Bit Parts

The Supreme Court of Iowa ruled that filmmakers that received state tax credits couldn't enjoin the public release of the films' final budgets. Iowa Film Production Services v. Iowa Department of Economic Development, 10-1719. Iowa's Film Television and Video Project Promotion Program was enacted in 2007 but later suspended over government mismanagement issues. The filmmakers had asked for confidential treatment when submitting their initial applications. Final budgets, required to be submitted later, were sought by the Des Moines Register & Tribune. The state supreme court noted of the budgets information: “The record does not show that the Producers made reasonable efforts to preserve confidentiality of their financial data as against the outside world in general. ' The Producers failed to show, for instance, that individuals who worked for them and came into contact with this information were required not to disclose it.” The court concluded the final budgets didn't qualify as protectable trade secrets under Iowa Code '22.7(3).