The Administration recommends that the Mayor and City Commission adopt the proposed changes to the City of Miami Beach Film Incentives Guidelines, as recommended by the Production Industry Council (PIC), to maximize the program’s impact by diversifying qualified productions and industry-related non-production activities, increasing benefits to the local workforce, providing COVID-19 support, and fostering the development of local talent.

In response to the Florida Legislature’s decision to eliminate funding from the State of Florida’s Film & Entertainment Incentive Program, the Administration provided the Miami Beach City Commission with an overview on the status of the Film & Print Industry, and ways to continue the viability of these industries in Miami Beach.

The Administration coordinated meetings with production industry figures, the City’s Production Industry Council and reviewed processes and local incentive options provided by other communities to evaluate the City’s internal mechanisms.

In 2019, after extensive review by the industry as well as coordination with the Miami-Dade County Office of Film and Entertainment, the Mayor and Commission adopted changes to the film incentive guidelines making them less restrictive for productions to utilize the film incentive program. The changes included:

·Eliminate the signed consent requirement for reservation of metered parking, requiring merely   notification with all details.

·Reduce signed consent for road or lane closures to 75% of directly affected properties instead of the   current 100%.

· Reduce the residential signature consent area to 200’ from the production use, where it currently       requires 500’.

·Reduce permitted production crew parking to $10 per vehicle (a 50% reduction from the usual $20 per vehicle) in all municipal lots and garages, where/ when capacity permits.

·Extending the number of free vehicle access passes to productions that demonstrate Miami Beach   room nights to a scale of 5 passes for 50 room nights; 10 passes for 100 room nights; and 20 passes   for 200 room nights.

·Reinstate the PCRV pass for motorhome parking allowance in metered spaces and taxi/ rideshare   spaces.

·Implementation of a cash incentive of $10,000 and an ordinance streamlining the film and   photography guidelines – to encourage and facilitate even more film and print production in Miami   Beach.

On March 11, 2021, after assessing the Miami Beach Film Incentive Grant's performance and film industry challenges, including hardships due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Tourism and Culture Department presented proposed revisions to the Miami Beach Film Incentive Guidelines to the Production Industry Council. PIC approved the changes unanimously.

The recommended changes include:

·Expanding grant eligibility to industry related projects that would result in meaningful impact to the Miami Beach community.

·Opening criteria beyond the number of hotel rooms booked by cast/crew to allow for 70%   of the cast/crew to be Miami-Dade County residents (this does not include extras and   background talent).

·Requiring the “Made in Miami Beach” logo on all qualifying projects. 

·Adding Competition and Game Shows to the list of eligible projects.

·Including COVID 19 safety and sanitation purchases as qualifying expenditures.

To support proposed revisions to the Miami Beach Film Incentive that maximize the impact and expand opportunities for industry activations, diversify the scope of qualifying productions, and bolster local industry and workforce by incentivizing Miami-Dade County resident hires, as well as provide relief for COVID-19 Safety and Sanitation costs; and to support the creation and funding of programs, in FY 21-22, that encourage and benefit local independent filmmakers and foster partnerships with film organizations and other non-profit film and production institutions supporting and utilizing Miami Beach talent.

The Administration recommends that the Mayor and City Commission accept the recommendation by the PIC to adopt the proposed changes to the City of Miami Beach Film Incentive Guidelines.

KEY INTENDED OUTCOMES SUPPORTED

Provide increased support to local productions, maximize the impact of the program’s allocated funds, and foster partnership opportunities by incentivizing non-production-related industry activations (film programs) while providing support to the local workforce, emerging talent, and COVID-19 Pandemic support which so strongly impacted the production industry.