Fourteen weeks. That seems to be the agreed-upon time frame among both Republicans and Democrats for getting the federal film tax credit bill over the finish line, which leaves little room for error. 

“I’m going to be the brave one to say that we got to get it done before the end of the year,” producer Steven Paul, chief executive of SP Media Group, said yesterday. Paul, alongside his colleague Scott Karol and actor Jon Voight, are the three people most influential in getting President Trump on board with the bill which gave the whole effort a shot in the arm.

Paul was speaking during a virtual press conference organized by the Motion Picture Association that included Voight, Karol, MPA president Charlie Rivkin, union chiefs Sean Astin, Matthew Loeb, former DGA chief Thomas Schlamme, Teamsters head Sean O’Brien, and Reps. Laura Friedman and Brian Jack, from California and Georgia, respectively. 

“This is not an LA program. This is not a California program. This is for Georgia, New Mexico, Illinois, Louisiana — and every single state — they all win,” Friedman said. “We are working in a very strong bipartisan fashion.” 

The bill, being led by Reps. Friedman and Jack, is more likely to be introduced next week, a source with knowledge of the process tells us. It would need to be introduced within the next few weeks to have a chance. The current plan, we’re told, is to introduce the bill as a standalone measure and then attach it to another, larger bill like a continuing resolution.

Over on the Senate side, Adam Schiff has been leading a version of the bill and looking for a GOP backer. Loeb stated yesterday that Tim Scott was a supporter of the effort and could be a potential co-sponsor. (Schiff’s office declined to comment).

While everyone is playing nice right now, it’s fair to wonder how long the unity can last. At some point, the left-leaning Hollywood contingency will likely have to swallow their pride and do something they’d never imagined: Pay homage to Trump and give him the credit if the bill becomes law.

Ironically, the one person throwing cold water on the momentum is GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, who sounded downright pessimistic about the chances of a federal bill. “I don’t think we should be in a situation in California where we are depending on the federal government to rescue us,” Hilton said during a roundtable held with industry workers yesterday. “I don’t think the votes are there in Congress for this incentive. I don’t think it’s going to happen. I’d love it to happen. I don’t think it will. So we can’t just sit around and hope that the federal government saves us.”