‘Transformers’ Producer Says Trump Tariffs Aren’t ‘the Best Way Forward’ for Hollywood: ‘We Are Not a Car Business’ | Video

“Transformers” film series producer Mark Vahradian told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Monday that he doesn’t think the steep tariffs Donald Trump says he wants to impose on films not made in the United States are “the best way forward” for Hollywood. However, he also said it’s “encouraging” that the American entertainment industry’s “real economic struggles” are being recognized.

“It’s encouraging for us to see President Trump recognize real economic struggles in the film and television industry, which has been plaguing us for the last, you know, several years. We’ve had COVID problems, we’ve had strike problems, we’ve had fire problems, and every time we try to climb out of this hole that we’re in, something new happens,” Vahradian said. “So you know, the conversation about tariffs today was encouraging, in the sense that we put a spotlight on ourselves. But we don’t necessarily think that’s the best way forward.”

A few minutes later, Vahradian explained in detail why he thinks tariffs probably aren’t the right fit for Hollywood, first by discussing efforts to convince California to become more competitive in attracting industry business.

“This year, California is looking to double their tax incentives, but… what we’re looking for is the equivalent of what other countries who are filmmaking oriented, countries like Great Britain, et cetera, to match. We’re looking to match what they do. They have federal incentives. They have state incentives. Australia is another great example. So… we would like to get California incentives here,” he said.

“That being said, you know, tariffs are something that are a little bit trickier for us, because we are not a car business, we are not steel. We don’t, you know, we don’t operate that way. We’re intellectual property. So, you know, it’s a little bit different when we make movies,” he added.

The problem is that film productions often shoot outside of the United States by necessity or for artistic reasons, Vahradian continued. “We choose to make them abroad, oftentimes for the subject matter. And so you know that it’s a little trickier for us to say we need to make things here, because oftentimes part of our storytelling is shooting these things abroad.”

“So we’re excited about the idea that finally, we’re getting some attention on this issue,” he went on. “We would love nothing more than to make movies in the United States. It’s, you know, we all want to sleep in our own beds. We all, you know, want to stay at home and see our families. But you know, on the other hand, sometimes that’s just not possible in terms of the production requirements of the film.”

See part of this conversation, which cuts off just before Vahradian says “we don’t necessarily think that’s the best way forward,” below:

And watch the full clip here.

The post ‘Transformers’ Producer Says Trump Tariffs Aren’t ‘the Best Way Forward’ for Hollywood: ‘We Are Not a Car Business’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.