In The News

Monday, May 10, 2021, from 7:00 – 8:30pm

The panel, moderated by MFA Advocacy Committee Chair Louise Rosen, consists of the bill’s legislative sponsor, Representative Suzanne Salisbury of Westbrook; the citizen advocates behind the bill, Erik Van Wyck and Daniel Stephenson; and a certified public accountant who specializes in film incentives, Irene Wachsler. They will break down the legislative jargon for you, field your questions about what it means for the Maine media industry, and guide you through the legislative process and how you can make your voice heard on this issue.

The Maine Film Office has been saying this (loudly) for years and it’s great to hear more voices echo the message:  Maine’s film/tv/media industry is a viable – and important – part of Maine’s economy.  The film industry supplies value-added benefits and is inextricably linked to Maine art, business, tourism, and other industries. The value-added resources offered by the industry help get the Maine message out there and can be a valuable resource for the State’s recovery efforts and Economic Development Strategy.

The headline above is from Portland Press Herald’s “Maine Voice Columns”.  I encourage you to read the column and join the conversation.  Our collective voice is much louder than our individual voices.

Who can apply?  Some of the eligible businesses work with the film industry.   Eligible entities who have experienced pandemic-related revenue loss include:

• •   Restaurants
• •   Food stands, food trucks, food carts
• •   Caterers
• •   Bars, saloons, lounges, taverns
• •   Snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars
• •   Bakeries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• •   Brewpubs, tasting rooms, taprooms (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• •   Breweries and/or microbreweries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• •   Wineries and distilleries (onsite sales to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• •   Inns (onsite sales of food and beverage to the public comprise at least 33% of gross receipts)
• •   Licensed facilities or premises of a beverage alcohol producer where the public may taste, sample, or purchase products

SBA will begin accepting applications via the application portal on Monday, May 3 at 12 p.m. EDT. The application portal will remain open to any eligible establishment until all funds are exhausted.

In preparation, qualifying applicants should familiarize themselves with the application process in advance to ensure a smooth and efficient application. Follow the steps below.

• Register for an account in advance at restaurants.sba.gov starting Friday, April 30 at 9 a.m. EDT. If you are working with Square or Toast, you do not need to register.

• Review the sample application, updated program guide and cross-program eligibility chart on SBA COVID-19 relief options.

In preparation for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant application portal reopening tomorrow, April 26, follow the steps below. Remember to register on the portal in advance.

•  Now:  Use the checklist to make sure you have everything you need to complete your application. Review additional resources at sba.gov/svogrant such as the applicant user guide and FAQ. Keep these resources open throughout the application process.

•  Before 11 a.m. EDT, April 26:  Register on the SVOG portal. The ability to register will be temporarily suspended between 11 a.m.-12 p.m. EDT on April 26 to ensure a fair process and prepare the site for opening.

•  12 p.m. EDT, April 26:  Begin the application process on the SVOG portal. Every user will be temporarily placed in a virtual waiting room and will be able to start their application in the order in which they arrived.

For technical assistance such as a password reset, browser suggestions, or how to use the multi-factor authentication with an app and the QR code, applicants can call 1-800-659-2955 or, for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 1-800-877-8339 and follow the prompts to SVOG assistance

The call center is open tonight, April 25 until 8 p.m. EDT. Beginning tomorrow, April 26, the call center will be open 24/7.

Shot in the Old Port and on the waterfront, the film let Maine-born actor Greg Finley realize his dream of making a movie in his home state.

The trailer for the new film “Downeast” opens with shots of fishing boat masts bobbing in Portland harbor, of lobster traps piled high on the waterfront and of the long, majestic 19th-century brick buildings lining Commercial Street.

As the camera pans, a voice is heard saying, “Every town is built on bad decisions,” and goes on to outline a story of heavy-handed organized crime, drug smuggling, violence and other seedier sides of life in a port town. But the experience of filming in Portland was pretty much the opposite.

The director, Joe Raffa, said Portland basically acts as another character in the film, and a crucial one. Lead actor Greg Finley and cinematographer and producer Edwin Stevens – two Maine natives who have worked in Hollywood and elsewhere – say using Portland as a backdrop gives the film an authenticity and a feel that can’t be matched anywhere.