Citing extensive economic benefits, the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners asked county staff to develop an agreement that would give $100,000 in "incentives" to producers of Tim Burton's next big movie project, assuming they agree to certain terms.

As the second film to set up shop in Tampa Bay in 2015, this year is shaping up to be a big year for big-budget movies shooting on location in Pinellas and Hillsborough.

As many know, the famed director and purveyor of the fancifully macabre shot a number of scenes from his 1990 hit Edward Scissorhands in Tampa and neighboring Pasco County some 25 years ago. The fact that Burton may return to the area lends a lot of cred to the region, commissioners said.

“What truly distinguishes this movie from others is the director," Commissioner Ken Hagan said of the director of Big Eyes, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. "He is considered one of the top directors in Hollywood and his films have a vast audience.”

The board unanimously voted to ask county staff to develop an agreement offering $100,000 in incentives for the production company to film here as long as producers are willing to refer specifically to sites within Hillsborough or include footage of local icons.

“This is the kind of economic development that is important to us not necessarily because of the dollars it brings into the community, but for the visibility that it provides to our community,” said Commissioner Victor Crist. “When you think of Miami, the images that come to mind are the images that you see in television and movies and on the regular shows…of what Miami is until you go down there.”

The county will vote on the actual agreement at its next regular meeting in two weeks, assuming the document is ready by then.

The news comes on the heels of St. Pete/Clearwater Film Commission head Tony Armer's Dec. 3 announcement that scenes for the 2016 major motion picture Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, based on the young adult novel by Ransom Riggs and directed by Burton, would be shot in the Tampa Bay area. 

Hillsborough commissioners stressed that their agreement would stand only if Pinellas offers a similar incentive, which appears to be already in the works.

"The St. Pete Clearwater Film Commission is excited that the Hillsborough BOCC has approved film incentives to continue growing the film, TV and digital media industry in the area," Armer said today. "We’re developing a similar incentive package for the Tim Burton film, as we have done for many other successful films — including Dolphin Tale, Dolphin Tale 2 and Spring Breakers — and we look forward to partnering with them on similar incentives in the future." 

Burton's film is not the only blockbuster planned. A film starring Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston, also due out in 2016, will also be shot locally.

“We recognize that this industry is incentive driven,” added Hagan. Hagan reminded the Board about the approved $250,000 in incentives for The Infiltrator.

Hillsborough County Film Commissioner Dale Gordon said a film scout is already here and Cranston is due to arrive in the Bay area tomorrow.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is about a teenager who goes back in time and visits the island where his grandfather grew up. While there, he helps protect a group of orphans with peculiar talents from creatures out to destroy them. The film is due out March 4, 2016.

This article appears in Dec 25-31, 2014.