North Carolina’s film tax incentive credit has official expired.
Several changes are now underway now that it is 2015 in the state of North Carolina. One of the biggest changes include North Carolina’s film incentives program. The new police will limit the amount of money available to TV and film productions.
The new changes will end the previous 25 percent tax credit for TV and film productions that was started in 2013. The new program will instead be a grant credit for up to $10 million. This is a drastic change from the $61 million North Carolina residents paid for TV shows and film productions to film in the Tar Heel State.
From WNCN:
“i think some groups took advantage of it in the past that had nothing to do with the longevity of the film industry,” Gov. Pat McCrory said in September.
Producer Anthony Reynolds said he isn’t sure why the credit is being allowed to expire.
“I think this last three or four years we’ve had has been incredibly successful. I’m still scratching my head as to why it’s going away,” Reynolds said.
Many people in the TV and Film industry are worried that jobs will go elsewhere. NCasting, an extras casting company in North Carolina, has argued that they are sick of North Carolina’s government and plans on leaving to another state to find more work.
NCasting posted this to their facebook page in November:
“I’m sure you North Carolina residents know by now… We messed up and messed up big..Bye bye NCFILM… And after I wrap Under The Dome next year… I’ll be officially relocating for good.. Sad day!”
From WECT:
“Last night, it was like – ok – it’s done – What’s next for me?,” said Vanessa Neimeyer who started up NCasting in 2001. “I will be leaving after I finish another production…then it’s on to another state for me.”
Neimeyer said she is not alone.
“I’ve already seen people already talking to agents this morning about selling their house. People are like, ‘Ok, where is next? Georgia? South Carolina?’ It happened just that quick as soon as we realized we were not going to get that last miracle,” she questioned.
“North Carolina has become a place that I love and never intended on leaving, and now I don’t feel like it is,” Neimeyer said. “People say, ‘you have an option, you don’t have to leave.’ I have to leave or I don’t get to do what I love. So it’s either I have to leave the state I love or the career I love, that’s not a choice – it’s an ultimatum.”
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