Thanks to the new
Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, "Life After" will begin shooting in the Cincinnati area later this year. Cincinnati native Jim Amatulli, at the production's helm, looks forward to bringing more of the film industry to our region.
In "Life After," a family man takes a job as a caretaker at a cemetery that supposedly houses a secret treasure. Human and supernatural opposition drive the plot. Like his protagonist, Amatulli sees himself as a "plate spinner" who's energized by wearing three hats in "Life After" - writer, producer, and director. His personal pot of gold is a strong market for filmmaking in Ohio.
"As a Cincinnati-based filmmaker, I've made one feature at home and a second in San Diego," Amatulli said. "My personal objective is to make films in Ohio and be a part of a thriving industry. I feel the [tax] incentive shows the state's belief that we can provide the talent and services to attract filmmakers and help Ohio's economy in the long term."
The Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit provides a total of $30 million to film production companies who complete an Ohio shoot in Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011. Similar tax credits in other states have bolstered the growth of their film industries and created jobs.
Amatulli estimates "Life After" will employ around 150 people. On top of the wages earned, young professionals in the industry will gain experience—and perhaps stay here. "Other filmmakers will come here if they can get the level of [film personnel] professionalism you can find elsewhere," says Amatulli.
The website for
Arte Films, Amatulli's production company, says that Arte will apply a sound business strategy to the less predictable elements inherent in the motion picture world. Amatulli is uniquely positioned to strategize, having owned a communications business for 30 years. Producing corporate training and marketing videos prepared him well for the constraints of budget, time, and talent that filmmaking imposes.
In the movie industry, as in many others, there's no one-size-fits-all model for success. Yet Amatulli maintains a sense of humor about the risks of doing business in a medium he loves. "Anyone who puts money in films has some hope of getting their money back."
Written by: Elena Stevenson
Source: Jim Amatulli, president, Arte Films; Ohio Department of Development
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