YourVoice.Now Summary
Corporate BenefitsWorkers & JobsGives film and TV studios a tax credit of 20% to 30% of the pay for work done in the U.S.
Corporate Benefits
Studios could subtract 20% of what they pay actors, crew, writers, directors, and producers for U.S. work from their federal taxes. Only productions costing over $1 million qualify, starting with filming in tax years after 2026.
Extra points go to shoots in rural opportunity zones or recent disaster areas, to studios not owned by a public company, to studios working in 10 or more states, and to studios bringing work home from abroad. The total cannot go above 30%.
A studio that earns the credit can choose to pass it to a different taxpayer. That lets a studio benefit even if it owes little tax itself.
Workers & Jobs
The credit is based on pay for work done in the United States, and at least 75% of filming days must be here. Effects and editing work done here can also earn the credit for films shot abroad.
More about this bill
Film and TV companies would get a new federal tax credit for paying people to make movies and shows in the United States. The credit starts at 20% of the pay for actors, crew, writers, directors, and producers. It can rise to 30%. Most households would see no change in their own taxes. If you work in film or TV, the credit is tied to pay for work done here. To qualify, a movie, TV pilot, or TV season must cost more than $1 million. At least 75% of its filming days must take place in the United States. A TV season needs at least 4 episodes. Animated shows count where the drawing and voice work is done. News, sports, talk shows, game shows, award shows, and soap operas do not qualify. Ads and videos made mainly for social media are also left out. Residuals and profit shares do not count as pay. Four bonuses can each add 5 points to the credit. One is for shooting at least 30% of filming days in a rural opportunity zone or a recent disaster area. One is for independent studios not owned by a public company. One is for studios that film and spend at least $10 million in each of 10 or more states. One is for studios that make more U.S. productions compared with the number they made abroad. Visual effects and post-production work done here can also earn the credit, even for films shot overseas. Studios may transfer the credit to another taxpayer. The bill sets no yearly dollar limit and no end date. It covers productions that start filming in tax years beginning after December 31, 2026.
Congressional Summary
Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act This bill establishes a federal business tax credit for a percentage of the compensation paid for services performed in the United States related to a qualified film or television production. (Conditions and exceptions apply.) The bill defines a qualified film or television production as any production that is a feature film, television pilot, or television season; produced in the ordinary course of business for commercial purposes; capitalized; completed during the tax year with more than $1 million in total costs; and filmed in the United States for 75% of the photography days. Under the bill, various types of programming are not a qualified film or television production, including news programs, live sporting events, and programming intended primarily for social media platforms. The amount of the tax credit is 20% (base tax credit percentage) of the compensation paid for services performed in the United States related to a qualified film or television production. The base tax credit percentage increases by increments of 5% (up to a maximum tax credit percentage of 30%) if at least 30% of the production is filmed in a federally declared disaster area or rural qualified opportunity zone, the production is independently produced, or the production meets certain multi-state or increased domestic production requirements. Special rules apply to animations, visual effects productions, and post-production activities. Finally, the tax credit may be transferred to an unrelated third party in exchange for cash.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2026-09-24
- Date Added
- 2026-10-06
- Source
- Congress.gov →
Like reading a bill in plain English?
We're building an app that does this for every bill in Congress and lets you tell your reps how you want them to vote. We're a small team getting ready to launch, and we're trying to show investors that real people want this. Be one of them. Help us get it built. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment the app is ready.