Written by on Nov 20, 2013. Posted in Incentive News

Maryland Governor spotlights filming incentive benefits with Veep set visit

The Governor of Maryland spotlighted the benefits of his state’s filming incentive programme this week with a visit to the set of the award-winning political satire Veep. Although set in Washington, DC, the show films in Maryland because of the filming incentives on offer.

“Working together with our forward-looking colleagues in the General Assembly, we’ve not only expanded tax credits for quality television shows like Veep, we’ve created more job opportunities for more Marylanders,” said Governor Martin O’Malley.

Maryland offers a 25% location filming incentive and has a USD25 million film fund for the 2013/14 financial year. After that the fund returns to its usual annual figure of USD7.5 million.

The filming incentive programme has helped secure three seasons of Veep, which is set in the office of a fictional Vice President of the United States (or ‘Veep’) in Washington, as well as political drama House of Cards, which is also set in Washington.

Filming incentives remain controversial in the US and have vocal detractors, especially in conservative circles. Maryland’s filming incentive programme is strongly promoted as a job creation measure, as productions like Veep and House of Cards provide work for the local crew base.

We’ve not only expanded tax credits for quality television shows like Veep - we’ve created more job opportunities for more Marylanders.

Martin O’Malley, Governor of Maryland

“I’m excited that the Maryland Film Tax Credit has attracted successful productions like Veep,” added Sheila E Hixson, who oversees tax credits in the Maryland House of Delegates: “It's put Maryland on the national map as a state ready, willing and able to work with Hollywood studios, and created a boom for Maryland’s film industry.”

Washington is only a short distance from Maryland but is not regarded as a film-friendly location. The city doesn’t offer any filming incentives and permits and authorisations require complex negotiations with multiple agencies and police forces.

(Photos: HBO)