California Top State for Feature Films

California topped competing states and countries in the number of feature films made in the state last year, largely thanks to the state’s film tax credit, according to a study by entertainment industry nonprofit FilmL.A. The 2015 Feature Film Production Study found that out of 105 U.S. feature films released last year, 19 were made in California. Those films brought in $720 million in production spending. FilmL.A. President Paul Audley said the report highlights the aggressiveness of competing states and countries for feature film production and the effectiveness of the state’s production incentive program. “Compared to its competitors, California is attracting big production investment with modest incentive outlays,” Audley said in a statement. Los Angeles’ FilmL.A. coordinates the on-location production permits in the city of Los Angeles and in other Southern California municipalities and jurisdictions. After California, the areas with the most feature film production included the United Kingdom, where 15 projects were shot, while Georgia and Louisiana tied for third with 12 projects each. The United Kingdom led other areas with $1.6 billion in production spending. Georgia and Louisiana each had just more than $500 million in production spending. Out of the 19 feature films released last year that were made in California, 16 were live action and three were animated. Seven of the live action films received production incentives through the state’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program. None of the films receiving tax credits had a budget of more than $100 million. The study concluded that while changes to the tax credit program have affected feature film projects, a FilmL.A. study won’t reflect them for at least two years. “In the meantime, the only big-budget films with budgets over $100 million produced primarily in California will likely be animation projects,” the study said. The tax credit program was expanded last year to $330 million annually from $100 million. Other changes to the program included the types of projects eligible for the credits. “Nearly half of all films created in California last year were made possible because of our work to triple the state’s film tax credit,” Audley said in his statement. “Those hard-won dollars mean that Angelenos are practicing their craft in L.A. again; they’re spending money in their own neighborhoods; they’re laying their heads down on their own pillows at the end of the day.”