This holiday season we are looking back at 2022 with a deep sense of gratitude and hope of the future for the Pennsylvania film community. This year, after months, and years, of advocating for the Film Production Tax Credit, we finally saw our efforts succeed and the program was raised to $100 million. This was a huge win for the state of Pennsylvania and everyone involved in the PA film and television industry. Your support has been invaluable to this organization, and we hope to continue to propel the film community forward with you by our side.

For 2023, our sights are set to increase the film industry incentive to potentially $500 million. Even though we were able to raise the tax credit program by $30 million to $100 million, Pennsylvania still turns down projects and work for our local crew. This leaves billions of dollars of economic activity on the table for Pennsylvania, as well as missed opportunities for our local businesses.

Our mission for the first three months of 2023 is to meet with legislators from the House, Senate, and Executive branch to educate them on the benefits of the Film Production Tax Credit Program.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

This year, we are asking our PAFIA Members to GET INVOLVED. There are many ways, big and small, that you can get involved to keep our community strong and active in Harrisburg.

• DONATE & JOIN: Without PAFIA, there is NO voice in Harrisburg advocating for the Film Industry Incentive. Whether it is $50, $500, or $5,000, we are asking that you consider donating to PAFIA by joining as a member, or simply donating on the website. Any donation, no matter how small, will help sustain us for the future.

Anyone can be a member of PAFIA, and the stronger our membership numbers are, the more visibility the film industry has with our legislators. Now is the time to invite your friends, family, and colleagues to join with you! More information regarding PAFIA membership opportunities can be found on our website at www.pafia.org/joinus.

• BECOME AN ACTIVE PAFIA COMMITTEE MEMBER: PAFIA has 6 committees that YOU can join. Full descriptions can be found here. E-mail info@pafia.org for more information.
• • Government Relations
  • Membership
  • Marketing, Fundraising & Sponsorship
  • Social Media
  • Program
  • Independent Film

• SHARE YOUR STORY: Share positive stories of working in Film in Pennsylvania. PAFIA makes an effort to share photos from sets all over the state and tag the local legislators to show that the film community is WORKING. Please like, share, and comment on these posts to get the attention of the legislators. 
• DONATE to the local politicians that you support. I, David Haddad, have personally donated $500 to the four Film Caucus chairs with my own money. The Film Community does not generally have a reputation for donating to politicians, and your presence, even small, would be helpful in our fight to increase the program to $500 million. Given the time and significant commitment the four Film Caucus chairs have devoted to our cause, I encourage you to donate to their campaigns, even just $5, $10, $20. A donation to any legislator can easily be done online. 

In Closing

Each year, we must thank those who have championed the cause to keep and expand the Film industry in the state of Pennsylvania.

First, I would like to thank the 1,087 active PAFIA Members who have renewed their membership in 2022. Out of the 1,087 active members, 719 of those members are from our generous Sponsors and Corporate members who have donated between $500-$15,000.

Second, a huge thank you to the bi-partisan Film Caucus, led by Senators Camera Bartolotta (R) and Jay Costa (D) and Representatives Joe Ciresi (D) and Kathleen "KC" Tomlinson (R) that worked tirelessly to ensure this increase was included in this year’s budget cycle.

Next, a sincere thank you to our lobbyists, Jim Davis and Beth Brennan, with Cozen O’Connor and our management company, Kassalen Meetings and Events, in particular our Administrative Director, Jennifer Iams and our Social Media Director, Jaymie Macek. You are the spinal cord to the organization and our successes are directly tied to your successes. Your work to move our agenda forward has never been more valuable.

Finally, thank you to the 21 volunteers on the PAFIA Board from all around the state who give their time and money to this organization. We are always looking to expand our Board with people who can give the organization time, prestige, and money to keep us strong and active in Harrisburg. 

There is a lot of work to do in 2023, and we appreciate your support every step of the way.

We hope you have a wonderful holiday season.

Sincerely,

David Haddad
Chairman, The Pennsylvania Film Industry Association (PAFIA)

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