Adam Schiff Urges Federal Incentive to Keep Film and TV Production in U.S.

Rep. Adam Schiff signaled support on Thursday for a federal incentive to keep film and TV production from fleeing to other countries.

Schiff, who is poised to become a California senator, sent a letter to the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor Statistics seeking data on the impact of overseas incentives on the domestic industry.

“In order for the U.S. to maintain its standing as a leader in the film and television production industry and spur more American jobs, we must create competitive labor-based incentives for U.S.
production,” Schiff said in the letter.

The industry has long sought a nationwide film incentive, which would supplement the state-by-state tax credit programs in places like Georgia, New Mexico, California and New York.

Production levels in the U.S. have dropped sharply over the last three years, in part due to the 2023 strikes but also amid an industrywide contraction. Hollywood unions have also pointed to the lucrative incentives offered by the U.K., Canada, Australia, and others that have lured productions overseas.

IATSE International President Matt Loeb said in a statement Thursday that he supports a U.S. incentive, saying it “would level the playing field and address this imbalance.”

“We support the concept of a federal incentive for the creation of film and TV, provided the plan also has mechanisms to uphold labor standards,” Loeb said. “We are committed to saving America’s entertainment industry, and we look forward to working with our members, local unions, allies, and lawmakers at all levels to get it done.”

In an interview earlier this month, Loeb said he believed a federal incentive is “not off the table in any sense.”

“Whether it can be done remains to be seen,” he said. “It’s a global industry. Every successful production center on earth has an incentive, except the U.S.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed on Sunday increasing the state’s tax incentive for production from $330 million to $750 million, in response to the weak employment situation in the state. In a press conference after the announcement, he suggested that Kamala Harris might support a federal incentive if elected president.

“That’s where the federal government can also play a role,” Newsom said. “And I’ll just tip a hat to an Angeleno who might be the next president United States. She may have a thing or two to say about that. Stay tuned.”

Neither Harris nor Donald Trump has proposed such a plan.