Tuesday, 13 November 2007 | Levent OZLER
Iowa Attracts LA Based Film and Animation Company Grasshorse Technologies
Grasshorse Technologies, Inc. announced its decision today to relocate and expand its services to the state of Iowa. This decision comes on the heels of Iowa Governor Chet Culver's legislation to provide tax incentives to attract the film industry, job diversity, and talent to the state. "The Iowa Film, Television and Video Project Promotion Program (IFTVP) has created fertile ground for companies to relocate to Iowa. It lays the foundation for a very exciting and burgeoning industry," stated Stephen Jennings, Co-President and Founder of Grasshorse. "Allowing investors and producers to be eligible for transferable Iowa income tax credits on registered projects was the deciding factor in our transition to Iowa."
"Grasshorse's linkages with west coast markets will bring new highly skilled jobs to Iowa that employ more efficient, leading edge technology," says Representative Mark Davitt, Indianola, the Iowa Legislator who spearheaded the IFTVP.
Grasshorse intends to play an active role in support of this program being run by the Iowa Film Office of the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED). The film office manager, Tom Wheeler, says "Many of the services Grasshorse plans to provide are presently unavailable in Iowa and are needed for the production of films, videos and commercials."
This transition to Iowa will occur over the next six months and will include expansion of Grasshorse's animation production studios to full-scale film production capabilities for 2-D and 3-D animation products. Grasshorse Animation, a division of Grasshorse Technologies, will continue to grow and service their animation production and visual effects clients such as Disney, Warner Bros., Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon.
Grasshorse Technologies sees a market opportunity to provide the Hollywood film industry a viable and affordable American alternative to production services that are increasingly being fulfilled overseas due to economic and budgetary concerns. "Iowa's film incentive program significantly changes the playing field," says Kathy Jennings Buxton, Co-President of Grasshorse. "These essential overseas jobs are highly sought-after positions that Iowans want. Now we can compete with the world market and provide a better quality of life with a sustainable job environment at the same time."
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