May 1 Diversity Visual Media Fair aims to link minorities to job opportunities

As part of an ongoing effort to assure that minorities get a fair share of the work expected to be stimulated by the Illinois Film Tax Credit, the Illinois Film Office is hosting a Diversity Visual Media Fair May 1.

The Tax Credit, which took effect January 1, offers production companies a refund equal to 25% of wages paid to Illinois residents for work performed in Illinois. The Illinois credit is the first of its kind with a diversity component. Companies are required to demonstrate a “good faith effort” to hire a crew that represents the state’s ethnic diversity.

Some black union members have argued that they’re still not getting hired despite the substantial new business being generated. They claim some unions are overtly seeking racial minorities while their black members remain under-employed.

The film office estimates that state revenues from film production will nearly double in 2004 to $50 million from $25.6 million last year. “The Weatherman” and “Ice Harvest” are two features filming here in their entirety so far this year, along with parts of major motion pictures.

“There’s a universe of minority crew that usually only get hired on predominantly African American movies, or that have the experience and hours to access the unions but have only worked on indies,” said IFO diversity officer Joyce Davis.

“The biggest complaint we get from production companies applying for the Tax Credit is, ‘where do I find qualified minorities to fill positions?’ The Diversity Visual Media Fair will be an opportunity to reintroduce those two worlds,” she said.

The Diversity Fair begins with an open forum on the state of the industry, production job opportunities and union membership policies, featuring production managers and reps from unions and production companies. The forum will be followed by interviews with hiring entities, arranged by the IFO for select crew. Davis said a number of prominent companies and unions were expected to be represented at the Fair, but could not confirm any specific attendees as of mid- April.

“We’re trying to capitalize on using diversity as a sales pitch,” Davis said. “When you’ve got the Denzel Washingtons and Spike Lees and John Singletons, and with Chicago having the second-largest African American population, and the urban look of the city, combined with the fact that companies are required to hire minorities behind the scenes to qualify for the Tax Credit, we feel it’s a perfect fit to reach out to that community to make their films here.”

Davis joined the IFO in January as the agency’s first diversity officer, after three years as legislative liaison for state comptroller Dan Hynes. She’s also working on the development of an IFO crew training program modeled after the Hollywood Cinema Production Resource.

The Diversity Visual Media Fair will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 1 at the Hard Rock Hotel, 230 N. Michigan.. Reach Davis at 312/814-7162.

? by Ed M. Koziarski, edk@homesickblues.com.