Much has been said about Production moving away from California And even out of the country in recent years. Many people put on it rising costs and contraction Related to streaming past the shipment and cable, the Covid-19-Pandemic and 2023 strikes, but one of the biggest problems is the lack of tax benefits productions in California Given, especially in Los AngelesThe assumed entertainment hub in the world. From now on the state is roofing its film Tax credit program at $ 330 million per year. Compared to Georgia, which has no cap and spent more than $ 1 billion 2024 subsidizing production, or New York, which offers $ 700 million in tax relief annually, California’s financial incentives are at best narrow.
However, Governor Newsom works to change it. In October 2024, the Democrat announced that he and others, including Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass, would drive more than double the current allocation, giving the ceiling up to $ 750 million a year. At that time, he described the lack of California’s production as a “legitimate crisis” and asked an act that was “meaningful, not just intentional.” Despite the appeal, in the aftermath of Southern California’s fire fires and the money that will be spent reconstruction, legislators in Sacramento may need further convincing why such a large block of funds should be put aside for the art.
Leading This Effort, The Entertainment Union Coalition-Made Up of the WGAW, DGA, Sag-Aftra, Teamster Local 399, AFM, California Iatse Council, and Liuna Local 724-Announced the Launch of the “Keep California” Keep California Intention is to Both Gather Support for Protecting, Preserving, and Creating Jobs in the Film and Television Industry Across All of California and to Educate New Legislators, Budget Committee Members, and other elected officials to guarantee that they vote for the increase in SUMMERN.
From the coming week, EUC will start its lobbying efforts, but it is not the only group that tries to shine a light on this cause. Julie Plec, Co-Creator of “The Vampire Diaries” and “The Girls On The Bus,” and Sarah Adina Smith, an Indie Filmmaker and One of the Directors on Hbo’s Upcoming “Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” Have Come Togal to Draft the “Stay in La” Pettit “Emergency Measures” to be taken in Combatting California Production Stagnation and (Per Hollywood Reporter) have put together a list of steps that individuals can take to market this initiative. They read as follows:
1. Support Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget increase of $ 750 million on the incentive and urges him to temporarily remove the incentive for three years in La County as part of the efforts to rebuild the fires.
2. Train legislators in Sacramento that a more competitive incentive is about jobs and is not just a “company distribution.” From August, unemployment in the film and TV sector reached 12.5 percent, which marked the industry’s highest unemployment rate in August since at least 2000, excluding pandemic period. This interest rate is almost triple the national average.
3. Raise the tax incentive to 30 percent for both movies and television programs. This number is only the minimum to make California competitive. Offer another 5 percent for all movies under $ 10 million to encourage more independent movies to shoot in California.
4. Support a bill to finance post -production that is not dependent on shooting in the state. New York has this, Britain has this … which is why their post -production companies are flourishing and LA’s hurt. Postal production management should also include music for film and TV points.
5. Think of a new bill aimed at commercial and music video production, which has also dropped. Short form production is how many role and crew members end between television or movie gigs.
6. Lifting restrictions at shooting outside and in public spaces in LA (Emulation of NYC’s successful program) and offers a temporary reduction in permit fees in connection with loosening the message requirements to reduce film charges.
7. Neighborhood councils can create film -friendly corridors and residential areas. The county can offer discounted property taxes for anyone who participates.
8. The city and the county can offer unused or under -utilized property as free “base camps” for production. Create an easy -to -use map of all these areas.
9. Refrain from or postpone LA city tax on productions and consider a city regulation that temporarily covers site fees to fight pricing and to make it easier for productions to afford to shoot.
10. Perhaps most crucial, studios and streamers must do their part by promising to shoot more in La County, which shows a commitment to rebuild after the fires.
To sign Plec and Smith’s “Stay in LA” production and learn more, click here.
To learn more about the “Keep California Rolling” campaign and how you can help, click here.
