Moving Picture Institute

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The Moving Picture Institute (MPI) is a New York-based 501(c)(3) organization and a former associate member of the State Policy Network (SPN).[1] According to its mission statement, MPI "produces and promotes films that make an impact on people's understanding of individual rights, limited government, and free markets, and supports freedom-oriented filmmakers at every phase of their careers."[2]

MPI was founded by Thor Halvorssen, who was President & CEO of the Human Rights Foundation as of August 2016[3]. He is also a co-founder and former Executive Director & CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.[4]

News and Controversies

Moving Picture Institute sponsored the 2006 film "Mine Your Own Business," which criticizes environmental activists for opposing mining projects across the world.[5] The film's website claims that the film is "a journey through the dark side of environmentalism. It demolishes the cosy consensus that environmentalists are well meaning agenda free activists and shows them to be anti-development ideologues who think the poor are happy being poor..."[6] The film's directors Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer also directed the pro-fracking film "FrackNation" and the climate change-denying film "Not Evil, Just Wrong."[7] According to the New York Times, "Mine Your Own Business" was "financed by Gabriel Resources, a Canadian mining company."[4] In response, "Greenpeace and other environmental groups denounced the film as corporate propaganda."[4]

Funding

Donors Capital Fund donated $358,000 in grants to the Moving Picture Institute (MPI) from 2010-2014, and DonorsTrust donated $484,025 in grants during the same time period.[8][9] The Charles Koch Foundation donated $6,500 to MPI in 2014.[10] The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation donated $500,000 in grants to MPI from 2007-2015. From 2006-2013, the Searle Freedom Trust donated $600,000 in grants to MPI.

Core Financials

2014[11]:

  • Total Revenue: $2,951,640
  • Total Expenses: $2,492,870
  • Net Assets: $2,534,823

2013[12]:

  • Total Revenue: $1,849,143
  • Total Expenses: $1,681,145
  • Net Assets: $2,076,053

2012[13]:

  • Total Revenue: $1,518,238
  • Total Expenses: $1,627,181
  • Net Assets: $1,908,055

2011[14]:

  • Total Revenue: $1,579,857
  • Total Expenses: $1,526,593
  • Net Assets: $2,016,998

2010[15]:

  • Total Revenue: $2,787,121
  • Total Expenses: $1,418,865
  • Net Assets: $1,963,734

2009[16]:

  • Total Revenue: $1,214,662
  • Total Expenses: $749,982
  • Net Assets: $595,478

Personnel

Board of Directors

As of August 2016:[17]

Staff

As of August 2016:[17]

Contact Details

Moving Picture Institute
375 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10013
Phone: (646) 926-0674
Website: http://www.thempi.org/
Email: info@thempi.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theMPI
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MovingPictureInstitute

References

  1. State Policy Network, New York, organizational website, accessed August 24, 2016.
  2. Moving Picture Institute, Mission, organizational website, accessed August 24, 2016.
  3. Human Rights Foundation, HRF Staff, organizational website, accessed August 25, 2016.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 John Strausbaugh, "A Maverick Mogul, Proudly Politically Incorrect," International New York Times, August 19, 2007.
  5. Moving Picture Institute, Mine Your Own Business, organizational website, accessed August 25, 2016.
  6. Mine Your Own Business, About, film website, accessed August 25, 2016.
  7. Steve Horn, "Exposed: "FrackNation" Deploys Tobacco Playbook in Response to "Gasland 2"," Desmog, June 3, 2014.
  8. Donors Capital Fund, 2014 Form 990, organizational tax filing, November 16, 2015
  9. DonorsTrust, IRS form 990, November 16, 2015.
  10. Charles Koch Foundation, 2014 Form 990, organizational tax filing, November 17, 2015.
  11. Moving Picture Institute, 2014 Form 990, organizational tax filing, July 28, 2015.
  12. Moving Picture Institute, 2013 Form 990, organizational tax filing, June 25, 2014.
  13. Moving Picture Institute, 2012 Form 990, organizational tax filing, June 10, 2013.
  14. Moving Picture Institute, 2011 Form 990, organizational tax filing, June 1, 2012.
  15. Moving Picture Institute, 2010 Form 990, organizational tax filing, June 20, 2011.
  16. Moving Picture Institute, 2009 Form 990, organizational tax filing, June 21, 2010.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Moving Picture Institute, Staff & Board, organizational website, accessed August 24, 2016.