Grab your fucken pitchfork cause it’s about that time again to go to Washington. I received this email from Fresno Film Commissioner & The DUmb podcast guest Ray Arthur this morning with some disturbing news:
Dear Friends,
During a Fresno City Council budget meeting this morning, a motion was made and seconded to eliminate the budget for the Fresno Film & Entertainment Commission (FFEC) for next year’s budget, effectively eliminating the FFEC on July 1st. The FFEC is a division of the Downtown and Community Revitalization Department, whose budget presentation will be held Thursday at 2:00 PM. We would very much appreciate your attendance at Thursday’s meeting to express to the Council your opinions on the value of the FFEC to the Fresno film community.
Ray
Yup, once again the City Council, in all their infinite wisdom, are threatening to do away with the Film Commission and therefore severing the city from trying to effectively get money flowing into the local economy from outside productions as well as helping local filmmakers in getting their productions done. At least that’s my stance on the matter and I will hopefuly be down at City Hall this Thursday to let these fucken guys know what’s up. But we invite you here to feel free to express yourself and let us know if you think the FFEC is not worth saving. I mean, there has to be someone out there that is on the City Council’s same mindset so please, educate us all by speaking your mind down in the comments. Promise we won’t flame you. For everyone else please spread the word, grab your pitchforks, a few friends and we’ll see you at City Hall on Thursday at 2pm and metaphorically slap some sense into these basterds!
Awesome. Just when you thought a city would do the right thing and try to promote the great things a community has to offer, such as THE ARTS, I get to read something like this…
Disappointing City Council, disappointing.
Write your council member and tell them you want the budget to stay as it is. Let them know how disappointed you are with the decision. Council e-mail, phone numbers, and addresses here:
http://www.fresno.gov/Government/CityCouncil/Default.htm
Thanks for good advice & the link, sir!
Attention fresno city council, please do cut and eliminate the fresno film alliance. Its a waste of city money. I mean its just a recreational thing. There’s no way anybody from los angeles would bother with this film alliance of fresno. Its a waste and it shouldn’t be funded.
In every city of california, all must make sacrifices because of the times we are in. It’s selfish for people to put their recreational and enjoyment ahead of the good of the state. Please eliminate it and make this wise sacrifice. stop complaining you selfish people on this site
@charlie rosen: Thanks for submitting your opinion on the matter but I’d like to point out a few things about your statement that are incorrect. First of all, I’m going to assume the Fresno Film Alliance that you speak of is actually the Fresno Filmmakers Alliance, a completely independent entity and receives no money from government agencies so you may not agree on how effective the FFA is but you need not worry that it is taking tax dollars away from any other programs and is working on getting non-profit status. Feel free to head on over to the official site of the FFA and let your opinions known and perhaps, if you have ideas on what needs to be changed to make it better, you can make a difference instead of just spewing nonsense.
The Fresno Film and Entertainment Commission, on the other hand does indeed use up tax dollars (around $140,000 is their annual budget) and that is what the council is targeting to eliminate. The FFEC brought in over 5 times that amount last year and this year looks to be even more. So essentially, by eliminating that FFEC, we’d be getting rid a revenue generator that, as you mentioned, is very important to have during these tough economic times and would help fund other programs that help out the sate and it’s communities.
Filmmakers like myself and supporters of the FFEC are not being selfish, sir. We’re being responsible by making sure we support local arts AND the community by maintaining and supporting a viable entity that gives back to the the community, both with income and it’s services to nurture the arts. I’d ask you do the same before stupidly spouting off random facts.
well said sir. well said.
HOW THE HECK DO YOU PEOPLE MAKE A LIVING OFF OF THIS?????????????? LISTEN BRODIE YOU LAME BRAIN, I ASK YOU WHAT REVENUE DOES THIS ALLIANCE GENERATE FOR THE CITY THIS YEAR?? IS IT MORE THAN TAX DOLLARS SPENT ON THE ALLIANCE??? HOW CAN YOU MAKE A LIVING OFF OF THIS??
@Charlie Rosen: For a lot of people, film/tv production is not a “recreational thing” or something done just for “enjoyment.” It is an occupation, it’s how we make a living. Please think about that.
Additionally, it must be pointed out that eliminating the FFEC doesn’t necessarily eliminate the $140,000 x 5 in revenue that film production generates for the Fresno area.
The convenience of having a city film commission can help drive production, but it doesn’t mean film production will suddenly stop if we don’t have one. The FFA, for example, will survive with or without the FFEC. It will just be more difficult.
And I do agree that city core services are important, and it’s a difficult decision for councilmembers to make at a time like this.
Just trying to state the other side of the argument here, not saying I think they should eliminate the FFEC.
@Charlie Rosen: Self PWNAGE!
why not the TV thing..compare…$40,000 paid to a consultant to tell the city what to do with the grizzles….all the people who had houses foreclosed on can sleep well because their streets in front of their foreclosed on house will be well cleaned by the new street sweeper the city bought…who paid for the mayors trip to DC to meet with Obama-bush regarding .POLITICAL BULL SHIT.. who ran the met in the trash can???oh..the same people who(with the city OK)are running it n ow..that's another bright move by the (intelligent city fathers) If I had a choice between closing a fir house and eliminating the mayor or a city councilman…no brainer…mayor/councilman…by, by,