Written by on Jul 2, 2012. Posted in Incentive News

California compromises with two more years of state filming incentive

California’s location filming tax credit has been granted a two-year extension to 2015. Filming professionals in the state had been lobbying for a five-year extension and more money to increase the programme’s appeal, but a compromise was needed given the state of California’s finances.

Gene Erbin is a lobbyist with the Directors Guild of America and spoke to the LA Times: “We're not insensitive to what's happening [with the budget crunch]. It's a good outcome. It gives us a chance to continue the programme with some continuity.”

It's a good outcome. It gives us a chance to continue the programme with some continuity.

Gene Erbin, Directors Guild of America

Filming tax credits in California are intensely controversial at the moment, with several official bodies in disagreement over how beneficial the programme really is to the state economy. More generous incentives available elsewhere in the country have led to an exodus of productions from California in what’s becoming a long-term trend.