While entertainment production resumes cautiously amid COVID-19, two more TV series are relocating production to California thanks to its tax credit program. That’s the word from the California Film Commission.
The critically-acclaimed HBO drama In Treatment and the TBS anthology comedy Miracle Workers are among the TV projects (relocating and recurring) selected for the inaugural round of tax credits under California’s new Film and Television Tax Credit Program 3.0, which launched July 1st concurrent with the state’s new fiscal year. Program 3.0 succeeds the five-year Film and Television Tax Credit Program 2.0, which was launched in 2015.
In Treatment was filmed previously in New York, while Miracle Workers was filmed in the Czech Republic. Based on information provided with each tax credit application, the two projects are projected to spend a combined $40 million on below-the-line wages and other qualified expenditures during their first season in California. As with all California tax credit projects, their overall in-state spending will be significantly greater than “qualified” spending with the inclusion of above-the-line wages and other expenditures that do not qualify for incentives under the state’s very targeted tax credit program.
“Program 3.0 is off to a great start with the two relocating TV series announced today,” said California Film Commission executive director Colleen Bell. “As the industry adjusts to the circumstances presented by COVID-19, it’s encouraging to see projects reinvest here and bring new production jobs and spending to California.”
With the projects announced today, California has welcomed a total of 20 relocating TV series from other states and nations under Program 2.0, including American Horror Story which moved from Louisiana and now has five seasons in California, and Lucifer which left Vancouver to now tally four seasons in the Golden State. The list is led by New York (five series) and Canada/British Columbia (four series).
“We are very grateful for the relocation incentive and the opportunity to base more production in California,” said HBO Production EVP Janet Graham Borba. “The state’s ongoing efforts to promote film and TV production have a very significant impact.”
Due to the tax credit program’s ongoing success with long-term TV projects, the first TV application period for Program 3.0 (held June 22 – 24) was open only to relocating series and recurring series already accepted into the earlier Program 2.0. In addition to the two relocating series announced today, Program 3.0 currently has 25 recurring (legacy) TV series in various stages of production. To date, a total of 151 television projects–including new TV series, relocating TV series, pilots, MOWs and miniseries — have been selected for tax credits since Program 2.0 was launched in July 2015.
The current list of tax credit projects that are in production and eligible for tax credits is subject to change, as projects may withdraw and their reservation of tax credits is reassigned or rolled over into the pool of funds for the next TV allocation period.
The next tax credit application period for TV projects will take place September 28-30 (for relocating projects) and October 5-7 (for recurring projects). The first feature film application period for Program 3.0 was held July 13–15, with selected projects scheduled to be announced on August 17.
Relocating series In Treatment (HBO) and Miracle Workers (Turner North Center Productions, Inc.) are joined in the latest round of California tax credit recipients by 25 recurring/returning TV shows in the state: 13 Reasons Why (Paramount Television) American Crime Story, American Horror Story, Dropout, Snowfall and This is Us (all from Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.), Animal Kingdom, Special, and You (all from Horizon Scripted Television), Dream and Good Girls (both from Universal Television), Euphoria, Perry Mason, Westworld and an Untitled Showtime Lakers Project (all from HBO), Good Trouble (Disney ABC Cable Group), Grease (Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc.), Lucifer (WB Studio Enterprises), Mayans MC (Fox21 Television Studios), The Orville (Twentieth Century Fox Television), Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (Showtime), The Rookie (ABC Studios), and Star Trek: Picard, S.W.A.T. and Why Women Kill (all from CBS Studios, Inc.)
SCHROM x Yacht Club and Be Electric Studios Launch Electric XR for Virtual Production
SCHROM x Yacht Club, a full-service live-action, tabletop, and postproduction company, has teamed with Be Electric Studios, a soundstage, equipment rental, and virtual production company, to launch Electric XR, a virtual production collective.
Industry veteran Thomas Rossano will lead the new venture, which provides advanced virtual production solutions across multiple facilities. He brings over 25 years of experience in live-action, tabletop, postproduction and talent curation to enhance Electric XR’s offerings as a resource for brands and agencies, as well as other production companies in need of virtual production solutions. Additionally Rossano continues to serve as EP at XR New York (XR-NY), a role he’s held since December 2022. SCHROM x Yacht Club originally established XR-NY to help provide XR services for third-party rentals. While XR-NY will continue to function independently for SCHROM X Yacht Club, it now operates under the Electric XR umbrella.
Rossano’s expertise spans producing live-action commercials, branded content, interactive and experiential content. In addition to leading Electric XR, he holds responsibilities at SCHROM x Yacht Club which include driving business development, collaborating with sales reps and expanding the company’s creative talent network. Rossano’s career includes serving as an exec producer at Hungry Man for about 11 years, right from that company’s inception. He then went on to become a partner at Station Film where he also had a lengthy tenure. Later he was a partner at PRISM. Then after the pandemic hit, he became a freelance EP for nearly two years, looking into opportunities in virtual production, which led him to XR NY and now Electric XR. Over the years, he has produced high-profile... Read More