Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the Governor’s Office of Motion Picture and Television Development has received its landmark 300th application for the state’s post-production tax credit, marking a new milestone since the Governor championed a law strengthening the credit in July 2012. The record number of applications in the past four years is evidence of how this innovative industry has soared under the enhanced credit, creating jobs and driving investment in new technologies.

“Our efforts to attract world-class film companies and unparalleled talent to New York have been a tremendous success, creating thousands of jobs and new opportunities for communities statewide,” Governor Cuomo said. “By incentivizing film companies to move to the Empire State, we are transforming New York into a global hub for post-production and successfully positioning ourselves to generate billions of dollars in economic activity for decades to come.” 

The 300 project applicants, most of which filmed elsewhere but opted to do their post-production work in the Empire State, are projected to spend over $340 million in-state and make more than 3,600 hires statewide. By comparison, just 18 productions applied for the post-production credit in the 18 months before the program was revamped in 2012, resulting in just $38 million in New York spending and 224 hires.

Signed by Governor Cuomo in July 2012, the new law boosted the available post-production credit from 10 percent to 30 percent in the New York metropolitan commuter region, including New York City and Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester counties. For post-production work in Upstate New York, a 35 percent tax credit is available to eligible productions.

“Thanks to Governor Cuomo’s leadership, our production and post-production incentive programs are stronger than ever,” said Empire State Development President and CEO Howard Zemsky. “The 300 applications that have come in since the post-production credit was expanded in 2012 will continue to result in more investment in New York State and more jobs for New Yorkers.”

Recently, several high-profile projects have applied for the post-production credit, including Zoolander 2, both seasons of Netflix’s Marco Polo, Into the Woods, and the upcoming Inferno and Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.

The new law has also spurred growth for post-production companies in New York, with five new post-production companies opening Upstate and 22 opening in New York City since July 2012, according to the Post New York Alliance, an industry group. Seventeen existing New York post-production companies have also undergone major expansions over the past four years.

Chair of the Post New York Alliance and President and COO, Trevanna Post, Yana Collins Lehman said, “Governor Cuomo committed to creating and nurturing greater opportunities for post-production companies and professionals throughout New York State in 2012 when he enhanced the post-tax incentive. The members of the Post New York Alliance are grateful to Governor Cuomo for his vision and belief in our industry because these 300 applications have brought with them thousands of jobs. Our businesses have expanded, and New York is now the preeminent destination for film and television post-production.”

Eastern Executive Director, Motion Picture Editors Guild, IA Local 700, Paul Moore said, “Since Governor Cuomo strengthened the program, our members have seen hundreds of jobs created by the industry’s expansion, which has made New York a global hub for post-production.” 

President of Harbor Pictures, Zak Tucker said, “In the four years since Governor Cuomo enhanced the post-production credit we have seen a significant increase in the amount of post-production work coming to New York State and, as a result, we’ve expanded each year, quadrupling our staff and our footprint.”

The thriving post-production tax incentive joins the state’s film production tax credit, which has received 961 applications, resulting in a projected New York spend of $13 billion and more than 830,000 hires since Governor Cuomo took office. Productions that apply for the film production credit can claim qualified post-production expenses under this program, meaning this industry’s economic impact resounds far beyond the 300 applicants to the post-production credit.

Post-production includes all of the editing after filming is complete and includes visual effects, color correction, sound editing and mixing. The industry also includes thousands of other jobs, from engineers and messengers to creative and support staff. The strengthened law was designed to expand state support by specifically focusing on attracting post-production work to communities in all corners of the state. At a time when other states have seen their film tax credits weaken or disappear, New York’s strengthened credit supports a robust industry cluster which has become a major source of direct and indirect employment and economic opportunity for hundreds of thousands of people.

About the New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture & Television Development

The New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture & Television Development, a division of Empire State Development, offers film, television and commercial productions and post production tax credits for qualified expenditures in New York State. The office also serves as a liaison between production companies and city and local governments, state agencies, a network of statewide contacts, local film offices and professional location scouts and managers. For more information on filming in New York State and the New York State Film Tax Credit Program, visit www.nylovesfilm.com.

10 Firms Established New Operations in NYS Including Three Upstate; More Than 240 New Jobs and Nearly $100 Million in Spending in NYS

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today released new data showing post production business is booming in New York State as the industry continues to experience significant growth. The data, compiled by the Post New York Alliance, shows a major increase in new permanent postproduction jobs since July 2012, resulting in the creation of more than 240 new jobs – with more than 70 jobs created in the last six months alone. This new post production business is expected to lead to nearly $100 million in new spending in the state. Since July 2012, postproduction companies have reported spending nearly $25 million to expand or lease additional space to accommodate the increased business demand.

“The State’s film and television postproduction industry is taking off – bringing more businesses, investments and new jobs to New York than ever before,” said Governor Cuomo. “Over the last 18 months, we have achieved record-breaking post production investment and employment gains including tens of millions in investment and more than 240 new jobs for New Yorkers. As we continue to create new economic opportunities for communities across the state and promote New York as the top destination for businesses to locate and grow, these figures make it clear that the Empire State has become the place to be for the film and television industry.”

The legislation to strengthen the post production tax credit program, which Governor Cuomo championed and signed into law in July 2012, was designed to help New York State compete for post production business and jobs, a fast-growing segment of the motion picture and television industry. The law boosted the available post production tax credit from 10 percent to 30 percent (for post production work in the New York metropolitan commuter region), and from 10 percent to 35 percent (for postproduction work done Upstate.)

Since taking effect:

· Nearly 100 productions have applied for post production work in New York – almost six times the number of applications received during a two-year period under the previous tax credit;
· 10 post production companies have established new operations, including three Upstate -- Empire Visual Effects in Buffalo, Edgeworx Studios in Kingston, and Crazy Horse Effects in New Paltz; and
· At least five New York-based post production companies have undertaken major expansions, including one company that built and will operate an onsite post production facility at Broadway Stages in Brooklyn and had also overhauled a screening room at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, creating the largest Digital Intermediate color correction theater on the East Coast.

Post production includes all of the editing after filming is complete, such as visual effects, color correction, sound editing and mixing. The industry also sustains thousands of other jobs, from engineers and messengers to creative and support staff. The strengthened law was designed to expand state support by specifically focusing on attracting post production work to communities in all corners of the state. At a time when other states are experiencing production flight, New York’s strengthened credit supports a robust industry cluster that has become a major source of direct and indirect employment and economic opportunity for hundreds of thousands of people.

Yana Collins Lehman, managing director of Trevanna Post and executive board member of the Post New York Alliance, said, “The New York post production industry has never been busier than it is at this moment. The tax incentive has driven film and television projects to the state at the exact rate we hoped it would. The incentive is also successfully emboldening companies to expand all over the state. The Post New York Alliance can't thank Governor Cuomo enough for letting the world know, New York is open for business.”

Paul Moore, Eastern Executive Director of The Motion Picture Editors Guild, said, “Thanks to Governor Cuomo’s support of the post production tax incentive program, members of the Motion Picture Editors Guild Local 700, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) have experienced a 30 percent increase in hours worked with more than 94,000 additional hours in 2013 than 2012.”

Benjamin Porcari, Industry Director, The ICEA at Daemen College, said, “Empire Visual Effects is off to an amazing start and has brought a new level of digital production to the Upstate New York region. The growth of New York-based opportunities due to the post production tax credits has led to a rapid growth of staff as we continue to provide advanced paint, roto and compositing services. Recent projects for New York visual effects and post companies include supporting work for both a major feature film and the Pepsi Grammy’s Half-time show. We are looking forward to the rest of 2014!”

Productions consistently cite the enhanced credit as key to their decision to bring their post production work to New York instead of another state.

Todd London, Senior Vice President, VFX & Post Production, The Walt Disney Studios, said, “We are very pleased that the New York State Post Production Credit Program has made it possible for us to bring our post production work on Into the Woods back to New York. It’s exciting to come full circle and finish this film in the same place where Into the Woods first found success.”