Illinois has become the first state in the nation to enact a sustainability uplift for film and television production with its 5% tax credit increase available to productions that achieve certified “Green” status. The uplift is stackable on top of the state’s existing 35% base credit and is a template towards a both a sustainable future and a way to keep productions local that the Guild would like to see applied elsewhere.
Productions earn this additional 5% by implementing state-certified sustainability plans to minimize waste, reduce energy use, utilize sustainable materials, and adopt responsible food practices. This has significant implications for how studios and streamers approach long-term production planning and currently centers on The Fields Studios, Chicago’s first purpose-built production studio campus designed and constructed from the ground up with sustainability built into its infrastructure. This was a deliberate decision made by the leadership team directly involved in the advocacy that helped shape Illinois’ tax credit legislation, an effort supported by the DGA.
For productions evaluating location decisions, this boost brings Illinois’ total incentive package to up to 40%, a meaningful shift in the competitive landscape with significant implications for how studios and streamers approach long-term production planning.
For information on Illinois’ 5% Sustainability Uplift visit the Illinois Film Office website at https://dceo.illinois.gov/whyillinois/film.
The DGA continues to advocate for improvements to state incentive programs and the development of a federal incentive program to combat the flow of production heading overseas.
To learn more about the DGA’s efforts on Production Incentives, visit www.dga.org/Initiatives/Production-Incentives.
