CALIFORNIA BUSINESS MINUTE
Film Incentives Working?
10-29-09
Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.
According to the Governor’s Office, the state's new production incentives,
are working to keep film and television production in state. The Governor’s
Office confirmed that 36 film and TV productions are set to shoot in the state
during the current quarter as a direct result of the program.
It was identified that 50 projects have been approved for the incentive program
to date. The projects have a combined budget of at least $467 million. "Productions
that were slated to film outside the state have shifted gears and are now shooting
in California because of our film and television incentive," Schwarzenegger said
in a statement. "This is not only great news for our production workers but for
the thousands of small businesses that support film and television production in
California and our state's economy as a whole."
The state's five-year, $500 million tax credit program covers 20% of below-the-line
expenses for productions of up to $75 million. It can be sweetened to 25% of expenses
for ‘indie’ feature productions of up to $10 million -- and for all existing TV shows
that relocate to California.
The governor’s announcement noted that Sony Pictures Television's new drama for FX,
"Lawman," will begin production shortly in Santa Clarita -- even though the show's
set in Kentucky and the pilot episode was lensed in Pennsylvania. Other incentive-
backed projects slated to begin production this quarter include Screen Gems'
"Burlesque," starring Kristen Bell and Cher, Sony's "Social Network," DreamWorks'
"Dinner for Schmucks" plus indies "Beginners," "The Raise," "Answers to Nothing"
and "Max Rose," starring Jerry Lewis.
The 50 projects together are eligible for as much as $97 million in tax credits
that can be used beginning in 2011, said Amy Lemisch, executive director of the
California Film Commission.
Unfortunately, daytime soap operas don't qualify, nor do game, reality and variety
shows. Only new shows or shows relocating to California qualify, so there is nothing
in the incentive program to keep television shows that are already here like Ugly
Beatty when it moved to New York.
I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.
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