Unscripted TV Filming Stays Home with New US Film Incentive

Unscripted television producers have expressed immense satisfaction with the recent introduction of a federal film and TV incentive. This new legislation, the Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act, is poised to encourage more unscripted shows to be produced domestically, countering a significant trend of productions relocating overseas. Producers had actively lobbied for their inclusion in the incentive over the summer, seeking to stem the tide of competition shows and reality series moving to countries like Australia and Canada.

The new act, sponsored by Senators Tim Scott and Adam Schiff, will encompass unscripted series meeting specific criteria: a minimum of four episodes, a budget exceeding $1 million, and at least 75% of the production filmed within the United States. This move is seen as a vital boost for unscripted employment across the country, with potential benefits for filming in rural areas as well. While some categories like gameshows and talk shows are excluded, the incentive is anticipated to make it easier for networks and streamers to justify filming more content domestically.