For the past several years, the state's Motion Picture Incentive Fund has offered a 10 percent rebate up to $500,000 on any money spent in the state on film production - a rebate that includes money spent on everything from lunches to wages for their crews.

At the request of Utah Film Commission director Michael Moore, the GOED board approved returning to the filmmakers up to 15 percent of what they spent in the state while keeping the $500,000 cap in place.

Moore said the increase will go a long way to keeping Utah competitive.

"In 2004 only 15 states offered incentives and now 40 states do," Moore said. "And probably within the year all 50 states will offer them. They [filmmakers] have choices of where they can go" to shoot their movies.

The board's action was a prelude to its granting incentives to the promoters of three movies that are expected to begin production later this year. Combined, about $9 million is expected to be spent in Utah on those three projects.

The first movie the GOED board voted to approve incentives for will be titled "American Mall," described by the board as "High School Musical" in a mall meets "Phantom of the Opera."

"How could we not provide an incentive to a film like that," asked board member Jerry Oldroyd.

American Mall is expected to be rated PG-13.

The GOED board also approved an incentive for Salt Pictures Inc.'s "Minutemen." The company has received state government funding for five other productions, including the original "High School Musical."

In addition, the board approved an incentive for a baseball movie about a down-and-out ball player who coaches a team of Jewish kids and teaches them how to play. The movie, "Yankles," is expected to be shot in and around Provo.