It wasn't the Devil that made M. Night Shyamalan do it. It was the Harrisburg budget impasse.With uncertainty about whether Pennsylvania's film tax credit will be authorized in the state budget - now in Day 56 of limbo - the supernatural thriller (which Shyamalan wrote and is producing) has relocated production to Toronto.Though the filmmaker has shot eight of his nine features in the Philadelphia region - for an estimated economic impact of $375 million, according to the local film office - his backers couldn't wait any longer for legislators to approve the incentive that brings filmmaking and jobs to the state."Last week, at the 11th hour, Devil withdrew its application for credits because of uncertainty with respect to whether film tax credits would be in the state budget," Jane Saul, director of the Pennsylvania Film Office, said yesterday. "This is an obvious sign that without the film tax credit in place, we lose film business, and in turn, jobs."Not only has the budget deadlock resulted in productions moving to regions with tax credits, "it has negatively affected our ability to attract new productions," said Sharon Pinkenson, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office.
Thanks for sharing. Too bad legislators are delaying on such legislation that brings so many jobs to the area.