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One of us represents historic American studios that develop and distribute the world’s greatest films and TV shows. Another represents 1.3 million hardworking Americans, including tens of thousands of drivers, transportation professionals, casting directors, animal wranglers and location scouts who are vital to the entertainment industry. And the third represents nearly 170,000 highly skilled behind-the-scenes workers who bring these stories to life.
At times we’re on opposite sides of the table, but we share a north star: to grow and maintain a thriving American film and television business that creates good jobs and boosts local communities nationwide. We stand together today urging Congress to pass a long-overdue federal film incentive this year and to join us in protecting American jobs that keep our nation at the forefront of visual storytelling.
The film and TV industry has always been an American economic engine, generating over 2 million jobs nationwide every year. These production jobs impact and support more than 162,000 businesses across all 50 states. The industry pays over $200 billion in wages to U.S. workers each year and holds a trade surplus with nearly every nation on Earth.
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When a national poll asked Americans what the U.S. does better than anyone else in the world, the top answer wasn’t tech or finance, music or sports. It was movies and TV.
Matt Damon is Odysseus in “The Odyssey,” written, produced and directed by Christopher Nolan. Much of the movie was filmed on location in Europe and North Africa. (Melinda Sue Gordon © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.)
Work in this space is a national occupation, taking advantage of unbeatable locations — from Montana’s big skies to Hawaii’s blue waters. In recent years, many states have established highly effective tax incentive programs to make local shooting even more competitive. It’s easy to see why: an average feature film adds $22 million to the economy where it shoots and a TV series production can be expected to hire 1,800 workers a season.
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Congress must build on this success by enacting a federal tax incentive that will boost production and lift up workers in every state.
Republicans and Democrats collectively recognize that other nations have long been taking advantage of similar tax incentives to attract these projects and jobs. As a result of more than 120 jurisdictions around the world offering production incentives, the U.S. share of global production has slipped from a historic 65% benchmark to just 39% today. This significant decline isn’t an abstract statistic — it translates into dark soundstages, unreliable paychecks and fewer good-paying American jobs from coast to coast.
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A federal film tax incentive will ensure America reclaims its production leadership by making domestic shoots cost-competitive. And the results will be profound.
A new study found that returning the U.S. to its historic 65% share of global production would add almost $250 billion to local economies and create more than 143,000 additional jobs per year. A separate look at film and TV production decision-making found that this type of program would make 80% of the projects competitive to shoot here at home.
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States that have had programs in place for years prove tax incentives quickly pay for themselves. One study found that the Georgia film tax credit delivers a 6.3-to-1 “return on investment” by generating new economic activity. Another determined Texas adds $4.50 to the local economy for every dollar invested in the state’s incentive.
The federal government already backs strategically important industries with similarly targeted incentives to keep American jobs in America, from pharma to aerospace and automobiles. The film and television industry should be no different. Research shows that after watching American-made movies and shows, foreign audiences are significantly more likely to want to visit the U.S., buy American products and engage with American culture and history. This tangible global impact benefits each of us every day.
Congress must build on this success by enacting a federal tax incentive that will boost production and lift up workers in every state.
We are grateful for President Donald Trump’s leadership on prioritizing and protecting American jobs in this industry. This urgent effort was boosted by the president’s recent call for Congress to “approve, immediately, a Federal Production Incentive to create Entertainment Jobs in America.”
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We strongly support the president’s call and commend the bipartisan coalition of congressional allies for introducing the Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act in the U.S. Senate and House, including Sens. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif., as well as Reps. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, Linda Sánchez, D-Calif., Brian Jack, R-Ga., and Laura Friedman, D-Calif., along with the more than 50 bipartisan sponsors.
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America has long led the world in film and television production. For more than a century, it has been inherently woven into our shared American identity. We must never sacrifice our leadership, innovation or pride of ownership. There are countless more stories to tell, and we remain confident that this industry’s brightest days are yet to be imagined. But Congress must first do its job to ensure every American impacted by this essential industry can get back to work.