Report: Film & TV Production Credits Boost New York Jobs, Economy

WASHINGTON: New York’s film and television production incentives have supported 28,900 jobs across all sectors and generated $6.9 billion in economic spending in the state last year.

Conducted by HR&A Advisors, a new study finds that the jobs supported by the film and TV industry in New York State grew by 25 percent between 2008 and 2011 (while private sector employment as a whole declined by 1.6 percent during the same time span). In 2011, the tax incentives supported 28,900 jobs in the state, including 12,600 directly associated with productions and 16,300 supported downstream in related businesses. The credit added $6.9 billion in economic spending and $4.2 billion in personal income to the New York State economy. The number of productions participating in the program has increased from 18 in 2004 to 135 productions in 2011.

“These findings further confirm that the New York State production incentives have grown into a major economic driver in the state’s economy,” said Senator Chris Dodd, the chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America. “Not only does film and television production in New York employ the thousands of men and women working on some of the most popular television shows and films, it also supports small businesses in every sector of the economy—dry cleaners, restaurants, florists—who benefit when a production comes to town. Film and television production is a critical piece of New York State’s economy.”