‘Lincoln’ gives Virginia’s film industry a presidential lift

On the eve of the release of Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln,” Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell touted the bipartisan benefits of Virginia’s budding film industry.

“The increase in jobs and revenue from Virginia’s film industry is encouraging and demonstrates the effectiveness of our state’s incentive programs for film production,” McDonnell said in a news conference at the historic Byrd Theatre in Richmond, Va., prior to a special screening of “Lincoln” hosted by the Virginia Film Office and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

“It is particularly significant that the industry has added 1,166 jobs during the past year and contributed nearly $60 million in state and local tax revenue,” McDonnell said. “Thanks to the bipartisan effort to put in place policies attractive to the industry, Virginia continues to land major films, like Steven Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln.’”

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“Lincoln,” which cost about $65 million to produce and stars Daniel Day-Lewis as the 16th president, filmed in Virgina in late 2011, taking advantage of that state’s 15% to 20% refundable tax credit.

“For the three months that ‘Lincoln’ filmed here in Virginia, it brought tens of millions of dollars into the state – hundreds of men and women in the cast and crew stayed in hotels, ate in local restaurants, and shopped in local retail stores,” said Chris Dodd, chief executive of the Motion Picture Assn. of America, at the news conference.

“During the course of this film being made, the production company used Virginia film industry vendors to construct the sets, purchase authentic props, rent equipment, provide catering, and so much more,” Dodd said. “That’s money for Virginia businesses and jobs for Virginia workers.”

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