N.H. a movie star?

The Granite State is featured in the September issue of P3 Production Update magazine in an article praising its filming incentives.

The article, “Top Production Incentives: The North American Race has Begun,” focuses on the innovative and aggressive efforts made by the nation’s film offices to market their states as filming locations.

“The editors were genuinely interested in New Hampshire’s approach to filming incentives and our promotional spin on the benefits already built into the state’s economy,” said Van McLeod, commissioner of the Department of cultural Resources, which oversees the New Hampshire Film and Television Office.

Well known for its absence of sales, personal income and capital gains taxes, the article says, New Hampshire continues to make a name for itself in the film industry while other states are forced to offer exemptions and rebates in order to compete. In addition, New Hampshire does not require film crews to make a specific monetary commitment or complete large quantities of paperwork prior to filming like many other states do.

“There are some very competitive states out there with lucrative incentives for filmmakers, and New Hampshire is just beginning to examine how it can bring incentives to the forefront,” said Matthew Newton, film specialist with the state Film and Television Office. “However, to be included with such notable company at this stage is an honor, and it shows that we’re starting out with the right mindset.”

The majority of production interest in New Hampshire to date has been from television and the independent film markets. Home and Garden Television, The Food Network and Discovery Health have all shown interest or recently filmed in the Granite State.

The full-length comedy “Live Free or Die” was filmed in Claremont during the summer of 2005 and “Sensation of Sight,” another feature, was filmed in Peterborough later the same year. – TRACIE STONE