As part of the California Jobs First initiative, the California Film Commission (CFC) has awarded a total of $51.6 million in tax credits to 19 projects set to film in California. Through the Film and Television Tax Credit Program, $39.6 million was allocated to three big-budget feature films and 15 independent films, while another $12 million was awarded to a new television series through the Soundstage Filming Tax Credit Program.
These projects across both programs are expected to spend an estimated $284.4 million in California qualified expenditures (defined as wages to below-the-line workers and payments to in-state vendors) with $112.1 million attributed to qualified wages. This spending will employ 2,768 crew members, 1,086 cast members, and 16,997 background performers–measured in days worked–and generate approximately 618 filming days across California.
“Keeping jobs here in California and bringing jobs back to California have always been top priorities for our state,” said Colleen Bell, executive director of the California Film Commission. “We’re not only helping people get back to work but also keeping major projects like ‘Suits LA’—which was planning to film elsewhere—right here in Los Angeles where it belongs. This is crucial for our economy and the well-being of our crew that call California home.”
The Soundstage Filming Tax Credit Program, in particular, is proving to be an important lever in keeping television projects in California. Launched in 2022, this program incentivizes productions filmed on soundstages certified as part of a studio construction project built, renovated, or converted under the program. The new series “Suits LA” from Universal Content Productions LLC is one such project, a reboot that builds on the success of the original series. Expected to spend $25 million in qualified wages and a total of $50.7 million in California qualified expenditures, “Suits LA” will create over 2,600 new jobs in the state.
“‘Suits LA’ is a show whose characters are deeply ensconced in the world of film and television,” said showrunner Aaron Korsh. “Being able to shoot here will be a huge part of the show’s authenticity. More importantly, thanks to the Soundstage Program, we’re able to provide employment for Los Angeles-based cast and crew who have been starving for opportunities at home.”
Additionally, the Film and Television Tax Credit Program continues to bolster major feature films. The three non-independent projects are expected to generate nearly $64 million in qualified California expenditures, including $32.5 million for California-based below-the-line workers, with $85 million in total spending (qualified and unqualified) across the state. One of the projects is the highly anticipated reboot “Community – The Movie” from Mesquite Productions, Inc. with executive producers Dan Harmon and Andrew Guest reuniting the original cast for this film adaptation of the beloved series. TCS US Productions 34, Inc.’s “Lullaby” and an “Untitled Screen Gems Project” will also receive funding. Together, these projects will employ 811 cast and crew members and 2,459 background performers.
Fifteen independent features will receive funding as part of this round of Film and Television Tax Credit Program awards. Among the supported projects are a Janis Joplin biopic starring and produced by Shailene Woodley from Temple Hill LLC. Collectively, these 15 features will spend $169.9 million in qualified California expenditures, with $61.6 million in qualified wages supporting 2,588 jobs for cast and crew and 12,354 background performers.
“California meant so much to Janis Joplin–from the stoops of San Francisco to the wooden walls of Sunset Sound, the state became the stage upon which she explored not just the world of music, but the world of her vibrant humanity,” said actor and producer Woodley. “Being a Los Angeles native myself, and having grown up working alongside industry locals, knowing our film will be created with some of the most gifted, passionate, and devotional people leaves me giddy. I have a feeling Janis would be smiling ear to ear zipping down the PCH in her psychedelic Porsche knowing her story is bringing opportunities and funding to the city and people that held so much significance to her. Thank you to the California Film Commission’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program – myself and the other producers on this project believe California is the only place to film a slice of Janis’s life with authenticity and truth–and we are so grateful to have received the green light to do so!”
Independent films are vital to the diversity and creativity of California’s entertainment industry, offering unique perspectives and opportunities for emerging talent. Another notable project is “Supercrip,” which tells the story of a quadriplegic Uber driver, Toby, played by Toby Forrest–a performer with disabilities in real life–and the self-centered movie star who changes his life forever.
“As a performer with a disability and winner of the Christopher Reeve Acting Award, I know the challenges and benefits of inclusion in the entertainment industry,” said Forrest. “As a California native and wheelchair user, I am beyond proud to be part of the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program and its commitment to creating opportunities for diversity. This tax credit will allow us to create inclusive employment and authentic casting, while also sharing education and awareness that can motivate entertainment companies to incorporate diverse hiring at every level of production.”
Thirteen of the feature films awarded will account for 187 out-of-zone filming days–nearly 30% of the total filming days projected for California in this latest round of awards. These projects will take place across a range of counties, including Orange, Riverside, Ventura, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, and San Francisco, helping to sustain and create entertainment jobs across the state. Notably, “Supercrip” will shoot 30 days in San Diego and Orange County, “A Bright and Guilty Place” by ABGP81, LLC will film 23 days in Orange County, Lancaster, and Palmdale, and “Lullaby” will film 20 days in Upland and Ontario.
Looking ahead, the California Film Commission will hold its next television application window October 21-23, 2024. Application dates and deadlines are posted on the California Film Commission website.
