To the leaders of America's film industry,
As you know, North Carolina has been working for a very long time to attract your attention and your interest. With a long term vision to make our state the best place to produce motion pictures, we have put in place powerful incentives and a world-class infrastructure to support you.
Now we need your support. You see, Republican leaders in North Carolina are trying to pass Amendment One, which will ensure that your gay employees and movie stars and producers are second-class citizens in our state. We need you to send them a strong message today that you will boycott North Carolina if their Amendment passes.
No more Hunger Games, no more television commercials. No more documentaries. No more nothing.
This amendment will be voted on in four weeks. Now is the time for you to act. Start by contacting Aaron Syrett (aaron@ncfilm.com) at the NC Film. Let him know that he has a big problem on his hands.
Make sure you copy Thom Tillis (Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net) when you write. He's the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, a jerk by any standard ... and the man behind this bigoted amendment.
Comments
Contact the MPAA
Come on folks. It doesn't take a lot to send a quick email. Do it now. If nothing else, just send them a link to this page.
Contactus@mpaa.org
boycott NC
As you know, North Carolina has been working for a very long time to attract your attention and your interest. With a long term vision to make our state the best place to produce motion pictures, we have put in place powerful incentives and a world-class infrastructure to support you.
Now we need your support. You see, Republican leaders in North Carolina are trying to pass Amendment One, which will ensure that your gay employees and movie stars and producers are second-class citizens in our state. We need you to send them a strong message today that you will boycott North Carolina if their Amendment passes.
No more Hunger Games, no more television commercials. No more documentaries. No more nothing.
Read more: http://www.bluenc.com/open-letter-americas-film-makers-boycott-north-carolina#comment-148080#ixzz1re...
NC film supporters
I could safely bet that most of the people supporting filmmaking in the state are AGAINST Amendment one. Just because a few ignorant people want to deny others of their rights in NC doesn't mean we all want to. I am definitely spreading the word far & wide to get people out to vote against it. Don't pick on us film people and try to discourage people against filming here please - again - we (or at the very least the majority of us) are on YOUR side!!
I am not picking on film people
I am trying to get their help in stopping this egregious assault on personal freedoms. "Film people" can and should be doing everything they possibly can to defeat Amendment One. And if for some reason the thing passes, they should find another state to do business in until the amendment is struck down.
On your side
Then ENCOURAGE film people to vote against the amendment - don't threaten them with a boycott of film activity. Again, its not the film people you need to be concerning yourself with threatening - how about other more traditional businesses that tend to have conservatives at the helm? Lastly - as I said - most of the "film people" I know in the state are very concerned with this bill and are against amendment one. We're on your side!
Every time I bring up the
Every time I bring up the idea of a boycott or a strong push back against entrenched powers, someone (in this case, you) says, "Oh no! Don't threaten _________ or _________. You're only hurting people who are on your side!"
To which I say this: Unless and until there is a price to be paid for behaving like 19th century segregationists, North Carolina will continue to do just that.
Sure there's a role for coaxing and cajoling. But there's also a role for threatening if you can back up the threat with action. Did the "film people" tell Thom Tillis that he would undermine a billion dollar industry in North Carolina if he pushed this amendment? Did the "film people" stage a one-day strike to demonstrate the potential consequences of passing this amendment?
Maybe I missed it, but I don't see a lot of evidence of the "film people" doing anything to fight this amendment ... and I would truly welcome their joining the fight in a public and visible way.
My name is James Protzman ... and I stand with the "film people" against Amendment One.
It's a perfect target
The film industry is a PERFECT target for this. If the film industry took a stand and even one or two projects were canceled because of the backward Republican legislative agenda in this state, then it's that much easier the next time to point out to the asshats in the GA that even if you want to be a bigot, being a bigot comes with a price -- it costs our state money and prestige. Keep up the good work, James.
Syd
Thank you for saying that
It's nice to have some cover every now and then.
If the film people are already on board in an organized way,
I apologize. If they're not, it's way past time for some serious flexing. Like yesterday.
Will this amendment to hurt the film industry in North Carolina? That's not the question. The question is how much.
James does not threaten "film people"
He asks "film people" to threaten NC. It's flattering to be seen as an industry with enough power and intelligence to make a ripple in this putrid swamp of a political situation.
Yeah. I hear south Carolina
Yeah. I hear south Carolina is a great place to film.
Oh it is
Just like NC, they offer a non-union work force and tax incentives beyond what they bring back to the economy. But as we pointed out above, movie deals are high profile wins for the state so if the movie people canceled a few projects and said in public: "we're not going to film in NC if Amendment one passes" that would go a long, long way towards reminding the idiots in the GA that bigotry hurts your state. It never HELPS your state.
No one wants to lose business but apparently, the asshats in the GA have no problem chasing away talent and businesses that don't move here because it's a hostile environment to LGBT, minorities, etc...
Syd
Lame
SC has an amendment against gay marriage as well, passed 6 years ago and worded even more restrictively. EVERY southern state has an amendment against gay marriage, as does the home of the film-making industry of the USA: California.
Keith Crisco should be more vocal about Amendment One
It's a shame we haven't seen Commerce Secretary Crisco in an anti-amendment video, but I have seen Richard Vinroot in two videos.
Good point re: Crisco
My email to his office:
Send your own note to the department:
info@nccommerce.com
What if every person who saw a movie in North Carolina
for the next month also saw a 30 second spot (donated by CarMike or whatever) that give people two good reasons to vote Against.
Take your pick:
1. Against because the basis for the amendment itself is wrong (moral reasons).
2. Against because the language of the amendment is wrong (technical reasons).
It doesn't matter why you vote against it, just vote against it. It's bad law.
Boycott Merlefest!
Wilkes County's county commissioners voted in agreement to a resolution that states:
“Wheresas, the Wilkes County Republican Party supports the conservative platform of The Republican Party, including but not limited to: pro-life; a balanced budget; protecting gun ownership; opposing governmental controlled healthcare; school choice with more religion in schools; opposing same-sex marriage; reducing the scope and size of government; and cutting taxes, especially on businesses that invest and hire.”
I SAY BOYCOTT MERLEFEST - and see how they like it! RIDICULOUS!!! BOYCOTT MERLEFEST! SERIOUSLY!!!
Your post is misleading
It appears that the Wilkes County Republican Party passed the resolution you cite, not the Wilkes County Commissioners.
That said, the Wilkes County Commissioners appear to be contemplating a resolution about Amendment One.
http://www.journalpatriot.com
oops again Nope - I'm right
I wrongly posted the Wilkes Co. Republican's resolution - but last night the Wilkes County Commissioners DID vote to pass a resolution stating:
the Wilkes Commissioners endorse “the proposed Marriage Amendment to the North Carolina Constitution which states that the only domestic legal union that is valid or recognized in North Carolina is marriage between one man and one woman.”
I have friends that were present. The Wilkes Journal Patriot has failed to post that news. So I'm back on track - BOYCOTT MERLEFEST!
regarding film boycott
You know, I hear what you guys are saying, but you're going after the wrong folks. Take the Piedmont Triad Film Commission, for instance. They are primarily funded by Greensboro and Guilford county. Greensboro's City Council voted to oppose Amendment One. Folks in Winston are working on the same thing. Instead of targeting the film industry, which brings in "our kind of people" maybe you should focus on boycotting something else. Or,perhaps we could ask the NC Film Makers to aid us in creating and distributing powerful messages in opposition to Amendment One.