The 2023-24 Budget: California's Film Tax Credit

Feb 28, 2023 - The 2023-24 Budget: California's Film Tax Credit 17% for relocating TV series 8% for independent films Base: 20% of qualified spending. Base: 20% of qualified spending, plus additional: Base: 20% of qualified spending, plus additional: Independent films: 25% 5% of spending outside LA 5% of visual effects 5% to 10% of spending outside LA (up to 30% total) 5% of visual
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4713

The 2025-26 Budget: California’s Film Tax Credit

Feb 28, 2025 - Film and Television Tax Credit Program California Film Tax Credit Created in 2009. In response to the proliferation of state ‑level tax credits and other incentives for film and TV production in the early 2000s, the Legislature approved the creation of its own credit in 2009.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5000

Film and Television Production: Overview of Motion Picture Industry and State Tax Credits - Film and Television Production: Overview of Motion Picture Industry and State Tax Credits [Video]

Film and Television Production: Overview of Motion Picture Industry and State Tax Credits - Film and Television Production: Overview of Motion Picture Industry and State Tax Credits [Video] To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Film and Television Production: Overview of
https://lao.ca.gov/Videos/Player?playlistId=59

Film and Television Production: Overview of Motion Picture Industry and State Tax Credits [Publication Details]

Apr 30, 2014 - Film and Television Production: Overview of Motion Picture Industry and State Tax Credits [Publication Details] Translate Our Website This Google ™ translation feature provided on the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) website is for informational purposes only.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/3007

Overview of Diversity Efforts in the Film Tax Credit Program

May 1, 2025 - Although below ‑the ‑line positions make up the large majority of workers in the motion picture industry, some studies have documented a relationship between the gender/race/ethnicity of executive positions (such as director/producer) and the downstream diversity of cast and crew for that production.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5036

California’s First Film Tax Credit Program [Publication Details]

Sep 29, 2016 - We find that about one–third of the film and television projects receiving incentives under this program would probably have been made in California anyway. We suspect that this level of “windfall benefits” to some credit recipients may be low compared to other tax credits, which would suggest that the first film tax credit program targeted the types of production vulnerable to being filmed outside the state relatively well.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/3502

California’s First Film Tax Credit Program

Sep 29, 2016 - Bottom Line: Billions in Net Added State Economic Output Film Tax Credit Likely Increased Economic Output. As we discussed above, we believe that the first film tax credit program increased spending on motion picture production by roughly $4.5  billion.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3502

Evaluating State Economic Stimulus Proposals

Feb 1, 2021 - Film and Television Production Tax Incentives. We evaluated the economic effects of an income tax credit for motion picture production in 2016 at the request of the legislature. In this report, we estimated that about one ‑third of the film and television projects that received a tax credit under this program would probably have been made in California anyway.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4331

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Other Provisions

Oct 16, 2025 - The budget package increases the annual allocation of credits available under the Film and Television Tax Credit from $330  million to $750  million. This increase applies to version 4.0 of the program from fiscal years 2025-26 through 2029-30 and is estimated to reduce state revenues by $209  million per year by 2028-29, and more than this in subsequent years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5081

Volatility of California’s Personal Income Tax Structure

Sep 28, 2017 - As the name suggests, above the line deductions are calculated above the line on the federal tax form that separates the section where AGI is determined from the section where taxable income and tax liability are determined.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3703