California’s star is dimming.
The Golden State saw 20% fewer movie and TV projects filming in the state compared to a year ago —despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s massive tax incentives for Hollywood, a new report found.
Spending on big and small screen productions also fell 22% year-over-year, according to an analysis by The Hollywood Reporter.
The slump came even after Democrat Newsom signed legislation doubling California’s film and TV tax credit program from $330 million to $750 million annually, in an effort to keep such projects local.
Meanwhile, rival states are cashing in.
New York had a 31% jump in film and TV production as Hollywood increasingly looked elsewhere.
In New Jersey, filming surged 75% in the fourth quarter and production spending rose 12%, fueled by generous tax breaks and new studio developments. Illinois also posted major gains, with filming up 70% year-over-year and spending climbing 46%.
The California Post is coming soon. Sign up for updates.
Get in early. Be the first to know about launch and home delivery.
Thanks for signing up!
The shifts suggest California is losing well over $1 billion in production spending to other states — even after rolling out its biggest incentive boost yet.
