Savannah's film industry (Columbus: 2013, city hall, lawyer)

[Newsboy]

There are THREE stories about the film industry on the front page of today's SMN:

-- The firing of Film Office Director Jay Self
-- The commencing of filming for "Sponge Bob Square Pants II"
-- Details about the upcoming Savannah Film Festival

The fourth story (secondary ha ha) is about the government shutdown.

The three film stories should have been better packaged (indeed, the Jay Self dismissal is directly related to the "Sponge Bob" movie! More evidence of the utter STUPIDITY of newsroom management down at the SMN right now .... but I digress!)

POINT: Movies are obviously big business and big news in this town. Another thing that makes Savannah so special IMO.

http://webmedia.newseum.org/newseum-...df1/GA_SMN.pdf

[Newsboy]

MEANTIME ... This Jay Self controversy continues to get uglier ... some of the allegations coming out of both sides are quite disturbing

Jay Self Accuses Joe Shearouse Of Making Him Break Law - WSAV: News, Weather, and Sports for Savannah, GA

City of Savannah fires Film Services Director | WJCL News

Editor's Note: Sponging off Jay Self | Editor's Note | Connect Savannah - The free weekly newspaper for news , arts, music , food and drink in Savannah, Georgia

[gentlearts]

The Savannah Morning News picked a GREAT day to not deliver our paper this morning. Since I never let facts get in the way of my opinion, I figure the old guard is probably wrong.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

The Savannah Morning News picked a GREAT day to not deliver our paper this morning. Since I never let facts get in the way of my opinion, I figure the old guard is probably wrong.

I think you're right. WSAV went door-to-door on Broughton Street looking for all these shopkeepers upset over Sponge Bob, and found just one ... who only said they wished they'd held out for more money!

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

the utter STUPIDITY of newsroom management down at the SMN right now .... but I digress!)

The SMN is one of the worst daily papers in the South. Have you seen the Columbus Enquirer? Better edited, more balanced, a far better newspaper (paper and online editions.) When I was majoring in journalism, my mom always said I should come back to town and remake the SMN into a decent paper. I think it's even worse now: orange-jumpsuit mugshots and other redneck trash articles on page one (in other newspapers, they'd be on p. 20.) A disgraceful rag, and I think it actually dissuades folks from visiting the city.

Now that I've digressed: Savannah's film industry has slumped and so the guy had to go. While you can't expect film activity in Savannah to be as dynamic as in the late 1990s, there should be more films than simply the "Spongepants" series and teeny Miley Cyrus outings. Kind of underwhelming for a beautiful backdrop like Savannah. Sigh.

[pink caddy]

No city wants to lose a nice bit of income like the one that comes from the film industry. I have seen in other cities (NYC) the value in $$$$$ it can generated.

During all of this mish mosh that's going on right now perhaps the city would be wise to hire a top notch PR firm or "damage control" specialist to insure an outgoing relationship with the film industry until the dust settles.

[CoastalGAGuy]

Film companies couldn't care less about local politics. They just want people to get out of the way. Most PR firms, even top-notch ones, don't have much direct experience with big production companies. And, that's been the problem at the city. Putting the film office under the Leisure Services department was nothing short of asinine. The former City Manager had a personal vendetta against Mr. Self, and so the move was a blatant attempt to marginalize the office. Instead of Mr. Self, she had the police department work directly with the producers of Extreme Home Makeover a few years ago, which albeit a much smaller economic impact and production footprint, still caused major havoc in that region of Ardsley Park where they were shooting. Homeowners weren't able to get to their own driveways. Huge lights stayed on all night in a residential neighborhood, noisy construction equipment whined and jackhammered away, people found huge electric feeder cable stretched across their front lawns without ever having been so much as asked for permission.... A real mess brought to us by a city that doesn't get it.

The city doesn't need to spend money on a PR firm (at wasted taxpayer expense, mind you) to get it right. They need to extract the Film Office back into a directly reporting department where the Director works officially and straightforwardly with City Hall and other city departments. Get the guy whose job it is to clean up after a Picnic in the Park out of the film production business. Although I'm sure he's a nice guy, and just following orders, it is clear that he has NO idea what he's doing.

And, for anyone who pins Mr. Self's firing over the issues with downtown business discontent and the Sponge Bob movie. Well, you just haven't been paying attention for the past 5 years.

[pink caddy]

Originally Posted by CoastalGAGuy

The city doesn't need to spend money on a PR firm (at wasted taxpayer expense, mind you) to get it right.

Well, only my opinion, which is what this forum board is all about.
You know, it's like all other things in life, when you need help you go to a smart person. Maybe a doctor, lawyer or candlestick maker.

Question: What makes you think that the "city can get it right" BEFORE the film industry says "Savannah is not a good town to do business in"? Rumor, innuendo, bad feelings, and all the rest, like in life, is what kills deals.

[CoastalGAGuy]

Originally Posted by pink caddy

Question: What makes you think that the "city can get it right" BEFORE the film industry says "Savannah is not a good town to do business in"? Rumor, innuendo, bad feelings, and all the rest, like in life, is what kills deals.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, albeit one that doesn't seem closely related to or deeply experienced in the film industry. But, the city is currently getting it very wrong WHILE the film industry is involved in a major motion picture shooting locally. I don't think the city will get it right until they reorganize the film office in the correct and responsible way that it was originally designed by Michael Brown - our first City Manager. If you think a PR firm can waltz in, put a band aid over the situation and, by use of smoke and mirrors a la Hollywood itself, "get it right," you're just making a long shot bet on a real shaky foundation. Fix the film office, get it out from under Leisure Services!

The REAL reason that Hollywood is interested in our city is because of its versatility (location-wise) in a state that offers major tax incentives to film here. Take away the tax incentive, and they'll dry up soon enough (there are Spanish moss and historic locations in Louisiana, too). We need a buffer, and that's what the film office was designed to be - part marketing entity, part community liaison, part local business champion. But, the powers that be made this a personal vendetta, and the result is a hobbled, poorly organized, deeply mistrusted and now totally decimated department.

But, you're right. Instead, we should hire a PR firm to come in here, take some of our money, and (if they're worth their salt), tell you the same thing after a lengthy process they have to use as rationale. That's more of the Savannah way of doing things, to be sure.

[pink caddy]

Originally Posted by CoastalGAGuy

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, albeit one that doesn't seem closely related to or deeply experienced in the film industry. But, the city is currently getting it very wrong WHILE the film industry is involved in a major motion picture shooting locally. I don't think the city will get it right until they reorganize the film office in the correct and responsible way that it was originally designed by Michael Brown - our first City Manager. If you think a PR firm can waltz in, put a band aid over the situation and, by use of smoke and mirrors a la Hollywood itself, "get it right," you're just making a long shot bet on a real shaky foundation. Fix the film office, get it out from under Leisure Services!

The REAL reason that Hollywood is interested in our city is because of its versatility (location-wise) in a state that offers major tax incentives to film here. Take away the tax incentive, and they'll dry up soon enough (there are Spanish moss and historic locations in Louisiana, too). We need a buffer, and that's what the film office was designed to be - part marketing entity, part community liaison, part local business champion. But, the powers that be made this a personal vendetta, and the result is a hobbled, poorly organized, deeply mistrusted and now totally decimated department.

But, you're right. Instead, we should hire a PR firm to come in here, take some of our money, and (if they're worth their salt), tell you the same thing after a lengthy process they have to use as rationale. That's more of the Savannah way of doing things, to be sure.

When you say "not closely related or deeply experienced with the film industry" you are making my point. No better way to say it. Therefore, you will clearly see my point about being concerned that the rest of the "experts" in charge of steering the ship while we are in rough waters could screw it up better then me. lol.

Isn't it better to try and call in some outside help, for a few bux. then losing a chunk of business?
I'm a cheapskate....I'm not looking to spend the tax payer's money foolishly. I'm looking for the City of Savannah to making money.