Trump consulted with Jon Voight prior to proposing levies on overseas film productions.
Fresh Take:
Hollywood vet Jon Voight drops a blockbuster plan for President Trump, aiming to shake up domestic film and TV production! According to Voight's manager, Steven Paul, they held a meeting with Trump over the weekend at Mar-a-Lago, showing him a intriguing lineup of strategies.
The strategies included federal tax incentives, tweaking tax codes, establishing co-production treaties with foreign countries, and subsidizing infrastructure for production companies and theater owners. The meeting came before Trump's sudden call for tariffs on movies originating from foreign lands, stirring confusion and unease within the entertainment industry.
However, White House officials cleared up any confusion, stating that no final decisions have been made yet, with them just "exploring all options." It's unclear whether Trump's proposal will extend to TV productions or specify which aspects of physical production would be affected by tariffs.
Interestingly, Voight and Paul's plan encapsulates a notion of tariffs in certain select conditions, although details on this point are scarce. Voight has been appointed as one of three "special ambassadors to Hollywood" by Trump, who views the entertainment industry as a "great but troubled place." The other ambassadors are Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Voight said, "The President loves the entertainment business and this country, and he will help us make Hollywood great again." He added, "We look forward to collaborating with the administration, the unions, studios, and streamers to create a plan to boost our industry and bring more productions back to America."
In the lively world of entertainment, Voight is known for his conservative political views and his support of Trump, once labeling Trump "the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln." As an acclaimed actor, he has won an Academy Award for best actor for the war drama "Coming Home" (1978) and starred in the best picture winner "Midnight Cowboy" (1969). Voight's manager, Paul, is a producer, actor, and talent manager who founded the independent production company Crystal Sky Pictures.
Did You Know?
The proposed federal tax incentives for domestic TV series and movie productions could amount to a 10% tax credit, escalating to 20% for states without existing incentives. Voight also advocates for job training, stipulating that 75% of production should take place in the U.S. to remain eligible for incentives, and introducing a "cultural test" to protect American content in collaborative projects.
- The strategic plans presented by Jon Voight and his manager, Steven Paul, to President Trump, involving federal tax incentives, tax code adjustments, co-production treaties, and infrastructure subsidies, demonstrate a policy-and-legislation approach to revitalize the domestic film and TV production sector.
- In the broader context of the entertainment industry, President Trump's proposal for tariffs on foreign movie originations, as well as Voight and Paul's plan that encapsulates the notion of tariffs in certain select conditions, indicates an interlacing of business and politics.
- As general news unfolds, key figures from the entertainment industry such as Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone, appointed as special ambassadors by the president, are poised to shape policy-and-legislation and business practices within the entertainment sector, potentially having far-reaching impacts on business and the broader economy.
