California hits record high for tax credit applications

So far, applications are up by over 30% on last year, with a total of 497 submissions being registered and 23 initially selected through a lottery system, which chooses productions at random. The rest are on a waiting list, ready to be bumped up should another project fall through.

“This year’s dramatic growth in the number of applications reaffirms that California remains the preferred choice for projects of all types and sizes,” said California Film Commission executive director Amy Lemisch. “The industry wants to base productions in California and the availability of incentives helps drive that activity.”

The news comes less than a week after the State Assembly unanimously passed the bill to extend and increase the existing tax credits, a major boost which now sees the potential new legislation pass to the State Senate.

For more on filming in California, take a look at our production guide.