State Incentives for Filming in Florida
The film industry is about to be abuzz with news of the State of Florida's recently passed Film and Entertainment Incentive which goes into effect on July 1, 2010.

This revamped incentive program is great news, allowing Florida to compete on a more level playing field for both film and entertainment (including digital media) industries. The appropriation provided in past years has been replaced by a new entertainment industry tax incentive program totaling $242 million over five years. $53.5 million in transferable tax credits will be authorized for distribution during the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Qualified projects will receive a 20% to 30% back for qualified Florida expenditures. Details can be found here.

Suzy Spang, vice president of the Metro Orlando Film & Entertainment Commission – a division of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) – (and the chair of the Florida Film & Entertainment Advisory Council, an advisory council for the Florida Governor’s Office of Film and Entertainment) describes how the new incentive is a "game changer" for film and entertainment in the State of Florida.

Florida Entertainment Sales Tax Exemption
In Florida, any qualified production company engaged in the production of motion pictures, made-for-television motion pictures, television series, commercial advertising, music videos or sound recordings, may be eligible for an exemption from sales and use tax on the purchase or lease of certain items used exclusively as an integral part of the production activities in Florida. The production company must apply for a certificate of exemption to be presented to a registered Florida sales and use tax dealer when making purchases and rentals of qualified production equipment. You may now apply for the Entertainment Industry Qualified Production Company Certificate of Exemption online at www.filminflorida.com.

The motion picture, television production and sound recording industries are afforded the following exemptions from sales and use tax:

• No tax on the sale or lease of motion picture, video and sound recording equipment. This exemption applies to film, video and recording equipment.
• No tax on the rent or lease of real property used as an integral part of a motion picture production. Renting sound stages, studios, lots, buildings or any other real estate, is exempt.
• No tax on labor to produce a motion picture.
• No tax on artistic or copyright material on master tapes, master films, master records and master video tapes.

Questions concerning the application process or the status of an application for the Florida Film, Television and Digital Media Incentive and the Florida Entertainment Sales Tax Exemption should be directed to The Governor’s Office of Film and Entertainment at 877.352.3456 or the Florida Department of Revenue at 850.487.4130.