In the late '50s, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed bi-partisan legislation creating a National Cultural Center for the United States. It wasn't until two months after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated that Congress allocated $23 million for the National Cultural Center to be "living memorial" to his memory. That Center is known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Swift paced fundraising from volunteers and friends across the U.S. along with contributions from nations around the world brought this $70 million project to fruition. It opened its doors for art lovers on September 8, 1971. President Eisenhower's far reaching vision was honored with the main theater bearing his name. Today it's America's finest cultural center and the only one of its kind!

    In February 2000, Tom Donahue, President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, asked actress, writer and director Diane Ladd, "Why aren't you people in Hollywood making better movies?"

    Momentarily stunned, she recovered with, "Well, let me answer that question with a question - Why aren't we making movies in Hollywood, period?" She told him about American films produced in foreign countries and the information shocked him! He excitedly asked, "Why aren't you people marching in the streets? This decline of work and production in our country has to be the best kept secret in America! This not only affects you, but small businesses throughout the United States! Small businesses are the foundation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This is important to us!

    On August 2, 2000, the ART and CULTURE TASKFORCE - ACT, was formed. Diane Ladd, its founder, chaired the first meeting of about twenty actors. The ensuing ten months of research and meetings revealed statistics that shocked everyone: The United States is projected to lose more than $180 billion over the next ten years in American productions, written and developed in the U.S. but filmed outside our country.

     SAG data reflects that in the year 2000 there were 120,386 members and of those, 80% earned less than a poverty wage and a whopping 7,480 actors earned nothing at all excluding them from Health Pension & Welfare benefits. Only 2,916 members or less than 2 ½% earned more than $100,000. an actor usually pays 40% of his salary on personal services contracts (agent, attorney, business manager, personal manager and press agent, among others) not including assistants and other professional expenses - then they pay taxes! So that "Lighting cigars with hundred dollar bills" happens only with play money! Only a few dozen actors make the kind of paydays you read about in movie magazines - most can't afford to feed their families without finding other jobs. This is exemplary of the entire industry and ancillary support businesses!

     Film is as American as apple pie. While other countries have film boards and legislation that supplement film production costs, the United States struggles to keep productions within their borders. Projections do not bode well for the future. The Art & Culture Taskforce is seeking ways to keep American productions in America.

     Independent films are an answer. Many award winning films are made by independent producers - producers who use their own money, assets or privates investors to make a film from start to finish - such as The Pianist. The challenge to obtain a picture deal has become a way of life for many American film talents, perhaps for many, an impossible dream. The Studio system is more complicated than ever. Most studios are now owned by international conglomerates where the cost focus rather than the creative focus drives the business. With foreign countries offering economic incentives to film on their soil, the savy filmmakers are taking flight.

     We are faced with an educational challenge. Politicians as well as the general public seem to be unaware how the Independent Film industry is threatened along with the number of small businesses that have suffered significant reductions, if still in business at all. So the Taskforce faced the challenge of seeking a viable solution.

     July 2001, members of the Taskforce traveled to Washington D.C. and met with several members of Congress, White House staff members as well as trade organizations to ask for help. . We invited The Creative Coalition's Adam Marcus to come along.

     August 16 we held a well-attended meeting at Connie Stevens' home in Los Angeles. John Wells, then the President of the Writers' Guild attended and spoke knowledgably of the issue as discussion revolved around potential solutions. Clear desire to move toward an answer that could be quickly implemented was unanimous. The challenge was then crystal clear: find a solution that we as a group could put into action.
     Three weeks later on September 10th Diane Ladd appeared on behalf of ACT on a panel for the Creative Coalition Forum in New York to address the problems. Unfortunately, the next morning, September 11, the world was stunned and everything slammed to a stop.

     In the year that followed, the Independent Film business saw the most disastrous year for nearly everyone associated with the industry. ACT went back to Washington a number of times and we met with a host of advisors.. Over a number of meetings, a lot of discussion and a ton of encouragement, we came up with one way to bring American productions back to their "homeland!"

     To see that solution, click here for U.S. Independent Film.