Written by Shona Smith on Aug 19, 2020. Posted in Incentive News

Netflix’s Gray Man starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans approved in first round of California Tax Credit 3.0

USD50 million has been reserved for the nine projects approved in the latest round of California's Tax Credit programme. Five of the features are independent and four non-independent and 40% of planned filming days are outside of the 30-mile studio zone.

“After announcing two relocating TV series earlier this month, our new tax credit program continues to get off to a great start with today’s list of film projects,” said California Film Commission Executive Director Colleen Bell. “Production activity is ramping back up in California amid Covid-19, with safety remaining a top priority, and Program 3.0 is attracting the kind of big budget films that generate a considerable amount of jobs and in-state spending”. The two relocating TV series are In Treatment (HBO) from New York, and Miracle Workers (TBS) from the Czech Republic and were approved to receive alongside the rebate alongside twenty-five returning shows.

Eighty-one projects applied for the latest round of California feature film tax credits and Netflix's Gray Man is the biggest feature to be approved. Joe and Anthony Russo (Avengers: Infinity War, Captain America: The Winter Soldier) are directing the feature which is projected to bring an estimated USD102 million in below-the-line wages and other qualified expenditure. Other projects conditionally approved for funding include Octavia Spencer sci-fi thriller Invasion, Jessica Chastain drama Losing Clementine and sports drama Sweetwater about the first African American player in the NBA. Two untitled non-indie projects, one from Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us) and Jimmy Warden (The Roommate, The Babysitter) were also approved.

The nine projects are on track to generate a total of USD284 million in qualified in-state expenditures and amount to a combined 374 filming days in California. Bringing production activity beyond the 30-Mile Zone is a key objective for California’s tax credit programme, and six of the projects allocated are planning filming days outside of the Los Angeles Zone. Filming set to take place in San Bernadino, Santa Clarita, Riverside, Ventura and other counties.

The recent allocations are the third generation of the California Film and Tax Credit Programme, dubbed "Program 3.0". Three of the approved projects (Losing Clementine, Nightfall, and Sweetwater) fall under a new category - "USD10 million-and-under qualified spending" which reserves funding funds specifically for lower-budget independent films.

New provisions in the Program 3.0 include a pilot skills training programme to help individuals from underserved communities gain access to career opportunities. Projects are now also required to have a written policy for addressing unlawful harassment, and enhanced reporting of above and below-the-line cast and crew employment diversity data.