DGA Monthly

A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 I 5 Incentives Update: DGA Plays Major Role in Passage of California and New York Film and Television Tax Credit Programs On July 3, following months of extensive involvement from the DGA, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill that increases and modernizes the state's Film and Television Tax Credit Program. This legislation more than doubles the program's annual funding — from $330 million to $750 million — and introduces key updates designed to keep production, below-the-line jobs, and investments rooted in California. This news follows a similar win in New York, where on May 9, Governor Hochul signed into law a state budget that increased the state's Film and TV Tax Credit to $800 million, which includes a new program conceived of by the DGA for a $100 million annual fund for independent film production. California Update: Key changes to the California Film and Television jobs program include: • Increasing the Base Credit Rate to 35% for all participants, including independent productions. • Expanding the types of projects that can apply to include half-hour series, animation and large-scale competition series. • Raising the per-production cap to $120 million. • Enhancing incentives for filming outside the Los Angeles area, with credits up to 45% for certain expenditures. • Tripling funding for independent films from $26 million to $75 million and raising the per production cap. • Broadening access to career pathways by allowing more non-profit organizations throughout the state to partner with the program, opening doors to a broader range of Californians. "We're not just investing in productions and soundstages—we're investing in middle-class careers, small businesses, and the communities that power this iconic industry," said Governor Newsom at a press conference. Among the voices central to designing the program changes and championing the bill's passage was DGA Associate National Executive Director/Western Executive Director Rebecca Rhine, who serves as president of the Entertainment Union Coalition (EUC), which represents 165,000 members working in California. The EUC, along with many DGA members, was instrumental in helping to shepherd the bill through the legislative process via the "Keep California Rolling" campaign. "From the very beginning, we said that securing additional funding was critical to keeping California competitive, but we also understood that to bring work back the programmatic changes were just as important," said Rhine "Throughout this process, our focus was clear: whatever changes we did make, this program had to remain centered around JOBS." "We will never stop reminding the studios that it is the skill and artistry of our members that built their companies," continued Rhine. "We will continue to hold them accountable for doing their part and push for a recommitment to our California workforce, ensuring productions stay in and come back home to California. There will always be more work to do. But as we've shown, when we stand together, there's no challenge too big for us to overcome." New York Update: On May 9, New York signed into law similar legislation and, with the leadership of DGA Associate National Executive Director/Eastern Executive Director Neil Dudich and our partners in the New York Film & Television Union Coalition, the DGA was instrumental in advocating for substantial improvements to the state's Film & Television Incentive. The enacted NY State Budget for FY 2026 strengthens the existing film production and post-production incentives and introduces new enhancements such as a new $100 million fund dedicated to the cultivation of independent film. These changes and others will immediately and significantly improve the competitiveness of New York's incentive and help lure more production, jobs and economic activity. To learn more about the DGA's efforts on Production Incentives, please visit www.dga.org/Initiatives/Production-Incentives. California Governor Gavin Newsom, DGA Associate National Executive Director/Western Executive Director Rebecca Rhine, DGA Secretary-Treasurer Paris Barclay and other members of the Entertainment Union Coalition's "Keep California Rolling" campaign celebrate the passage of AB 1138. DGA Associate National Executive Director/ Eastern Executive Director Neil Dudich joins the DGA's union partners in Albany, to secure the expansion of New York's production tax credit program.

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