From Montauk to Buffalo, New York State is camera-ready and film-friendly
New York's $420 million film incentive program is one of the best in the nation. The New York State Governor's Office of Motion Picture & Television Development (MPTV) offers film, television and commercial production and post-production tax credits for qualified expenditures in New York State. These tax credit programs continue to be the principal factor cited by productions when deciding to film and produce in New York, contributing billions of dollars to the state's economy. The MPTV office helps productions navigate the landscape, serving as a liaison between production companies and city and local governments, state agencies, a network of statewide contacts, local film offices and professional location scouts and managers. In addition to our successful incentive programs, New York offers unparalleled locations, talent and world-class production and post-production facilities, underscoring the Empire State as a filmmaker's one-stop dream destination.
As New York State reopens, industry-specific guidance for Media Production has been released as part of Phase Four of the New York Forward regional phased reopening plan.
This industry specific guidance includes: Summary Guidance, Detailed Guidance with an affirmation link, and a Business Safety Plan Template. Please refer to the links below for detailed information and guidelines on when Phase Four will begin and on operating legally and safely in your region.
Industry
Key facts
- The New York State Film Tax Credit Program offers the production industry the nation’s most stable and successful production and post-production tax credits, offering as much as 35% on labor (40% on post) in most of the state
- Since January 1, 2011, 1,650 applications have been accepted to the Film Production Tax Credit program, generating an estimated $29.5 billion in spending and 1,714,234 hires.
- 619 applications have been received to the Post-Production Tax Credit program since July 12, 2012, when Governor Cuomo enhanced and expanded the credit. This accounts for approximately $861 million in spending and 7,249 hires and stimulated major growth and expansion of New York’s post and VFX/animation companies.
- New York State has thousands of locations ranging from perfectly preserved historic architecture and looming industrial complexes found in our Upstate cities, to quaint rural towns and picturesque farms; from the 6 million-acre wilderness of the Adirondack Mountains to beautiful beaches along the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. And of course there’s New York City – truly like no other.
- More than 300 soundstages in over 100 Qualified Production Facilities (QPF’s) are located throughout the state, and can be used for purposes of the tax credit.
- New York State has a network of more than a dozen regional film offices, from Eastern Long Island to Niagara Falls.
- The Empire State is home to one of the largest and most experienced pools of talent and crew anywhere in the country.
New York State: The perfect location for your next production
The success and stability of New York State’s Film Tax Credit Program over the past nine years has contributed to tremendous growth in industry confidence and in the production of films, television series and pilots in New York. The rise in television series has been particularly dramatic; the number of series applications has grown every year since Governor Cuomo took office in 2011 and extended the tax credit program several times, most recently through 2025. Series applications have more than quadrupled, from 14 applications in 2010 to 73 in 2019. Those 73 television series spent approximately $4 billion in 2019, with a series average of $53 million in spending and 2,597 hires.
New York’s film industry infrastructure also has seen growth at every level. That growth has been led by the expansions at world-class soundstages like Steiner Studios, Silvercup Studios, Kaufman Astoria Studios and Broadway Stages, the addition of more than 15 new post-production facilities (including Mr. X Gotham, 16:19, and Fuse), and major expansions at more than a dozen more established post / VFX houses including Deluxe, Phosphene, Molecule and Technicolor. New York’s professional crew base also has been adding members and expanding in all parts of the state, while rental houses, support services, and world-class talent pools have all been growing to keep up with the demand.
In addition to up to 35% in tax credits (40% for post), the New York State Governor’s Office of Motion Picture & Television Development offers productions location scouting assistance and hands-on problem solving and logistics support, with a statewide network of more than a dozen regional film offices helping to find film-friendly and camera-ready locations.
Tax incentives: tax credits and sales tax exemptions
New York State Film Tax Credit Program (Production)
New York State Film Tax Credit Program (Post-Production)
New York State Commercial Tax Credit Program
Sales Tax Exemption
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