NASHVILLE — Gov. Bill Haslam signed into law today the lesser of two bills lawmakers approved regarding the establishment of new municipal school districts in the Memphis suburbs.

Senate Bill 2908 by Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, lifts the ban on the creation of new municipal school districts in the section of Tennessee law governing municipal governments, effective with the transfer of administration of Memphis City Schools to the Shelby County board of education in August 2013. That’s the same time the ban will be lifted under the provisions of last year’s “Norris-Todd Act,” or Public Chapter 1, but that measure lifted the ban in the section of Tennessee law governing education, not the section on municipal governments.

Norris told the Senate last month when the bill passed that SB 2908 “doesn’t change any deadlines or accelerate anything,” but rather cross-references and clarifies the lifting of the ban in a separate section of Tennessee Code overlooked last year.

The governor last week signed into law the more important of this year’s two bills on the issue: House Bill 1105. That measure allows suburban cities in Shelby County to hold referendums this year on whether to establish their own school systems, and then hold school board elections in preparation to start new school systems for the 2013-14 school year when the ban is lifted.

An upcoming film festival and new incentives have filmmakers in Tennessee excited about the future.

The Knoxville 24 Hour Film Festival will kickoff in less than a month. On June 2, 30 teams will gather at the Relix Variety Theater, tasked with shooting a film on a topic yet to be announced. The teams will have only one day to complete their films.

Then, on June 16, at the Bijou Theater in downtown Knoxville, those films will be screened for the public to see.

More Information: Knoxville 24 Hour Film Festival

The festival has occurred for almost a decade.

“To sit down with an audience of 600 people and see your film screened on a massive screen, it’s an experience like nothing else,” said Michael Samstag, executive director of the Knoxville 24 Hour Film Festival.

He said the films crews produce are typically top-notch.

“People in 24 hours make films as good as people who have unlimited time,” he said.

The film festival comes on the heels of news out of Nashville that the state will now offer an extra $2 million in incentives to people who make movies in Tennessee.

Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, sponsored legislation that repeal the refundable tax credit filmmakers used to apply for under state law to receive money.

Now, filmmakers can go straight to the Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Commission (TFEMC) to get funds. TFEMC is now in charge of the additional $2 million that was created through Norris’ legislative move.

“We recognize the importance of the film industry not only to the economy of the state but to the welfare of countless Tennesseans whose livelihoods depend on it,” Norris said. “This new program simplifies, streamlines and strengthens our commitment to the film industry.”

The incentives package will also provide more help to filmmakers who produce independent films in Tennessee. Under the state’s old incentive program, filmmakers creating movies with budgets of $1 million or more, were the only individuals eligible to apply for film tax credits.

The new film incentive program will allow filmmakers creating projects with budgets of $200,000 or more to apply for grants equal to 25 percent of the money they spend in Tennessee.

Actor/Producer Curt Willis just finished filming “Lucifer’s Fall”, a psychological thriller about a woman’s decision to commit murder, in South Knoxville this March.

More Information: Lucifer’s Fall

He said the incentives will provide filmmakers the help they need to produce movies in Tennessee.

“It will help with finishing funds, [and] it will help with getting films shot around here,” Willis said.

He said the new incentives were “a long time coming.”

“I’m glad they [legislators] finally saw the value in it,” he said.

By Christine Donhardt, Special to My Life, CommercialAppeal.com
May 10, 2012

The West Tennessee Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects and BRIDGES recently united for a sustainable garden service project in recognition of Landscape Architecture Month.

The Tennessee General Assembly passed a joint resolution, brought forth by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris of Shelby County, declaring April 2012 to be Landscape Architecture Month for the state of Tennessee. As the resolution states, landscape architects work to “preserve, protect and conserve Tennessee’s scenic beauty.” Norris added, “It is fitting that we acknowledge their contribution.”

This declaration coincides with the birthday of the founder of American landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted, and is in tandem with other ASLA events across the nation.

The West Tennessee Chapter celebrated Landscape Architecture Month with a service project at BRIDGES with Bridge Builders. For three weeks, local landscape architects participated in a series of activities to educate the Bridge Builders students in sustainable design and introduce them to the profession. Students helped install a redesign of the roof garden called “Becky’s Garden,” named after Becky Wilson, the driving force behind establishing Bridge Builders and the chairwoman of the capital campaign to build the BRIDGES Center. The new installation will focus on sustainable design with low-maintenance plants.

Wilson says the garden “complements the two atriums and the amphitheater on the ground floor. It softens the edges of the contemporary space and demonstrates how nature can enliven both work and play areas.”

Donations toward this project have come from BRIDGES, West TNASLA Chapter and Lichterman Nature Center.

West TNASLA Chapter chairman Henry Minor says, “We are glad to partner with BRIDGES on this project to educate young people about our profession and basic principles of landscape design and plant installation.”

In the first week, ASLA members removed salvageable plants from the roof garden for later installation. Then landscape architects repaired the drip irrigation system. Finally, they gave Bridge Builders students information about the profession and taught them some basic principles of sustainability, water conservation and environmental stewardship through the use of native plants in the landscape. These students then installed new plants for the sustainable design of the roof garden and re-mulched the planting beds.

Christine Donhardt is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and is the senior planner for the Memphis & Shelby County Office of Sustainability.

(WRCB) – There will soon be more incentives for Hollywood to come to Tennessee.
 
Changes to the state law will mean $2 million in anticipated funding for the state’s film incentive program and reforms to the state’s film funding grant formula will give smaller film productions access to a larger share of grant dollars.
 
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris said this new program simplifies and strengthens Tennessee’s commitment to the film industry.
 
The Chattanooga area has seen its own share of movie shoots, parts of “Water for Elephants ” was filmed here and now the movie “42″ is working in Chattanooga.

The film industry is an economic engine for Tennessee, one that deserves more support from state government.

That’s why state Sen. Mark Norris says he sponsored a measure, passed by the General Assembly this session, that will provide an estimated $2 million in additional funding for Tennessee’s film incentive program.

The Collierville Republican made the announcement Wednesday at the Carnival Memphis business industry salute luncheon.

Fittingly, the annual event this year honored the local film and movie industry.

“Not only has the film industry created a wellspring in our state, but it is a significant economic engine,” Norris said. “This legislation should make Tennessee more attractive to filmmakers and position us in the top tier of states that embrace independent productions.”

The repeal of the refundable tax credit available to film productions, sponsored by Norris, will mean projects with budgets topping $200,000 are eligible for grants equal to 25 percent of qualified Tennessee expenditures.

That’s a much-needed increase above the previous 17 percent grant rate and a 15 percent refundable tax credit that was only available projects with budgets exceeding $1 million, said Carnival Memphis honoree Linn Sitler.

“We’re not able to compete with states such as Georgia and Louisiana because they have state income taxes that in effect allow them to offer much broader incentives to movie and film productions,” said Sitler, commissioner with the Memphis & Shelby County Film and Television Commission.

“This program now makes us a state of choice for projects with small budgets. It’s important because it’s not just symbolic; there’s an attractive financial component attached.”

And those incentives should entice more productions to film in Memphis and throughout the state, said Stephen Lightman, president of Malco Theatres. The ripple effect could be substantial.

“We’re lucky to be in such a magical business and have the geniuses of Hollywood create our product,” said Lightman, who along with Bobby Levy and Jimmy Tashie received the Carnival Memphis Cook Halle Award. “Memphis is our home base and we’re very interested in seeing it succeed and grow. Having more productions filmed here opens up this great city to new audiences across the country and around the world.”

Proceeds from Wednesday’s event, expected to surpass $100,000, benefited the Chickasaw Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Jubilee Schools and School Advocates for Vision and Education.

Since 1999, Carnival Memphis has raised more than $1.3 million for children’s charities.

This year’s installment, which attracted more than 425 community members, was one of the best-attended in the organization’s history, leaders said.

“This is one of the most fascinating industry appreciation events I’ve ever been involved with because it’s showcasing some amazing people,” said Ed Galfsky, executive director of Carnival Memphis. “There are so many interesting people with compelling stories in our community and the movie and film industry is evidence of that.”

For more information, visit carnivalmemphis.org

– James Dowd: (901) 529-2737

Carnival Honorees

Cook Halle Award: Stephen Lightman, Robert Levy and Jimmy Tashie of Malco Theatres Inc.

King’s Award: Bill Courtney, entrepreneur and volunteer Manassas High School football coach who was profiled in the Academy Award-winning documentary “Undefeated”

President’s Award: Linn Sitler, commissioner with the Memphis & Shelby County Film and Television Commission

Chairman’s Award: Craig Brewer, writer and director

Honored Businesses and Organizations: The William Bearden Co.; John Beifuss, film critic for The Commercial Appeal; Dean Film & Video; Graceworks Pictures; Heritage Entertainment Group; Indie Memphis Film Festival; On Location: MEMPHIS Film Festival; the Orpheum theater; the Film and Video program in the Department of Communication at the University of Memphis

Changes to state law made during the 107th General Assembly will mean $2 million in anticipated funding for the state’s film incentive program, administered by the Tennessee Film Entertainment and Music Commission (TFEMC).

In addition, reforms to the state’s film funding grant formula will give smaller, indigenous film productions access to a larger share of available grant dollars.

Sen. Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) sponsored a repeal of the refundable tax credit available to film productions under TCA § 67-4-2109(j). The repeal will mean an additional $2 million in funding for the Tennessee Film/TV Incentive Fund.

Norris said the move makes TFEMC the “one-stop shop” for film incentives in the state and ends a complex system of incentivizing productions through both TFEMC grants and refundable tax credits issued by the Department of Revenue.

“We recognize the importance of the film industry not only to the economy of the state but to the welfare of countless Tennesseans whose livelihoods depend on it,” Norris said. “This new program simplifies, streamlines and strengthens our commitment to the film industry.”

Changes made to the Tennessee Film/TV Incentive Fund grant formula by the TFEMC are designed to promote the development of indigenous production and attract independent filmmakers by streamlining the incentive delivery process.

Under the new program, projects with budgets over $200,000 will be eligible to receive grants equal to 25 percent of their qualified Tennessee expenditures. Previously, the combined grant and tax credit system awarded a 17 percent grant and 15 percent refundable tax credit only to productions with budgets over $1 million.

“As part of Governor Haslam’s Jobs4TN economic development plan, the entertainment industry was identified as one of the key industries in which the state has a clear competitive advantage,” Bill Hagerty, commissioner, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, said. “I would like to thank Sen. Norris for his vision on this bill and members of the General Assembly for their support.”

The TFEMC is part of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

Changes to state law made during the 107th General Assembly will mean $2 million in anticipated funding for the state’s film incentive program, administered by the Tennessee Film Entertainment and Music Commission (TFEMC).
 
In addition, reforms to the state’s film funding grant formula will give smaller, indigenous film productions access to a larger share of available grant dollars.

Sen. Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) sponsored a repeal of the refundable tax credit available to film productions under TCA § 67-4-2109(j). The repeal will mean an additional $2 million in funding for the Tennessee Film/TV Incentive Fund .
 
Norris said the move makes TFEMC the “one-stop shop” for film incentives in the state and ends a complex system of incentivizing productions through both TFEMC grants and refundable tax credits issued by the Department of Revenue.
 
“We recognize the importance of the film industry not only to the economy of the state but to the welfare of countless Tennesseans whose livelihoods depend on it,” Norris said. “This new program simplifies, streamlines and strengthens our commitment to the film industry.”
 
Changes made to the Tennessee Film/TV Incentive Fund grant formula by the TFEMC are designed to promote the development of indigenous production and attract independent filmmakers by streamlining the incentive delivery process.
 
Under the new program, projects with budgets over $200,000 will be eligible to receive grants equal to 25 percent of their qualified Tennessee expenditures. Previously, the combined grant and tax credit system awarded a 17 percent grant and 15 percent refundable tax credit only to productions with budgets over $1 million.
 
“As part of Governor Haslam’s Jobs4TN economic development plan, the entertainment industry was identified as one of the key industries in which the state has a clear competitive advantage,” Bill Hagerty, commissioner, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, said.  “I would like to thank Sen. Norris for his vision on this bill and members of the General Assembly for their support.”
 
The TFEMC is part of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

Bill Haslam is the Governor of Tennessee. But, as the Senate majority whip of the recently concluded General Assembly session, Collierville Republican Mark Norris proved again he is straw “that stirs the drink” as its unmatched legislative powerbroker.

The Tennessee Film Entertainment and Music Commission is anticipating an extra $2 million for the state’s film incentive program thanks to changes in the film funding grant formula.
 
The changes were made to foster a friendlier environment for local film productions. They include an incentive for projects with budgets over $200,000 that will allow filmmakers to receive grants for up to 25 percent of the money the productions spend in Tennessee.
 
A previous grant system awarded grants of 17 percent and tax credits of 15 percent to projects with budgets of $1 million or more.
 
The changes also streamline the process of incentives for film projects, making the TFEMC a “one-stop shop” for those incentives, Mark Norris, R-Collierville, said in a statement. Norris sponsored the repeal of the original refundable tax credit.
 
“We recognize the importance of the film industry not only to the economy of the state but to the welfare of countless Tennesseans whose livelihoods depend on it,” Norris said.
 
The TFEMC is part of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development   , which works to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and growth.

Memphis, Tn – Bill Haslam is the Governor of Tennessee. But, as the Senate majority whip of the recently concluded General Assembly session, Collierville Republican Mark Norris proved again he is straw “that stirs the drink” as its unmatched legislative powerbroker.
 
When asked about Haslam’s hesitation to sign into law two passed measures to lift the ban on municipal school districts in Shelby County and allow those municipalities to hold their own referendums on whether they want to create their own school systems, Norris dodged any appearance of conflict with the Governor.
 
“He is pleased I think that the Transition Planning Commission is to complete its report several months before any votes will be taken. So, he takes some reassurance in that. I just think he’s giving it thoughtful favorable consideration,” said Norris.
 
In fostering the school bills, Norris deftly warded off criticism of perceived Nashville interference in the transition process his own 2011 Norris-Todd legislation put into place as a mechanism to aide the school merger. I asked him on Tuesday if he’s been pleased with the TPC’s work so far.
 
“I’ve tried not to interfere. It’s not my place to do that. I think there’s enough issues here. I think they’re grappling with the magnitude of the measure. We tried to talk about that a year ago. This is no small task and I think everybody appreciates that now…in ways they may not have when this all originally began.”
 
The Governor’s apparent indifference was also no impediment to Norris-sponsored legislation that created a new incentives package to lure film productions to the state. Haslam has never expressed anymore than lip service to a stagnated incentives package which has paled in comparison to states such as Georgia, Louisiana and North Carolina. A more visionary Norris says the new law will be aimed specifically at encouraging smaller productions to put Tennessee in the camera’s eye.
 
“It’s a real wellspring of artistic and also economic activity here in the state and it’s very important…Increasing grants that’ll be available from 17 percent to about 25 percent of expenditures. And to create a recurring source of revenue for the film incentive fund…about two-million dollars a year. So, that’ll be a big boost.”