subcategories of entertainment; industrial films, commercials and the like. They do this instead of leaving for Los Angeles, which deserves praise for their commitment to the state. Justin speaks fondly of the times that the movie “Silver City” was being shot here. 
At that time (1993-1994) The Globeville Studios screening room and offices were abuzz with activity. Every day the footage shot was screened there. Celebrities were cat napping on the couches while editors plunged into thousands of feet of film, while caterers stocked the stomachs of the overworked, but happy members of director John Sayles’ team. More importantly though, Justin, Allen and many other Colorado residents were working. They were bringing money into the state. They were augmenting the tax base. Even those flown in for the project were spending here. Thousands of room nights at local hotels, huge bar and restaurant bills. Millions poured into our economy in just a couple of months.
That was the mid nineties. Aside from a short stay of an Eddie Murphy film recently, I must pull anecdotes from the mid-nineties. You simply must experience the power of the flow of cash into a community by a film to understand how beneficial it truly is. Not to mention the advancement of the confluence of art and commerce within a community that such ventures spur. For fear of further digression, let’s move on to solutions.
I said I had three ideas to offer, so here they are:
Idea 1: Privately Funded Incentive Program
The Colorado Film Commission is a stellar group of folks. I met with them recently and they will be the subject of future articles. For now, I simply say that they are up against a very big wall. They are tasked with communicating these efforts to our state and local governments. That alone is more than a full time job. This means that they have their hands full on the legislative side of things. We in the private sector can help.
As mentioned earlier, there is big business here that could take more interest in seeing our community prosper further from the entertainment industry. The work force here is ready and willing and educated. They would like to stay and live and work here. This would only benefit everyone.
The tax incentive program that the Film Commission is working on is fine, but only a start and a drop in the bucket in terms of scale. What if the private sector created an incentive package to attract projects? What if they created a matching fund in concert with the public incentive program to double the money? In New Mexico, the state makes loans to films and receives repayment with interest as the films prosper. They make huge money. The private sector here could do the same thing. We could match funds with the state, loan out to production and reap the benefit both financially and as a progressive community. Discuss.
Idea 2: Privately funded “contest”
This one is credited to Marcia Morgan, of the Film Commission. It’s an idea in it’s infancy, but I thought one worth mentioning.
For those who followed the show “Project Greenlight” which one the brainchild of Chris Moore, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and their LivePlanet Production Company. This series basically held a contest for screenwriters to submit their scripts. The winner was given a million dollars to make a movie. This was chronicled on the reality series.
This idea of Marcia’s would be similar in plan. Gather private funding and hold a contest for writers to set a script in Colorado. Grant the winner a million bucks to make a movie here. Gather local sponsorships and partnerships and expose the project virally, through the tourism board and wherever else was relevant. It’s not a bad idea at all and a relatively inexpensive way to propel our film industry toward the “tipping point”, which I have written of before and will again right now...
Idea 3: “Tipping Point Project”
Thanks to Justin Spicer for seeding this idea, which requires a perfect confluence of circumstances. It is one that I have experienced before in action and can attest to the fact that it is feasible.
Case Study: I mentioned in prior articles that I have worked on a few films. One such film was then entitled “The Game Of Their Lives”. Through creative Disney distribution it is now known as “The Miracle Match”. 
This film is based on a true story about a bunch of blue collar guys who play soccer and eventually make it to the world cup team and upset the global favorites in an epic and little known match in Brazil in 1950. It is a great little story that occurred in St. Louis and Brazil. The director and writer were passionate for it. Their names are David Anspaugh and Angelo Pizzo respectively. They are the team behind Rudy and Hoosiers. They felt very strongly that the filming should honor the story and place. Therefore, despite budgetary influence to the contrary, we shot it in St Louis and Brazil. It would have saved a lot of money to double LA for St. Louis and maybe somewhere in Florida for Brazil.
The point is that the creative momentum and prowess of the film pushed it towards it’s roots. That can happen here. It only takes a writer with a passion for Colorado, talent attachments who insist that it be done here and subsequent financing to support the talents wishes and to keep them on board. If Tim Allen (from Denver) were to find a script, love it and say that it will be filmed in Denver, it will be filmed in Denver or he won’t be a part of it. The studio really wants him to be a part of it, because it mitigates their risk and therefore they relent and the we get to have a film done here. Simple. Or not, but it does happen.
So, we have three ideas from which to expand and refute and argue. We should do all that and let us consider this the boilerplate template for a plan of action in the private sector that will be that tipping point. Globeville Studios is ready, I am ready and so should be every resident of this state.
On a personal note, I wish to thank Justin Spicer, Allen McLain, Marcia Morgan, Kevin Shand, Donnie Betts and Darla Rae for getting on the bus. It’s a big bus and there is plenty of room for more...
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