DATE: December 15, 2016
 
Upcoming Application Window (Period 4): January 2-13, 2017 

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FILMS: Indies and Non-Indies 

1. Feature Films (Non-Transferable Tax Credit)
  • $100 million available (additional funds may become available.)
  • Credit will apply to a maximum qualified spend of $100 million (no total budget cap) 
2. Independent Films* (Transferable Tax Credit)
  • $6 million available (additional funds may become available.)
  • Credit will apply to a maximum qualified spend of $10 million (no total budget cap)
* "Independent film" means a production of a film with a running time of at least seventy-five (75) minutes intended for commercial distribution to a motion picture theater, directly to the home video market, directly to television, or via the internet. An independent film shall have a minimum budget of one million dollars ($1,000,000) and be produced by a company that is not publicly traded and a publicly traded company does not own, directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the producing company.
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JOBS RATIO RANKING 

Applications are ranked within categories (Indie Film vs. other Indie Film) based upon their  "Jobs Ratio"  score.  

For historical reference only, below are the lowest adjusted jobs ratios for the projects that received a reservation of credits during the previous application period for indie and non-indie feature film projects:

Independent Feature Film: 3.87207
Non-Independent Feature Film: 3.81516

The jobs ratio numbers quoted above are based on applications received during the prior application period. These numbers should not be relied upon as a guaranteed jobs ratio minimum in future application periods.  Applicants are measured against their specific applicant pool and as such, each jobs ratio minimum is specific to those types of productions during a specific allocation period.

Projects that rank in the top 200% (double the number of projects for which funding is available) will be notified by January 16, 2017 to submit Phase II documents. Credit Allocation Letters will be issued on February 13, 2017 -  budgets should reflect qualified expenditures on or after February 13, 2017.

Be sure to download the new Jobs Ratio Calculator .  This tool is available to assist you in determining your Jobs Ratio.
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ONLINE APPLICATION 

The portal will go live Monday, January 2, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. 

Applicants should begin to prepare their budget and materials early. You will need a completed and tagged budget in order to fill out the application.

Be sure to carefully read the Budget/Tagging Instructions so that you can accurately tag your budget. Pay close attention to box rentals and car allowances. Non-Independents: Note that the methodology and tagging to determine out of zone "uplifts" have been modified from the methodology utilized in the first program year.

Finally, applicants should prepare all materials listed in the Checklist  as you will be required to submit these within three days if your application is selected.
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NEW! TAX CREDIT PROGRAM TUTORIALS FOR INDEPENDENTS

Attention Independent Film Applicants!

The California Film Commission now offers tutorials to better assist indie producers interested in applying to the Tax Credit Program. The tutorials below cover  indie-specific information regarding Tax Credit Program 2.0 guidelines, eligibility requirements, deadlines, required documentation, and qualified expenditures. In addition, the video tutorials e xplore the application portal and data needed in order to successfully submit an application. Lastly, two tutorials are available on how to accurately ta g qualified and non-qualified expenditures using Movie Magic Budget and  Showbiz Budgeting programs.

Tutorials:
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ONLINE RESOURCES

The California Film Commission website provides informational documents listed below to assist tax credit applicants during the application process. Applicants are strongly advised to review each document prior to project budgeting and scheduling. 

Guidelines
Regulations
Budget, Tagging, & Tracking Tips
Qualified Expenditure Charts
Jobs Ratio Calculator
Frequently Asked Questions



 About the California Film Commission
  
The California Film Commission (CFC) enhances California's status as the leader in motion picture, television and commercial production.
  
A one-stop office for filmmakers, the Commission supports productions of all sizes and budgets. In addition to managing the Film & Television Tax Credit program, services include an extensive digital location library, free online permitting, low cost use of state properties as shooting locations, and production assistance.
  
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323.860.2960 │ 800.858.4749
  
(c) 2016 California Film Commission