Bi-partisan bill proposes establishment of a State Film Office and tax incentives for film and television production in the state of WI
The bill would help to position WI as a competitive location for film and television shoots
(TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, MILWAUKEE, WI), Today, Action! Wisconsin, a statewide coalition of filmmakers, producers, industry business partners, and proponents of film & television projects throughout Wisconsin, announces their emphatic support for a bill proposing the establishment of a State Film Office, and tax incentives for film and television production in the state of Wisconsin.
The bill is authored by Representatives David Armstrong (R – Rice Lake) & Calvin Callahan (R – Tomahawk) and Senator Julian Bradley (R – Franklin). An additional fifteen legislators from both parties have signed on to co-sponsor the bill.
Wisconsin is currently one of only five states lacking a film office and one of ten without any production incentives. Without these essential resources in place, communities in our state are missing out on significant economic opportunities. If enacted, these initiatives will empower Wisconsin to tap into the thriving entertainment production market, spotlight our state’s assets to boost tourism, attract and retain businesses and skilled labor, and stimulate our economy.
This bill is designed to finally position Wisconsin as a competitive site for film and television production. Wisconsin’s neighboring states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Minnesota currently invest in their states’ film, TV, and advertising industries, and, as a result are attracting significant outside investment by offering state production incentives.
The economic benefits of filmmaking have been seen to generate a positive ripple effect throughout communities in the states where they have been enacted. According to a 2023 study by the Georgia Screen Entertainment Commission, each $1 invested in film & television incentives in the state yields $6.30 of economic benefit. And, in Montana, a recent study found that the production of Paramount Network’s Yellowstone generated 2.1 million new visitors, $730 million in local economic activity, over 10,000 jobs, and nearly $45 million in state tax revenue—a direct result of their film incentives program.
To ensure that this bill generates revenue that stays in our state, the bill includes minimum spending requirements to guarantee that a portion of the production budget is reinvested within Wisconsin. This spending stipulation will ensure that productions will meaningfully engage with local industries such as hospitality, transportation, construction, catering, and more. Additionally, no money will leave the state until a given production’s expenses are spent and justified.
“I would love to shoot in WI, but the first question that arises at the start of any discussion as to where to shoot, is do they have incentives?” said Writer/Director Scott Frank (Queens Gambit, Minority Report). “These initiatives allow filmmakers to create stories in a variety of different locations. The incentives also help to free up more money for more shooting days, which in turn creates more income for the state offering them. Right now is the perfect time (for incentives) as filmmakers are increasingly frustrated shooting in the same places over and over again. And a film production brings a lot of income into any community where they film.”
Wisconsin’s topography and climate offer unique, diverse, and appealing settings for filmmakers of all kinds.
“You can drive from urban to rural locations in 30 minutes,” reflected film WI-based Producer and Educator Jeff Kurz. “You can’t do that in New York. You can’t do that in Los Angeles. Or Atlanta. The variety of locations in Wisconsin is only part of what makes the state so valuable.”
If this bill is adopted into law, the expected impact of these measures will be economic development, retention and attraction of business and skilled labor, and increased competitiveness and visibility for Wisconsin to the nation and the world.
Action! Wisconsin calls upon arts advocates to express their support of this bill by contacting their elected representatives.
Imagine MKE, a nonprofit arts advocacy and media organization based in Milwaukee, serves as the umbrella for Action! Wisconsin.
To learn more about Action! Wisconsin, visit https://actionwi.org/
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