Hollywood, CA…Governor Newsom today continued his work in protecting film production jobs in Los Angeles and across the state with a new round of 48 projects approved for the California Film Commission’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program. Governor Newsom recently proposed to double down on this vital program, by expanding the tax credit from $330 million to $750 million to help boost this iconic industry and production in California.

“California didn’t earn its role as the heart of the entertainment world by accident — it was built over generations by skilled workers and creative talent pushing boundaries. Today’s awards help ensure this legacy continues, keeping cameras rolling here at home, supporting thousands of crew members behind the scenes and boosting local economies that depend on a strong film and television industry.”

Governor Gavin Newsom

Why this matters

This diverse slate of feature films — ranging from major studio productions to independent film — is expected to generate $664 million in total spending throughout the state, including $485 in qualified expenditures and more than $302 million in wages for California workers.

These projects, which include 43 independent films, are collectively expected to hire 6,515 cast and crew members, as well 32,000 background performers (measured in days worked), across 1,346 total California filming days.

More than half of the films will be shot in the Los Angeles area, helping to sustain the birthplace of this iconic industry and supporting the community as it recovers from recent wildfires. Enabling the industry’s reach throughout the state, 22 of the selected projects will conduct significant filming outside the Los Angeles area, contributing 329 out-of-zone filming days and substantial economic benefits in Ventura County (Make A Wish, The Teller, Things We Cannot Touch), San Francisco and the Bay Area (High Priestess of Souls, Our Kind of Cruelty), El Dorado and Placer Counties (Gold Mountain), San Bernardino and Riverside Counties (Superbloom, The Heidi Fleiss Story), Bakersfield in Kern County (Counting by 7s) and coastal communities such as Half Moon Bay and Costa Mesa (Sponsor, Doll).

Today’s slate of awards marks the ninth allocation in this fiscal year and reinforces California’s continued leadership as a global production hub, even as other states and countries pursue projects with their own incentive offerings.

“This industry is core to California’s creative economy and keeping production here at home is more important than ever,” said Colleen Bell, Director of the California Film Commission. “This round of tax credits shows our commitment to supporting both indie and studio productions while spreading the economic benefits of filming across the state.”

Highlights from this round of awards include:

• Five major studio features, including Sony Pictures’ “One of Them Days Sequel” — the latest film produced by Issa Rae — which alone is projected to spend more than $39 million in qualified expenditures.

• Six independently produced features with budgets over $10 million, such as “Gold Mountain,” “The Teller,” and “They Follow,” all of which plan to film primarily outside of the Los Angeles area.

• 37 independent projects with budgets of $10 million or less, contributing to the state’s goal of expanding access to underrepresented filmmakers and promoting more inclusive storytelling.

“Los Angeles was an essential backdrop to ‘One of Them Days’ and we are thrilled that Dreux and Alyssa will embark on another authentic escapade through the city’s streets in the sequel through the support of California’s Film and Television Tax Credit,” said Nicole Brown, President of TriStar Pictures.

Read more about today’s announcement, including a full list of productions that are part of the Film and Television Tax Credit Program here.

California is a creative economy powerhouse

Last fall, Governor Newsom proposed expanding California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program to $750 million annually, a massive increase from the current $330 million annual allocation, which would position California as one of the top states for capped film incentive programs.

As one of the strategic sectors outlined in the recently launched California Jobs First Economic Blueprint, the creative economy has deep roots in California’s history and continues to be an engine for innovation, cultural expression, and economic growth.

• In 2023, California was home to 220,000 creative economy jobs, one in every four creative economy jobs in the U.S.

• The average salary paid to creative workers in 2023 was $160,000, more than 50% higher than the California average.

• And while the Los Angeles region leads the way in jobs generated by the creative economy, three other regions — Redwoods, the Bay Area, and the Southern Border — also identified film, TV, and the arts as a regional strategic sector.

About the Film and TV Tax Credit Program

The Film and Television Tax Credit Program provides tax credits based on qualified expenditures for eligible productions produced in California.

Since its launch in 2009 through May 2025, the program has approved 799 projects that have generated nearly $27 billion in economic activity, resulting in less runaway production, new career pathways for below-the-line workers and increased economic opportunity in rural, suburban and urban communities alike. The program further incentivizes projects that film outside the Los Angeles area or relocate to California from out-of-state. The program also requires projects to invest in building career exposure and training opportunities for underrepresented communities.

Looking ahead, the next television application window is slated for July 7-9, 2025. Film applications will be accepted August 25-27, 2025. Application dates and deadlines are posted on the California Film Commission website.