Film Tax Credits and Film Tax Incentives – Overview, Difference in Types, How to Monetize, Benefits to Local Economies, Film Finance, and Misconceptions
Film tax credits and film tax incentives (also known as Production Incentives) are widely used film finance source for filmmakers, production companies, major studios, and independent films worldwide. Forming a portion of film financing for productions, the net benefit can range from 15% to up to 55% of eligible expenditure locally. National and local government bodies have understood that proving film and television support encourages inbound investment into local economies.
This dynamic has created a win-win situation for entertainment production and participating jurisdictions’ economic benefit. Large sums of money flow into the local economy, while film and television production finance shortfalls in funding are assisted by federal, state and local treasuries.
Film and television production is encouraged, supported, and welcomed with the establishment of film commissions dedicated to luring production to their area. Billions of dollars of inward investment and expenditure is deployed into the communities in which the incentives are utilized.
Federal, State, and Local Government subsidies in the form of tax credits help productions fill gaps in funding, ensuring a stable and reliable (more on this below) source of finance as a percentage of a project’s film or tv budget. The average film tax credits percentage is about 20-30% of a project budget.
Film Tax Credit and Film Tax Incentives Updates
Australia Film Tax Credit
Australia Location Offset increased to 30% for film and television international production filming in Australia. The Location Offset production rebate has been increased from the previous 16.5% level as of July 2024.
The Producers Offset for local Australian productions remains in effect complementing the location film tax incentives programs, with the government demonstrating strong support for the entertainment industry.
For a list of global film tax credits mapped with detailed information visit:
https://www.ep.com/production-incentives
For a list of US film tax incentives visit:
https://www.castandcrew.com/services/incentives-map/
https://www.mediaservices.com/blog/state-by-state-production-incentives-roundup-2022/
Types of Film Tax Credits – Rebates, Refundable Tax Credits, Transferable Tax Credits
There are three major types of film tax credits
The three main types of film tax credits are refundable, rebate, and transferable
Refundable and Rebate film tax credits are similar in that they both entail a cash outlay from the governing body to the production. A refundable incentive is an allowance toward taxes which may be owed by a production in the jurisdiction, for which the excess over what is owed is returned to the entity responsible for making the film or tv show.
A Rebate Film Tax Credit is similar to a Refundable one, in that it is a cash outlay to the production. The governing entity literally writes a check to the production company responsible for the expenditures.
A Transferable Film Tax Credit takes a different approach as it is a true credit which is transferred to an entity owing taxes as a way to reduce their own net outlay. This takes the form of a company with a large tax bill, which acquires tax credits at a discount, with the difference in the amount of the credit to what they paid for it as a savings to the company.
Transferable tax credits must be sold to a company via a film tax credit broker, who arranges and connects the buyer and the seller. The tax credit is reduced in this process by as much as 4%-11%, yielding a net to the production of 89%-96% of the film tax incentive net benefit.
The above factors must be considered when analyzing locations and film tax credits, with the understanding on what the actual return will be. Most locations now require an audit by a third party, and a CPA can help with this and often arrange connection with a broker.
Benefit of Film Tax Incentives to Local Economies
Multiple financial analysis reports from leading accountancy firms (PwC, EY, Deloitte, etc.) on the efficacy of film tax credits demonstrates an economic impact return of between $2.00-$7.00 for every $1.00 spent to encourage inward production. Film and television productions must spend locally to gain an incentive, which results in about 60-70% of a film budget to be spent locally.
Economic areas where the expense is deployed benefits: hotels, motels, airbnb housing, short term rental housing, restaurants, dry cleaning facilities, washing facilities, taxis, uber drivers, construction materials providers, lumbar, hardware stores, clothing suppliers, airports, individual homeowners (site rentals), small businesses of all ranges.
Additionally, inbound production benefits the local crew base of an area, training, elevating, teaching, promoting local film and tv crew members on the movies and tv series that shoot in the area. This benefits both the producers and the crew members, providing invaluable training and experience.
FilmBudget.com Worldwide provides film tax credit and production incentives analysis, calculation, and certification services. Its core service is professional film budget and schedule, film finance plans, and producer consulting services utilizing 30 years of Major Hollywood Studio and indie film producing experience by its founder, Producer Jack Binder (First Reformed, The Upside of Anger). For a list of our credits visit: www.FilmBudget.com/about – Get in touch for a complimentary consultation on your project via: www.FilmBudget.com/contact
We look forward to assisting you with you production and film finance requirements. For an analysis of your film tax credit amount get in touch for a complimentary consultation on your project!
