MBA Minutes April 16, 2003
Board Members Present: Ray Alarcon, Charles Reinhart, Silver Mangini, Marilyn Rose Minutes: Approved as printed. Correspondence: Ray Alarcon reported the MBA now has non-profit status; we must be careful not to be perceived as a PAC. Silver reported the MBA Officer elections are coming up in June with 2 seats available. Joshua Grindle Inn will “host” the next meeting on 5/21/03 with wine and goodies! AFCI Film Expo Trade Show Update: Debra DeGraw and Terri Paulsen attended the AFCI (Assoc of Film Commissioners International) Trade Show in Santa Barbara April 11-13, 2003. They set up a very attractive booth (we saw pictures) about Mendocino County which included movie posters from movies filmed here in the past. The show attendance was approximately 2,750 producers, directors, location scouts and managers from the likes of Warner Brothers, Paramount, Universal, David Kelley Productions, etc. Debra and Terri reported that it was very important that we were there and should continue to attend this event. Many film people said they had worked in Mendocino County before and would like to come back. Some were surprised at the variety of scenery available (sand dunes, barns, llamas, horse ranches and more). The economic impact to the county is huge, with money being spent on food, lodging, labor, lumber, extras and more. Production companies are looking for “incentives”: inexpensive hotel rooms, easy parking, lack of traffic, large are for “base camp”, “film-friendly” locals, predictable weather, airport (!), local crews nearby, and a single “point person” to be location manager. Discussion included the need for a website to feature the scenery available in the county, funding for a film office/person since there are many phone calls and requests to field. Terri is developing a comprehensive list of talent in the county that can be utilized as local crews. Debra is asking the Chamber to budget $5000 for the film commission development. More money will be needed. Heidi Cusick of the Mendocino County Alliance attended the meeting and spoke of the many TV shows that have or will be filmed here, including a PBS show on the Crab Cook-off, a Japanese program called “The American Way”, and her recent meeting with scouts from the Emeril Lagasse show. Heidi spoke briefly of the need to stabilize funding for the MCA. She gave a bit of history about a proposal requested by the County Board of Supervisors some years back for a County Film Commission. Lenny Coulter of Willits created a very complete and well written proposal of the costs/benefits of a Film Commission,
which was then shelved by the Supervisors. Debra DeGraw will provide copies of this proposal to those who want it. General Discussion: We need to have an MBA Rep at each Board of Supervisors meeting. Minutes of MBA meetings should be “handed to” David Colfax.