Boycott "New in Town"

[KidWalleye]

I just saw a news report about a movie called New in Town starring Harry Connick Jr. It's supposed to be about New Ulm only it was filmed in Winnipeg. Due to TAX reasons. Are you kidding me? As if we don't tax businesses enough. Now we tax production companies out of the state. The people making the tax rates are idiots. How about weighing the benefits of having a movie filmed here and the jobs it creates versus the taxes we aren't collecting anyways. I'm not blaming the producers for not filming here because of tax reasons. But if you're going to make a film in Winnipeg, than make that movie about Winnipeg and don't insult the people of New Ulm.

Kid

[LMITOUT]

How about boycotting the people who keep raising taxes instead?

It's not the movie producer's fault for not coming to a business-unfriendly state. Just like any business, making a profit is kinda important or you don't stay employed long.

[PierBridge]

I love Schells Beer!

New Ulm Rocks!

[catflisher]

I am a rational adult, 55 years old...I have seen a lot of things in my life, and a lot of politics, a lot of greed in people, governments, etc...I'd have to agree that Schells beer is good...Does anyone remember deer beer 1 and 2?? I allways liked the first one best...

[McGurk]

If you are going to boycott all movies not filmed in the U.S., the list of movies you could see will be pretty short...

I wonder if they'll get the "Fargo"-esque accent and dialect correct. Yeaaaa...yoo betcha!

[crothmeier]

Here's a write-up from Wcco about this:

Why Aren't Films Based In Minnesota Shot Here?

Harry Connick, Jr. got a nice Minnesota welcome back when he came to the Mall of America to promote his new movie, "New in Town". It's set in the town of New Ulm.

He's been to the state several times to sing, but never to act. All of the Minnesota scenes in "New in Town" were shot in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

"We're not even on the map. They don't even call us anymore," said Anne Healy, head of Shoot in Minnesota, a group of local film professionals pushing for more financial Minnesota film incentives.

Minnesota lost out to Michigan for Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino" and to Wisconsin for the Johnny Depp movie, "Public Enemies."

Healy said that movie production is a good economic development tool because producers create new jobs in everything from bus drivers to waiters to electricians.

"If our economy is crying out for jobs and money, this is a great way to get it," she said.

Right now, Minnesota offers a 20 percent rebate for film producers but has only appropriated $3 million. That includes a $500,000 incentive for the Coen Brothers to shoot "A Serious Man" in Minnesota last year.

Wisconsin gives producers 25 percent back without a cap. Michigan wrote into a 42 percent incentive in April 2008. Since then, they've completed 32 movies compared to three the year before.

"There's no way Michigan is going to be able to maintain that," said St. Paul DFL Senator Richard Cohen. He helped to create the Minnesota Film Board and would like to see more money targeted toward incentives.

"It's going to be difficult, I'm hoping we can try to carve some place in the budget," said Cohen.

He hopes to appropriate at $5 million this year for movies about Minnesota to be set in Minnesota.

Harry Connick, Jr., though, proved it's probably not hard to make Manitoba look like New Ulm.

[Black_Bay]

Why don't the use some of the "arts money".

[Double D]

Why don't the use some of the "arts money".

Now that's talkin' some good old common sense, Black Bay.

DD

[zamboni]

This is done alot. For Petes sake, Seinfeld wasn't filmed in New York City- set there, but very much filmed in Los Angeles. It is very common for Hollywood to do this. Just be thankful she was the new girl in New Ulm, and not New York. Just being mentioned in a movie brings alot of attention to the town and the area. Grumpy Old Men wasn't all filmed in Wabasha, but it sure didn't hurt tourism there.

[redseal]

i always lol when i see grumpy old men part 1...full sized shacks and driving on the ice during thanksgiving...lol

am i the only one who noticed that???...lol

[DTro]

Zamboni's right. Newsflash, movies and TV shows are rarely filmed at the location they represent, and when they do, they change it to their liking anyways.

I say big deal

[frogtosser]

would have been nice to see herman heights on the big screen or some other local things. I grew up in that area, it would have been cool.

[nofishfisherman]

i always lol when i see grumpy old men part 1...full sized shacks and driving on the ice during thanksgiving...lol

am i the only one who noticed that???...lol

I noticed that as well.