State Tax Incentives for Filming

As you are putting together a budget for a shoot in or out of state, you may wonder what type of tax incentives may be eligible for your production. Tax incentives can be a great benefit to the production and to the state offering them. They are offered by many states to encourage productions to take place in their state or city. The idea is that by shooting or editing in their state you will be able to save money on taxes or get other perks. It helps bring jobs to the area and get further recognition to other productions that it is a shooting or editing friendly area. 

How does it work?

While it really depends on where you choose to shoot, you can gain quite a bit of money back. For example if you are shooting in Georgia, which is quite a hot spot these days, you can get 20% transferable tax credit on a $500k production. However, you do need to fill out quite a bit of paperwork and make sure that you are following all guidelines. So make sure you have crossed your t’s and dotted your i’s. 

Want to learn more about Filming in Georgia? Click here.

Can I get tax credit for all my productions?

Unfortunately, not every production qualifies for state tax incentives. In New York state for example, reality shows and documentaries are exempt. And often there is a monetary threshold that your production must meet to be eligible. But there may be other incentives available such as discount studios, transportation or rentals.

New York State has a plethora of additional opportunities, be sure to check them out.

How do I know if my production applies?

You can contact your local state film office and they should be able to help you decipher whether or not your production is eligible. Don’t be afraid to just call the local office and find out who at that office can best help you. These people are hired by your state to assist, so make sure you are using these resources. 

Shooting out of state or don’t know who to contact? Use this link to help you find the information you are looking for! 

http://www.filmproductioncapital.com/taxincentive.html

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