Going to France
Along with nine other WGA writers, I’ll be headed to France in November to get a backstage tour of Paris and Marseille, in the hopes of finding cinematically interesting people and places. It’s all sponsored by Film France in the hopes of getting more big Hollywood movies shooting there.
It’s a clever idea, one I suspect other countries may follow. 1 Tax breaks and film incentives are great. But when a country has distinct and unreproducible assets like France, it’s smart to get them embedded in the script. And screenwriters are the ones to do it.
Of my movies, Big Fish is the only project that shot in France.
- My wish list would include Turkey, Greece, Spain and Iceland. ↩
Articles
October 21st, 2008 at 2:28 pm
And Ireland, you forgot Ireland. :-)
October 21st, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Czech republic, John. Czech republic. We are more than just “that scary land from Hostel”:))
October 21st, 2008 at 3:40 pm
What a great idea! John, do you think of Setting as one of the characters in your scripts? And if so, how important is it to spend time in the actual setting for inspiration? And what do you generally get from it? Mood? Quirky details? Minor characters? Major characters? All of the above?
October 21st, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Dang, yet another reason to hate. Well, if it can’t be me, might I offer one suggestion of a location: Arenes de Lutece.
Gorgeous little Roman amphitheater nestled right in a place where you wouldn’t expect to see a Roman amphitheater.
Enjoy.
RED
October 21st, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I think Iceland does offer incentives for filming.
http://film-in-iceland.org/
October 21st, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Hi John,
Why Spain? What city?
When do you come to Paris?
thanks
October 21st, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Serious question: Does the ethical question of adding money to the economy of an overtly religious state (like Turkey) enter the filmmaker’s mind?
October 21st, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Congrats John!! You should feel real proud contributing to Runaway Production and California’s weakening economy!! As long as you get a film made, right? Its the “Whatever works for me” approach. Everyone always looking out for their own skin and saying “Fuck the California film industry.” Yet it’s funny- once another strike hits, then its this big team mentality, lets all work together! The rest of the time its fuck the local Union members– lets go film some non-union shit in Europe cause its cheap!!
October 21st, 2008 at 10:20 pm
@Kevin, @Red:
Ireland and Czech Republic would also high on my list of must-visits. Both countries are also shot as things other than themselves, but deserve more direct attention.
@S.A.M.:
I think their goal is to inspire us to write something that takes advantage of some unique aspect of Paris or France. I’ll post the itinerary once it’s complete, but for example, one day has us visiting the kitchens and the food markets at 2 a.m. to see the backstage of how the Parisian restaurant industry works.
@Jeremy:
Yes, and your question sits on one side of the scale. The other is, “How does increasing the exposure of a less-seen culture change-slash-improve the global dialogue?” Movies and television are unavoidably a cultural force, and Hollywood in particular is considered an imperial force based on its size. I don’t know what movie you make in Turkey. But given its unseen assets and remarkable landscape, it seems like a place I’d like to see more of, whether in a big-budget movie or a local production.
@Dante:
Hi, and welcome. To summarize the post you seemed to have skimmed, this is not about tax breaks and money. This is about finding interesting movies to make.
When a film shoots Vancouver for LA, I can see why you’d be pissed. When a film shoots Paris for Paris, because it’s an international thriller like The Bourne Identity, I think you’d be over-reaching to suggest that we should build the Champs-Élysées on the backlot at Universal.
You’re right to want even more production in Los Angeles. We have the best crews in the world. But to pretend there’s never a good reason to shoot elsewhere is naive.
October 21st, 2008 at 11:25 pm
I gotta see go sometime. Oh yeah, don’t use any taxmoney. . . some of us know what politicians did THAT when they decided to do THAT big mistake. Kidding. :)
October 21st, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Hollywooy could shoot stuff in Potsdam, Germany for a change. Oh wait – they already are. I can’t believe how many productions still come here, I’d assume the Babelsberg studio owners would have jumped the shark already and raised the costs out of greed.
October 21st, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Hey! Barcelona is now the place to be! Woody Allen shot his last movie here (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) and Alejandro González Iñárritu (21 grams, Babel) is about to start production here. A part from the local filmmakers!! :)
http://w10.bcn.es/APPS/bplentitat/en/html/HomeEn.html
October 22nd, 2008 at 3:04 am
Hey, come to Cologne and meet our film class! ;)
October 22nd, 2008 at 4:31 am
The USD was 64 Icelandic krónur a year ago. Now it’s something like 120. So it’s become very feasible for foreign companies to shoot in Iceland (thanks to the risk-addicts who wrecked the economy).
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:32 am
With all the public money devoted to maintain a movie industry in France, Film France is certainly one of the most efficient of the numerous nebulous para-ministerial “exceptionnaly cultural” services.
Here’s the kind of location we could get for free inside Paris: http://fr.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=25285209279
And have a nice and creatively burgeoning journey!
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:27 am
The Italian film commission does something similar. I know a few execs who went to Rome and the Veneto region.
The spec I’m working on now takes place in Paris. I haven’t been able to travel there recently for research but I’m enjoy the process.
Bon voyage.
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:19 am
Thanks for the response John. I wasn’t trying to make the point that there is never a good reason to shoot anywhere else.Obviously there is great international stuff like Bourne/Bond….all that stuff, fine. I’m talking about shooting in the Czech Republic for L.A. Its a damn shame, and its gotta stop. We need more filmmakers like yourself on the “SHOOT CALIFORNIA” side of things. If it truly is a summit to just encourage international filming, that is all good. I just hope it isn’t just a ploy to steal work from hardworking Americans that should and could have been shot right here. The last thing the U.S. needs right now is to lose more union jobs to foreign countries.
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:20 am
I think you’ll find there’s not an inch of Paris that can’t be created on a blue-screen soundstage thirty minutes from your home.
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:24 am
Do you know where exactly you’re going to in Paris? What arrondissement? :p
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:26 am
Mexico. Not the “Hollywood”, dirt-poor, everyone-drinks-tequila-in-a-dusty-cantina, sombrero/siesta Mexico, and not the one where everyone’s out to kidnap gringos, either. There’s a happy medium for every romanticized/demonized foreign land out there.
That said, it’s a great idea. Enjoy the trip.
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:29 am
You should come to South America. You can find some fantastic scenery and old colonial cities as well. Stuff you wouldn’t think you can find. Not to mention how our countries would benefit from big productions. Both, economically and the film industry as well.
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:39 am
If you go to Spain, take me with you! I miss it so…
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:45 am
Marseille is beautiful. Very pretty and interesting city.
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:10 am
“I think you’ll find there’s not an inch of Paris that can’t be created on a blue-screen soundstage thirty minutes from your home.”
Yes, that’s what Hollywood needs. More CGI.
I’m glad that only a couple of people don’t understand that Hollywood movies are not solely for Californians. Hollywood movies are made for the world and paid for by an international audience. Why not film them all over the world? This protectionist attitude bothers me because it doesn’t take into account that people in other cities rely on the film industry just as much as in Los Angeles. You take those “runaway” productions out of Vancouver, for instance, and a whole lot of people will be out of work. But I guess as long as they’re not friends of yours, it doesn’t really matter, does it?
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 am
“Yes, that’s what Hollywood needs. More CGI.” No…but more jobs. And yes, I am more concerned with jobs in LA than in another country. I know, terribly selfish of me. Now go take your kid’s college fund and feed a village.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:18 am
What Hollywood needs is to produce better stories and give audiences a reason to see films. Watching stories set in a CGI Paris isn’t going to be nearly as effective as setting in the real Paris. It’s about making the movie better. If that means filming it where it’s set or filming where the dollar will stretch a little more, then so be it.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:36 am
“Watching stories set in a CGI Paris isn’t going to be nearly as effective as setting in the real Paris.” Really? Last time I checked Ratatouille made more money than 2 Days in Paris. Less effective? I think not.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:58 am
Yeah, Woody Allen was paid by London to make three films there. I guess it’s all to create more tourism, since Hollywood movies usually go worldwide. You might want to get paid in Euros.
October 22nd, 2008 at 12:05 pm
“Last time I checked Ratatouille made more money than 2 Days in Paris. Less effective? I think no” Yes, and having Jason Bourne run through an animated Paris is not going to take people out of the film a little. Come on, Johnny, you’re not even trying.
October 22nd, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Dante, right on support the California Unions, fuck that cheap non Union shit. God bless the Teamsters
October 22nd, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Encouraging shows to leave California is one thing….but encouraging them to leave the country is truly despicable in this current economic climate. Our industry is dying here. The American worker is hurting all across the country. This is the wrong time John. I dont care if the story is exclusive to that region of the world, this is absolutely the wrong time to push this. You should be ashamed of yourself.
October 22nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Drop by anytime!
October 22nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Be sure to check out locales for my parkour script while you’re in France.
Thanks!!
October 22nd, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Now, I’m not a Teamster, but really: Do you think having, say, even ten mid-sized features shooting in Los Angeles rather than France or Greece will have any effect on the larger American economy whatsoever?
Do you really want even more film and television set in L.A. and NYC?
Really, myopia is the far worse option. Especially now that everyone’s settled down and is back to calling them “French” fries, isn’t it a good thing to have sobered up and be interested in embracing the global perspective?
October 22nd, 2008 at 4:16 pm
“Encouraging shows to leave California is one thing….but encouraging them to leave the country is truly despicable in this current economic climate. Our industry is dying here. The American worker is hurting all across the country. This is the wrong time John. I dont care if the story is exclusive to that region of the world, this is absolutely the wrong time to push this. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
This is a very dangerous attitude. Very dangerous. Stating your opinion on the matter is one thing, but trying to publicly shame someone because they don’t fully support your opinion crosses several lines I’m not comfortable with. John is a storyteller who writes the stories he’s passionate about (or paid to). Forbidding him to write a story that takes place in Paris because it might be filmed there is getting into very sketchy territory. Besides, at this point, all he’s doing is taking a trip to Paris on their dime. Should he not do that, either?
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:06 pm
O… M… G. blinks at people
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:32 pm
…Can’t… keep… mouth… …must …explain… artificial… jobs… Hollywood… blackout… uni… cultural… ignoran… aaug…
–Covers mouth and runs away in desperate attempt to hide from Real Americans.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Holy shmokes… I feel bad for John… one moment he’s going on a trip to Paris to check out some locations… next thing he’s paling with terrorists. And for the record Tim W. – my original comment was a wisecrack, hence the Ratatouille follow-up. Gee, people get very serious around this time the year.
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:06 pm
What about Australia? Lovely country, great scenery, and someone has to make a good movie here. Plenty of experienced and talented workers, along with a 40% producers rebate.
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Yeah Scott, shows set in America and shot in Australia have worked out great huh? Ghost Rider really looked like authentic Texas. The audience is not stupid. Give me a break man. Keep it American!
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:31 am
Let me know if you come to Spain, I will let you know some places that are very exotic for american visitors and very inspiring for screenwriters. You will see real black widows, unique gypsy families from century XIX and so on. :D
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:07 am
@Scott from Australia
The Matrix was shot extensively in Australia.
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:03 am
John- I left a comment awhile back when you were headed to London…
If you have a couple of hours to spare, our Paris-based media club would still very much be pleased to host you for a cocktail/Q&A about the Nines, screenwriting, and whatever else is on your mind. Just holler.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:58 am
John – I’ve been a reader for awhile and I’m currently living in France – though pretty far from Paris. I’m in a tiny city called Nontron, in the southwest near Bordeaux. If you wanted to extend your trip and see some of the countryside – like the Ohio of France – feel free to contact me. My girlfriend and I have a spare bedroom at our place and I’d love to meet and give you a tour. Consider this an open invitation.
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:17 am
“And for the record Tim W. – my original comment was a wisecrack, hence the Ratatouille follow-up. Gee, people get very serious around this time the year.”
Sorry, Johnny. My sarcasm detector is usually much better. I think, after reading John’s post, I assumed he would get sort of backlash and was looking for it (and found it with Vincent’s comment). Plus, I feel like crap right now. Looking back, I really should have realized that the Ratatouille comment was a joke.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:23 am
I think the interesting part is that they’re targeting writers, not producers. (Which also makes the complaints about doubling completely off-topic. Whether it’s really L.A. or Vancouver doubling as L.A. the script still says ‘L.A.’ )
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Keep it in L.A. Johnny, you smell like the french you scab bastard.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Okay here is the deal. This LA Times article paints the picture very grim. I get the argument “This is art” bla bla. But right now, where this country is headed, its time to stop playing. We have to look our for American jobs. We have to take care of our own. I agree with the others that stated this is unethical to support given the current economic climate. It is. Is a sad day.
Drawn by tax breaks, weak currencies and comparatively low wages, production of an increasing number of feature films and television programs has shifted from Southern California to Canada and other countries around the globe, costing the U.S. economy as much as $10 billion a year, the Commerce Department reported Friday.
The study, which reiterates the conclusions of similar past studies, found that losses “have been particularly acute in made-for-television [movie] and miniseries productions, thin-profit shows that first began migrating to Canada in the 1980s to save money. In 1998, out of 308 U.S.-developed made-for-television movies, 139 were produced abroad–a significant increase from the 30 produced abroad in 1990.”
Although the department emphasized that the U.S. film industry still dwarfs that of most other countries, it said, “All of our research indicates that the rates of growth in many foreign countries, particularly English-speaking countries, may well have considerably outstripped the growth in the United States throughout the last decade.”
The study is likely to revive the longtime debate about whether Canada is unfairly stealing production jobs from Hollywood. Directors Guild of America President Jack Shea, echoing Hollywood labor groups, called the Commerce report a “comprehensive study of the loss of production and American jobs to other countries as well as its impact on American workers in the movie and television business.”
But Canadian officials, citing tax records, have said that runaway production studies wildly inflate the problem as well as the dollar amounts of lost production to provide lobbyists with political ammunition. According to the Canadian law firm Goodman, Phillips & Vineberg, Canada’s total film and TV business is only about $2.5 billion a year, of which Canadian officials estimate $750 million to $1 billion is non-Canadian.
“Yes, the Canadian government has provided incentives for film production in Canada,” Canadian Embassy spokesman Terry Colli said. “But those numbers are grossly exaggerated. Only about 3% of film production in North America takes place in Canada, and we make up 10% of the entertainment audience.”
Friday’s report is a compilation of past research, and borrows heavily from a study, funded by the Screen Actors Guild and the Directors Guild of America, released two years ago that reached similar conclusions.
That 1999 study also used the controversial $10-billion number, which does not represent direct production lost but rather the potential economic “multiplier” effect that could ripple through the economy. At the time of the 1999 study, one UCLA economic forecaster disputed that $10-billion number, saying that at most it was only about half that amount.
Commerce began work on the report early last year, but it accelerated the study in September after a bipartisan group of House members called for comprehensive information on the impact of runaway film production on carpenters, drivers, caterers, janitors and others whose work usually doesn’t appear in a film’s credits.
“Runaway film production has affected thousands of workers in industries ranging from computer graphics to construction workers and caterers,” said Commerce Secretary Norman Y. Mineta in summarizing the report that was issued on the last day of the Clinton administration.
The report said that foreign governments offer a variety of incentives to lure U.S. productions, especially made-for-television movies and miniseries. As a result, the film industries in Canada, Australia, Britain and several other countries have duplicated in the last decade the progress it took U.S. studios most of the 20th century to record.
“The Commerce report affirms what we already knew–that runaway production dramatically impacts the lives of Angelenos in a very real way,” said Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles). “The stakes are high when we are talking about people losing jobs.”
But Canadian officials and some economists argue that production jobs are growing everywhere as demand for programming soars. Indeed, the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. reports that entertainment industry employment in Los Angeles County is up more than 8% from a year ago and now totals 272,500, although it attributes some of that increase to accelerated activity in anticipation of a possible actors and writers strike later this year.
Like many economic trends in the 1990s, the runaway film phenomenon was fueled by advances in computer technology. In the past, the report said, directors, actors, producers and other specialists had to be in the same location to produce a film.
“Nowadays, once a film is shot, it is transferred to videotape format, digitalized, transmitted over the Internet, and an editor sitting at any location in the world can use powerful computers and sophisticated software programs to perform his tasks… . Long distances and geographical borders are simply not as important as they once were.”
The department conceded that official statistics “are woefully deficient due to the intangible nature of the industry.” However, it said, “Official labor statistics indicate that 270,000 jobs in the United States are directly involved in film production–more than the number of workers directly employed in the steel industry.”
Far more workers hold jobs that are indirectly linked to U.S. film production, the report said.
Last year, members of the congressional task force on the entertainment industry proposed legislation giving tax breaks to domestic film companies, much as foreign governments have been doing for years. The measure did not pass, but a staffer said lawmakers plan to try again this year.
“Domestic production is the lifeblood of our entertainment industry,” said Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), chairman of the task force. “Hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country depend on domestic production. This report outlines the severity of the problem and underscores our need to work proactively to stem this growing tide.”
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Consider this… a studio decides to shoot a big movie not on US soil but say in Australia. Why? To save money. Which in turn results in more profit for the AMERICAN company. Which in turn secures if not creates more jobs for AMERICANS. Neat, huh?
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:24 pm
The problem with the whole notion of ’stealing jobs from Americans’, is that they’re not really yours to begin with. Studios are owned by multinational corporations that get their money from people living all over the world as customers and as shareholders. And the audience that pays to see the films come from all over the world. A lot of films make more internationally than domestically, now. A lot of this money goes back into making more films. Just in Canada, more than 90% of the box office is for Hollywood movies, and that number gets a lot bigger if you take Quebec out of the equation. Shouldn’t Canadians have a part in making the films they are seeing and paying for? And a lot of the creative people behind the films aren’t American. They each bring their own personal stories with them. ‘Hollywood’ has gone beyond being American. Ratatouille was a story about a french rat in Paris. James Bond movies are about a British secret service agent. These are American stories. Even the stories that take place in the US have to have more universal themes in order to make money.
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:00 pm
John, I am appalled. I cannot believe that you’re abandoning writing and directing for a career drowning puppies and babies.
That is what you’re doing, right? I’m just going by the comments.
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:57 pm
@Nick - PERFECT. – Thanks man.
I’m glad someone could put the feeling into a single brief sentence… cause the water is way too deep to even begin explaining the billion reasons why being retarded is retarded.
October 24th, 2008 at 8:00 am
I’m afraid there is no equivalent of this french initiative yet in Spain. But I’ll be happy to help you meet spaniards and know a bit about this country if you ever came around Madrid!
October 24th, 2008 at 8:02 am
Obviously no on here has worked with a Canadian crew. They are absolute fucking shit. Incompetent wankers. Thats why more and more directors are running the other way screaming when the studio suggest shooting in Canada. Fucking hacks.
October 24th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Forget about France and the smell,stay home with your WGA members and work to elect OBAMA
October 24th, 2008 at 8:54 am
I hope you’ll get to visit the 15th arrondissement! :) So I can stalk you guys.
Wait… Did I say that out loud? :O
October 24th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Weird how after 1,000 posts, I still can’t predict which ones will get a ton of comments.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Simply put, France will be awesome John. Gotta love French women :D.
Since we’re on the subject of travel, have you made your way down to Australia yet? If not you should definitely check it out.
Our films may suck, but that doesn’t make us bad people…
October 25th, 2008 at 4:17 am
Its cause somebody sprinkled crazy-dust on their freedom fries.
Seriously… If I came up to any one of these Pavlovian-pseudo-patriots and just said, “A movie is shooting in France… its a bad movie… in fact, its a short… and I can barely even afford to pay your expenses, but I’d like you to come and work with John August for a bit and doctor the script. Make it better.” You know what you’d hear??? “Where do I friggin sign?”
Because no matter how opaque the political blinders pretend to be, we still know one thing about ourselves. — Its the reason we came here… To this city, AND this blog. Its the reason we budget for Starbucks and “share a loft”… Its the reason your iTunes playlist is organized the way it is… Its the reason we breathe the 3rd worst polluted air in the world and sit through that RIDICULOUS CLUSTER FUCK called the 405. Because when it comes down to the amount of toxins, fraud, and straight out destitution we’re willing to endure… we’re champs. Because there’s simply nothing the world can say that will make us forget that: We love making movies.
So while the, “I’ll pay for parking everywhere I go and devote at least two years of my life to the terribly unlikely speculation of possibly one day getting paid while slowly choking to death in the career-failure capital of the world… but I certainly won’t take a trip to France cause that would just be wasteful and self destructive.” theory is tempting and brilliantly conceived… I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to “suck it”.
October 25th, 2008 at 9:40 am
In all the time I’ve been reading your blog, this is the first time I’m actually, officially jealous!
October 26th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Last time I was in Paris, I was told about an underground (both literal and figurative) screening “room” in some obscure offshoot from the famous Parisian catacombs. I don’t know if it is a secret altogether or known just by word of mouth, nonetheless, pertaining to France and to film, this is easily the most intriguing thing I’ve learned of. The missing details and general clandestine nature of it only adds to its mystique.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Get on their good side and tell ‘em that using a German castle at Disneyland was ‘totally’ a travesty.