Latest news with #ShowMOAct
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
House passes bill that could bring bigger film productions to Missouri
MISSOURI — The Missouri House voted 'Do Pass' on a new bill Tuesday that could increase the tax credit available for film and series productions in the state. According to House Bill 1499, the bill would combine the tax credit available for TV projects and movies each year. Missouri began offering a tax credit for movie and TV productions in 2023, which offered $8 million for film and, separately, another $8 million for series productions. If passed, the bill would combine the two tax credit pots, attracting bigger productions to the Show-Me State. St. Louis Blues clinch spot in 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs In August 2023, Missouri introduced the Show MO Act, which ended a decade-long lapse since Missouri's previous tax credit program, which expired in 2013. According to the Missouri Division of Tourism, more than 40 projects have been approved since the launch of the tax incentives, with many more expected in the upcoming years. To qualify for the tax credit, production companies must first apply with the state and prove financial support for their project, then undergo an independent audit to verify spending. Afterward, the state will conduct an additional audit to ensure funds were accurately used and the production fulfilled its commitments after filming takes place in Missouri. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tax credits aim to rebuild Missouri's film industry
A cinematographer shoots a scene for 'The Jester 2' at Big Mama's Cafe in Columbia. The film is currently in production with help from Missouri's film tax credits. (Courtesy Nick Lewis via Columbia Missourian) For 10 years, Missouri had no incentive for production companies to film in the state. Now, more TV and film sets are coming to Missouri thanks to help from a tax credit established in 2023. The 'Show MO Act' gives up to a 42% tax credit on eligible film productions. Productions initially have the option for a 20% minimum credit but can receive up to four additional 5% credits for meeting certain conditions. Last year alone, film productions working under the tax credit spent more than $33.5 million. The tax credit follows programs like Georgia's long-running film tax incentive in boosting state film industries. 'That damn peach,' Missouri Film Office Director Andrea Sporcic-Klund joked, referencing the orange and green logo that appears in the credits of Georgia productions. 'Hopefully you'll be seeing our Missouri logo there pretty soon.' Sporcic-Klund coordinates film productions in the state and promotes Missouri's film industry through the incentive. Last year, four productions with budgets over $1 million were filmed in Missouri, which Sporcic-Klund says would not have happened without the incentive. Film in MO, a nonprofit that works to support the tax credits, lobbied at the Missouri Capitol in February. Sporcic-Klund joined Pete Salsich, an entertainment lawyer who is on the board of directors at Film in MO, at the Capitol to promote the incentive to lawmakers. 'If you don't have the tax credit, most of these films are simply going somewhere else,' Salsich said. 'The tax credit becomes sort of your ticket into the conversation, but it's not enough, because you can use that lots of places.' The current tax credit is the state's second attempt at incentivizing filmmakers to work in Missouri. The previous tax credit was repealed in 2013, with the film 'Gone Girl' being the last major production in the state to receive a tax credit until the Show MO Act became official. In the time after the tax credits expired, the state missed out on several opportunities for major film projects. The Netflix series 'Ozark' was one of these productions, as the show drew much attention to the Lake of the Ozarks area despite being filmed mostly in Georgia. 'My hope is that we can get back to getting those solid productions that Missouri can be proud of,' said Sporcic-Klund. 'I think losing them, like not having as big of a role in 'Ozark,' really changed minds.' Renewed support for motion picture tax credits came to light in 2023, when the Show MO Act was passed. The bill was initially sponsored in the Senate by Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who says he is looking forward to seeing successful results from the tax credit. Hoskins explained that about 4,000 to 5,000 college students were graduating from Missouri universities every year with some sort of media or film degree but were going to other states for work. 'One of the points of that bill was to put the right leg forward and build up that industry so those Missourians can stay here and work in their industry,' Hoskins said. To be eligible for the credit, each project must meet the minimum spend for the length of their script, employ certain amounts of Missouri registered apprentices and meet the criteria for a 'qualified motion media project,' as outlined by the Missouri Department of Economic Development. Film producer Cole Payne worked on his most recent project, the horror film 'The Jester 2' under Missouri's tax credit. 'As a Missourian, it's nice to be able to stay at home and film,' Payne said. The film, which wrapped in 2024 and is currently in post-production, was shot in various locations across Columbia, Rocheport and Boonville. On set, Payne said, everything went smoothly with the help of other Missourians. 'In the town of Rocheport, the mayor came out and supported us. The local restaurants opened up for us, made us dessert and let us use their space at night,' Payne said. 'We just hired as many locals as we could.' More than 30 other states have tax credits for filming. For people who work in Missouri's film industry like Payne and Salsich, the credit gives them one way to show off their state. 'The out-of-town folks rave about how supportive and friendly everybody here is,' Salsich said. 'When people leave here and have a good experience, they talk about it and they want to come back and do it again.' Besides affordability and hospitality, Missouri's geography is also appealing to producers. The state is central, which is important for transporting equipment, and, Payne said, 'Missouri can be made to work for so many looks.' The tax credit is mainly designed to bring positive marketing to the state. One of the additional credits that productions can receive is a 5% credit for filming in 'rural or blighted' areas, in hopes of increasing tourism and boosting local economies. An additional 5% credit can be awarded if a film's script positively markets a city or region of the state, as determined by the Missouri Office of Economic Development. For some producers, this leads to a creative struggle. Payne's film did not receive a bonus for positive marketing of Missouri, despite spending two weeks filming in Rocheport. He disagrees with the state's interpretation of positive marketing. 'Screenplays aren't written to say, 'Hey, we're in this state, and these things are very great about this state,'' Payne said. 'It doesn't mean it can't be a positive marketing opportunity for the state or the city that it's filmed in.' Other rules that were tacked onto the bill also proved to be another off-set roadblock for Payne. He says that the 100% audit required by the Office of Economic Development was a 'surprise' since most audits for businesses are usually samples, which are cheaper. Payne is currently in production for his second film in the state, which will begin filming at the end of March. After 10 years without an incentive, Missouri has a lot of work to do to rebuild its film industry. Payne is just one producer working toward that goal. 'There's a production industry in Missouri that's broader than just tourism that says 'Come live here,' ' Salsich said. 'Invest in a production house. Turn some old warehouses into sound stages. Invest in more infrastructure to enable more support to exist and attract more productions.' Salsich says that the impact of the credit is very broad and that it is already being seen through money being spent and jobs being created through productions. At the film office, Sporcic-Klund is optimistic about this year's outlook for Missouri films. 'We've had two producers bring back second projects already, so the word is good,' she said. 'We haven't made a big push because we know that we lost a lot of infrastructure in those 10 years, so we're building that back up.' As the state works to rebuild the film industry, lawmakers have also taken steps to support the Show MO Act. A removal of the program's expiration was proposed in a recent bill. 'Hopefully we don't have to keep bringing things in, because we can start building the infrastructure and build brick-and-mortar businesses around this industry,' Payne said. 'We will be able to if we can extend or remove the sunset on the bill.' If the bill passes the House, motion picture tax credits will be ensured for the foreseeable future. This article originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What's new and what's next for Missouri's film industry?
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Nearly a year and a half since Missouri's new tax credit program took effect to attract more filmmakers, the state's film industry appears to be gaining momentum. In August 2023, Missouri reintroduced a tax incentives program for film and TV production through the Show MO Act, aiming to bring more film productions to the state and encourage productions based on Missouri settings to actually film in the state. This ended a decade-long lapse since Missouri's previous tax credit program expired in 2013. The gap led to Missouri missing out on some major opportunities, including Netflix's hit series 'Ozark,' which is based on the Missouri Ozarks but was primarily filmed in Georgia due to competitive tax incentives. According to the Missouri Division of Tourism, more than 40 projects have been approved since the launch of the tax incentives, with many more expected in the upcoming years. And the tax incentives aim to do more than just attract filmmakers. They could help create opportunities for local talent and boost businesses that support the industry, such as those involved with cameras, equipment, trailer rentals and professional training services. So what's new and what's next for Missouri's film industry? Katie Blake, a public relations specialist for the Missouri Division of Tourism, speaking on behalf of the Missouri Film Office, recently shared some updates with FOX 2. QUESTION: How are things looking broadly for getting films produced in Missouri since the tax credit law passed in 2023? ANSWER: 'Missouri has definitely seen a marked increase in film and television production since the tax credit passed, and we have heard good things from producers about their experiences in Missouri. In fact, we have already had producers come back for a second project in the short time the incentive has existed because they enjoyed filming in Missouri so much.' 'The incentive also allows us to compete for larger budgeted projects. We had several over $1 million budgeted projects last year. That was not the case before the incentive.' QUESTION: What should people expect with Missouri and the film industry in 2025? ANSWER: 'You can expect more feature and television production in the state of Missouri. In 2024, the Missouri Film Office approved 39 projects for the Motion Media Production Tax Incentive Program, and we expect to meet or exceed that again this year.' 'There have already been four applications submitted to the Film Office in January. Two films and one series produced in Missouri in 2024 have already premiered: Hallmark's 'Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story,' Lifetime's 'Girl in the Garage' and Max's 'Second Chance Stage.' 'We do expect more releases this year and will share information on specific titles and releases when we receive them.' QUESTION: HBO recently announced a limited-edition series called 'DTF St. Louis' starring Jason Bateman, though production is reportedly set in Georgia. What does this mean for the Missouri filming industry? ANSWER: 'We have been in contact with the production, and are aware that they plan to film in Georgia. However, we do know that there will be many projects filming in the St. Louis area as well as around the state. We believe that the Missouri film industry will stay busy regardless of where that particular production films.' QUESTION: What more can be done to promote Missouri as an appealing destination for filmmakers? ANSWER: 'Our mission is to market Missouri as a premier destination for filmmaking and to uplift our local film industry. We do that through strategic marketing partnerships with industry publications, in-person marketing events at conferences, film marketplaces and film festivals, and working directly with studios and producers to bring more films to the state.' The Show MO Act authorizes the following tax credit incentives for filmmakers: 20 percent tax credit for all qualifying film productions An additional 5 percent tax credit if more than 50 percent of the production is filmed in Missouri An additional 5 percent tax credit if at least 15 percent of the production is filmed in a rural or blighted area An additional 5 percent tax credit if a certain number of Missouri residents are hired onto these productions An additional 5 percent tax credit if the production depicts the state or region in a positive light The Missouri Film Office cannot authorize more than $16 million in tax credits for a project in any given tax year. To qualify, production companies must first apply with the state and demonstrate they have secure financing for their project. Once approved, and after filming takes place in Missouri, they must undergo an independent audit from a Missouri-license CPA to verify spending. After that, the state conducts a secondary audit to ensure that funds were used appropriately and the production fulfilled its commitments. From there, if all other procedures are verified, the state issues the approved tax credits to the production company. This tax incentive program runs through Dec. 31, 2030, though Missouri lawmakers will have an opportunity to reauthorize it prior to then. With growing interest from filmmakers, Missouri's film industry appears poised for growth through the tax credit program. Time will tell how much more Missouri can make a name for itself in Hollywood. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
