Written by on Feb 20, 2015. Posted in Incentive News

North Carolina calls for big funding increase to downgraded filming incentive

Authorities in North Carolina have called for more money for the state’s downgraded filming incentive. North Carolina hosted Iron Man 3 in 2012 but will struggle to attract similar shoots since the filming incentive was reduced to a USD 10 million annual grant programme.

In 2013 North Carolina paid out some USD 60 million of filming tax credits and production spending in the state surpassed USD 250 million, reports StarNewsOnline.

Under the terms of the new grant programme, all productions must spend more to access less production support, with just the USD 10 million film fund to share between all shoots for the year.

A bill was in fact introduced last week to reinstate the previous 25% filming tax credit. However, a separate group of politicians and film leaders met yesterday in Wilmington to offer their support for the downgraded programme.

They called for a big increase in the annual film fund to sustain North Carolina’s production industry, although reports differ as to how much more money would be needed.

“What we are trying to do as a commission and as business leaders is to ask the legislative delegation and the legislative leadership to increase the grant programme to a level that we feel is competitive,” said Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo in a press conference, the outlet reports.

The head of EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington offered an assurance that the facility will not be closing, despite concerns about North Carolina’s reduced appeal as a filming location.

High-end TV drama series Under the Dome will claim most of North Carolina’s film fund for this year. Crime drama Banshee is chasing better filming incentives and relocating to Pennsylvania for its new season and Sleepy Hollow will move to Atlanta if it wins a new season.

(Images: Marvel)