Film industry workers ask for increase to Pa. film tax credit funding
Film and hospitality industry workers advocated for support for the Pennsylvania film tax credit program at a livestreamed meeting with state senators on the Finance Committee on Wednesday morning.
The film tax credit program provides a 25% tax credit to film productions if Pennsylvania production expenses make up at least 60% of the film’s total budget. An additional 5% tax credit, for a total credit of 30%, is available for productions that meet the minimum state filming requirements at a Qualified Production Facility.
At the meeting, film professionals discussed their local connections to the Southwestern Pennsylvania film industry and asked the assembled senators to consider increasing funding for the program.
The cap for the program in Pennsylvania sits at $70 million. Dawn Keezer, director of the Pittsburgh Film Office, which serves a 10-county region that includes Butler County, recommended the state increase the cap to $125 million. The number corresponds with a proposal in Senate Bill 321, introduced by Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-46th, last March.
“The Film Tax Credit Program, which is turning 18 years old this year, is an incredible success story,” Keezer wrote in her testimony. “One that should be a point of pride as a successful state program that has brought billions of dollars and thousands of jobs to the commonwealth.”
Keezer highlighted the film tax credit program to the senators as a major reason that film productions work in southwestern Pennsylvania, and described it as “underfunded and oversubscribed.”
When the tax credit cap is reached, she said, film productions end up choosing other locations with higher caps.
“The incentive is key. Without the incentive, there is no work,” Keezer said. “At this point, we have half a billion dollars’ worth of work that wants to be here by July. That’s four features and four television series, and we are not going to have enough film tax credits if it stays at $70 million.”
Lela Checco, who works with Crafty Craft Services in key craft services on movie sets, providing food and snacks for members of the cast and crew, detailed her efforts to create relationships with local vendors.
Checco worked on three productions that filmed in Butler County — “The Pale Blue Eye,” “Sprung” and “American Rust”— and connected with vendors from across Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Erie, Somerset and Westmoreland counties.
“It isn’t always easy having consistent work though in PA,” she wrote in her testimony. “I’ve had to supplement my income with part time work to fill the gaps. I worry about the future since we go from project to project.”
Gregory Edwards, a film technician who operates camera dollies and cranes for camera movement, described his career trajectory, starting from electrical wiring training in Pittsburgh to working in the film production industry. When the tax credit runs out, he said, work opportunities decline.
“The film industry in Pittsburgh has become an integral part of this economy,” Edwards wrote in his testimony. “With an increase in tax credit, this industry has the potential to become an even greater contributor to the health of our economy and to support the families which now depend on it.”
Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, finance committee chairman, thanked the local film representatives for sharing their testimony.
“The whole industry is so varied and vast,” said Hutchinson, who represents part of Butler County as well as Clarion, Forest, Venango and Warren counties. “It’s fascinating to hear from some great stories of people who have stayed home or were able to come home and be successful, and I appreciate all of you sharing that with us today.”
