Title: What the Film & TV Industry Thinks of Pres. Trump's Tariff Announcement
Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Now a call in on this question. If you work in the film and TV industry, do you like President Trump's idea of 100% tariffs on film and TV imports and how much work has returned since the pandemic and the strike shut things down? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. Again, if you work in the film and TV industry, do you like President Trump's idea of 100% tariffs on film imports? I'm not sure it's TV imports as well or if there are those but at least film imports. Also, how's the industry doing around here in New York? Even if you're listening in LA or somewhere else, how much work has returned since the pandemic and the strike shut things down? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692.
The news hook here, Trump introduced the idea of a tariff on films made overseas in an effort to revive the industry that he described as dying, "a very fast death." While there are many details, and it hasn't been implemented, his idea would call for a 100% tariff on all films produced abroad and sent here to the United States. Not sure if this would impact television as well as film, he was talking about movies, nor do we know if there's a difference between films on streaming services versus those in theaters. It's very much a concept of a plan, as they say, but this isn't just about foreign films.
To be clear, this isn't about that movie from Italy or Iran or pick your country that's really a foreign film and maybe it's not in English. This is about what even might be considered Hollywood films but are made in whole or in part in other countries. If you work in the industry, do you like this idea and how's the industry doing a few years after the pandemic and the strike? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692.
The Trump tariff proposal hasn't picked up support from the major Hollywood studios nor the unions within the industry, but they have expressed some openness to it, sometimes indirectly. Rather than coming out vehemently against the concept, it seems like industry heads are happy to be acknowledged and leveraging the moment to ask for more support. Jon Voight, who's serving as the US Special ambassador to Hollywood, did you know there's such a thing, has rounded up the heads of Hollywood studios and union leaders to pen a letter to President Trump asking for more incentives in order to increase domestic film and TV production.
The letter begins with gratitude, as I guess they figured out the president really responds to. "We appreciate and thank you for the support you have shown our industry," et cetera, et cetera. They're requesting a lowering of the corporate tax rate on domestic manufacturing activities, including films, an extension of congressional funding, and a reinstatement of the Pandemic Era CARES Act, which would allow the industry to carry over losses from the last five years.
I've also read, however, that the film and TV actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, full disclosure, we radio hosts, many of us, including me, are members of that union too, have been more receptive, a little more explicitly to the idea of the tariffs. Any SAG-AFTRAns listening, any actors, directors, producers, members of the crews at any level, what do you think about this and how's the industry doing here in film and tv? Heavy, at least it used to be and of course it is still to some degree, but it's challenged in New York. 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692, call or text and we'll take them right after this.
Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Now to your calls, film and TV industry workers. Dan in Crown Heights, you're on WNYC. Hi, Dan.
Dan: Hi, Brian. How you doing?
Brian Lehrer: Good. What you got?
Dan: First time, long time. I've worked in the industry for the past 15 years. A lot of stuff has left recently for many reasons. One is stuff going overseas. I worked on two TV shows that used to shoot here that now shoot in Canada and the UK. It's the same as what's happening between New York and New Jersey in terms of lowest common denominator of tax incentives that are higher overseas or just lower labor costs, which is why Governor Hochul wants to again the second year in a row, raise the tax incentives in the city to try to fight Jersey over trying to bring jobs back here.
In terms of the tariffs, maybe that'll do something, but I don't know how that's going to work in terms of actually having productions, if you have to shoot something in overseas and they just say, "Oh, well, if you shoot a little bit here." Even now our tax incentives in the city say you shoot one day in New York City in a studio and you get a tax incentive. I don't know how you do that with a production overseas, if they half-shoot here, and half-shoot--
Brian Lehrer: Where do you draw the line? It's like the question that they're asking with cars. I have heard critics say that there could be a price to pay in the other direction. American made films that are made here, if there are reciprocal tariffs may be harder to get shown and therefore make money from in other countries. That's going to be part of the conversation too before this ever gets implemented. Joe in Astoria, you're on WNYC. Hi, Joe.
Joe: Hi, thanks for taking my call, Brian. I'm an editor here in New York. I actually just recently wrapped a show, hour-long drama for a major streamer that we're cutting here thankfully, but we were shooting in Toronto. That could easily been a New York crew but it's cheaper to shoot up there. I just would say about the Trump tariffs, I think most of us don't have much faith that anything with his policy is going to do anything to help us. What I hope it spurs is maybe talk of a federal incentive, which I know is now been out in the ether a little bit because it's great. I'm so glad that I live in New York and we have perfect--
Brian Lehrer: What does that mean, a federal incentive? Is that a actual federal funding for TV and movie production?
Joe: Yes, it's a bit above my pay grade, but as I understand it, it's just like we have here in the state, where you have a production here, you meet certain criteria, at some point you're going to get a certain percentage of that money back. I feel like I'm not sure where New York is right now, 20%, 30% depending on all the stipulations. As I understand a lot of other countries, Europe for example, again, has a similar thing where maybe just like if you go to Greece to shoot as a whole, you might be getting 30% back. It'd be great that the state incentives are great but it's almost a race to the bottom.
Brian Lehrer: Why is it cheaper to shoot in Toronto? To take the example of a place that you use, is it that people work cheaper there than you work in New York? What do you know?
Joe: I think it is a little bit. Listen, I'm a proud union member, but I think there are differences in rates. Again, I'm a below the line member. It's a question for producer that I really can't answer. Yes, I think in general, rates are cheaper. One of the biggest things when you're putting us against Canada or Europe, it's healthcare. That's a big part of what producers, when you're putting the show together, are paying for the crew. When you're not having to pay that in those countries, people can get paid less.
Brian Lehrer: Interesting. Joe, thank you very much. Related tax listener writes, "I don't agree with the tariff. I'm in favor of a tax break but it feels good to have national recognition of the dire situation of the film industry in the States. I might be bitter here, but I wish there was more shaming of producers and actors taking jobs abroad when the stories are set in the US," writes that person. Mitch in Los Angeles. You're on WNYC. Hi, Mitch.
Mitch: Hi there. It's interesting. I think the tariffs are just a colossally bad idea. The way of encouraging film production in America is to support the artists, the producers, the creators, the writers, and all the crews that create them. The United States has for many years resisted the idea of supporting the arts generally. Now Trump is cutting, slashing, burning what's left of art support. Imposing these tariffs is a counterintuitive way of imagining you're supporting the film industry. I think it will be very destructive.
We've been having this internecine war between the states. In the United States, if we had federal incentives like the previous caller was discussing, and if we started engaging on a national level with how to support the film industry and the arts generally, we'd have a much healthier both cultural experience and economic financial base for the production of film and other kinds of-- With films and other entertainment--
Brian Lehrer: Would you like incentives plus tariffs, ideally, briefly?
Mitch: I would not. I would not. Anything that adds burden, financial burden, or other kinds to the idea of film production to me will work in the opposite way than the stated intent of them.
Brian Lehrer: Mitch, thank you for your call. We'll get one more in here. Nick in Westchester. We've got about 30 seconds for you. Hi, Nick.
Nick: Hi. I want to piggyback on what a lot of people are saying and I'm in agreement there. I'm glad this is in the spot spotlight as demonstrated us talking about it now. I guess what I could still contribute is I think there's a big knee-jerk reaction given our political tendencies within the film industry of the current administration and/or saying anything regarding our industry. What he's doing basically is offering a a stick rather than a carrot. I don't know, perhaps a combination of federal incentives or subsidies, for lack of a better word, in combination with some sort of stick.
Brian Lehrer: I understand. I'm going to have to leave it there because we're out of time. I'll just say previous caller mentioned other cuts to the arts. We are planning a separate segment for a few days from now on the Trump proposal to abolish the National Endowment for the Arts.
That's the Brian Lehrer SHOW for today, produced by Mary Croke, Lisa Allison, Amina Srna, Carl Boisrond, and Esperanza Rosenbaum. Zach Gottehrer-Cohen produces our daily politics podcast. Our intern this term is Henry Serringer. Megan Ryan is the head of Live Radio. Juliana Fonda and Milton Ruiz at the audio controls. Thanks for your calls, creators. Stay tuned for Alison.
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