The Utah Film Incentive Program

Today was Utah Cultural Industry Advocacy Day (what used to be called Film Day on the Hill) at the Utah State Capitol. This is a time meant for meeting with representatives about how important the film industry is to Utah and to advocate for keeping and improving the film incentive program.

If you’re not aware of this program, the Utah Film Incentive plays a critical role in keeping our state competitive with other film-friendly states. Incentives are often the deciding factor in out-of-state productions choosing to bring their projects to Utah or elsewhere. When a production comes to Utah, they hire crew, rent equipment, book hotels, eat at local restaurants, and spend money across dozens of supporting industries. We’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars in outside revenue flowing directly into Utah’s economy each year.

“Utah’s competitive incentive program offers a fully refundable tax credit of up to 25% on in-state spend, which helps you cut production costs without sacrificing quality.” These tax credits are available for narrative, documentary, and episodic series. For productions $1M+, they can receive 20% tax credit. If they also use 75% of the cast and crew that are Utah residents OR 75% of production days occur in rural Utah, the production receives a 25% tax credit. For productions under $1M, they can be approved for 20% if they meet similar cast and crew requirements. The Utah State Film Commission reviews and approves projects for this incentive. If you want to check out the list of approved projects, you can find that here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bD-d_Gi-Q2c5MZUewq09BUZJg4vrz2QhZ4U0rewt3Y0/edit?gid=0#gid=0

To learn about the economic impact that film has on the Utah Economy, check out this page on the MPAU (Motion Picture Association of Utah) site: https://www.mpau.org/economic-impact-study.html

If you live in Utah, your voice matters. This year they will vote whether to continue the current incentives (which include an extra $9 million in rural spending) or reduce the program. We strongly encourage everyone to reach out to your representatives in the State Senate and House of Representatives and ask them to support the Utah Film Incentive Program. These programs don’t just benefit filmmakers; they benefit communities, small businesses, and the state as a whole. With continued support, Utah can remain a competitive, attractive destination for film and media production for years to come.

Here are links to find contact information for your representatives. Use the Table View to see which counties they serve.

Senate https://senate.utah.gov/senate-roster/

House of Representatives: https://house.utleg.gov/house-members/