President Trump has said he wants tariffs placed on “films made in foreign lands”, leaving some pundits confused about how to define a foreign film. But, according to Louisiana Film President Jason Waggenspack, while details may still be scant, putting the US film industry at the forefront of the conversation is crucial.
In speaking to WWL’s Tommy Tucker, Waggenspack said, “We’re all trying to figure out the details and are questioning what determines what constitutes a foreign film. It does bring about some interesting conversations.”
Films take a long time to make and involve a great deal of moving parts. Between how the movie is financed, finding the right stars, staffing the massive production crew, and much more, what parameters go into a film being “foreign made?"
It could get tricky.
However, Waggenspack says he’s glad we’re talking about the state of the film industry in the United States at all. “The conversation is being had about driving film back to the U.S., and whether we like the announcement of tariffs or not, it is bringing the conversation up. That’s the most important piece of this,” Waggenspeck emphasizes.
Whether tariffs will result in a renewed economic burst in domestic film jobs remains to be seen, but Waggenspack is quick to add that film professionals right here in Louisiana and across the United States are eager to get to work.
“We really need to see and understand how we can continue making these stories here, and I know there are lots of people ready to get back to work to tell those stories here,” Waggenspack says.
He adds that while details are few, bringing the conversation to the forefront could be the beginning of something big.
“Does that mean a federal film office or a federal film incentive?" Waggenspeck postulates. "There are still a lot of details about how a fee structure would work. However, one of the biggest names in the world, the President of the United States, has brought this up. That brings the conversation back to bringing production back. I think that’s a positive thing."