Illinois Expands Production Tax Credit to Cover Talk Shows and Game Shows
Illinois, the filming location for notable productions like FX’s The Bear, David Fincher’s The Killer, and Apple TV+’s Dark Matter, is broadening its film production tax credit program. Governor JB Pritzker has enacted a bill that extends the state’s film production services tax credit to include national talk shows, contests, and game shows.
A study by Olsberg SPI, commissioned by the Illinois Production Alliance, underscores the significant economic benefits of the tax credit. The report highlights that for every dollar spent, the credit generated a return on investment of $6.81, contributing over $3.6 billion to the state’s economy from 2017 to 2022.
The tax credit program has been pivotal for Illinois, with 94% of the state’s film and television production activity attributed to it. Among the productions filmed in Illinois are The Bear, The Killer, and Dark Matter.
The expanded Illinois film production services tax credit offers several benefits: a 30% credit on qualified Illinois production expenditures, a 30% credit on Illinois salaries up to $500,000 per worker, and a 30% credit on non-resident labor up to $500,000 per worker for up to nine non-resident employees in specific roles such as director, writer, director of photography, production designer, costume designer, production accountant, VFX supervisor, editor, composer, and actor for work conducted in Illinois.