The new state budget would not expand the state’s overall film grant program this year. That’s the good news.

The bad news is, the new state budget would not reduce or end the state’s film grant program, either. It would also tweak it to make it easier for film productions to qualify and make the grants more lucrative on a per-project basis. Here’s what the changes would do:

  • Reduce the minimal amount of qualifying expenses a production company needs in order to trigger a grant, from $5 million for movie-length films down to $3 million for theatrical-release films (40% decrease) and $1 million for made-for-TV movies (80% decrease).
  • Raise the cap on grants for film productions from $5 million to $7 million (40% increase)
  • Raise the cap on grants for TV series from $9 million to $12 million (33% increase)

States incentivizing film productions peaked in 2009, when all but six states had at least one program. Now over one-third don’t. States began getting rid of film incentives programs because when they study them, they find film incentives programs simply don’t work. They provide no net boost to the state’s economy while only helping outside film production companies and current workers.