The creative economy as “big business”: evaluating state strategies to lure filmmakers
From Journal of Planning Education and Research
The “gold rush” in entertainment media continues whilst the worldwide taxpayer picks up the tab, supporting film and TV production costs through tax breaks. The creative economy is big business offering job creation, and may in addition help market the city or state encouraging tourism. This article examines how policy makers in the US have increased efforts to attract film makers with attractive tax incentives and have started an international trend. The industry can often inject millions of dollars into the state economy. Sceptics raise concerns regarding how the strategies impact on the use of public money. Investment in the entertainment industry cannot be made without cuts to the state budget in other areas, leaving states to compete for inward investment.
