Written by on Sep 17, 2013. Posted in Incentive News

New Hampshire considers filming incentive

New Hampshire in the north-east US is considering launching a filming incentive to attract middle-budgeted movies. Authorities are concerned they are missing out on direct production spending and tourism dollars as one of only a handful of US states that lack filming incentives.

The state was disappointed to lose out earlier this year on the New Hampshire-set feature Labor Day. Filming took place almost entirely in Massachusetts, which doubled for New Hampshire with local production spending of around USD13 million.

“When the movie Labor Day comes out, it could be someone’s memorable movie - one about New Hampshire, from a book by a New Hampshire author,” New Hampshire Production Coalition president Tim Egan told local outlet the Eagle Tribune, “but unfortunately all but one day was shot right over the border in Massachusetts. Even a small incentive could have given New Hampshire some memorable locations and the revenue.”

Massachusetts locations are currently an easy alternative to New Hampshire, given that the state - bordering to the south - looks broadly similar and offers a 25% filming incentive to qualifying productions.

New Hampshire was disappointed to lose out earlier this year on the New Hampshire-set feature Labor Day. Filming took place almost entirely in Massachusetts.

Filming incentives are a polarising issue in the US as the direct economic benefits can be difficult to assess, but the states with the most generous programmes have the strongest production industries.

On the east coast, New York and North Carolina are attracting the highest-profile shoots in the region. California remains a filming hub in the west but the state has a long-term runaway production problem as the major Hollywood studios seek better incentives elsewhere.

(Main page image: © 2005 Andrew S. Sawyer)