Good news for Florida film production companies and professionals – new financial incentives for shooting in the Sunshine State begin today. Florida’s new Film and Entertainment Incentive Program offers tax relief incentives for both major film/TV productions and low-budget indies choosing a Florida production locale. It’s all part of the $175 million “Jobs for Florida” bill recently signed into law by Governor Charlie Crist.

The new law allows major Florida film productions and Florida TV productions that employ at least 50% of their production cast and below-the-line crew from Florida tax breaks of up to $8 million. Films and video games with family-friendly content may qualify for an added 5% tax break. Small independent, digital media productions and emerging media productions can apply for up to $125,000 in tax incentives.

Senator Don Gaetz (R-Destin) sponsored a new bill that allows tax breaks of up to $8 million for filmmakers shooting in Florida.

“With an unemployment rate worse than 12 percent, Florida families and Florida businesses are hurting,” said Republican Senator Don Gaetz of Destin. ‘This package of incentives actually loosens government’s grip on the private sector and gives companies solid reasons to stay in Florida, expand in Florida and come to Florida.”

Gaetz sponsored the bipartisan bill, CS/SB 1752. Democratic Sen. Jeremy Ring of Margate co-sponsored. In the House, primary sponsors were Rep. Will Weatherford of Chapel and Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff of Fort Lauderdale. The bill passed unanimously in both houses.

To qualify, your production must have a start date July 1 or later. Apply online to the Office of Film and Entertainment beginning today, June 9 at noon EST. And if you need help with any portion of your Florida film production, from concepting to post-production and packaging, contact Digital Video Arts at 888-340-1010. Good luck!

All the benefits of the Florida video production industry have helped lure a major television boon to the Sunshine State. Starting in July, the iconic television game show “Family Feud” will be taped at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando. Industry journal Variety reports that “Family Feud” producer FreemantleMedia, Universal Orlando, the City of Orlando and the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau inked a deal that calls for 165 episodes of the syndicated game show to be taped right here in Florida.

Comedian Steve Harvey with wife Marjorie attend a fundraising gala for the Steve Harvey Foundation in New York May 2010.

Video production and film production projects including feature films, TV shows and music videos are eligible for cash rebates of between 15% and 22% of budgets or in-state shooting. Such benefits have lured multiple game show productions to Florida in the past. TV gamers shot here include “Fear Factor,” “Wheel of Fortune,” “Beat the Clock” and “My Family’s Got Guts.”

Besides new digs, the Florida video production of “Family Feud” also will feature a new host. Famed comedian, actor, author and syndicated radio show host Steve Harvey will become the new face of the show this season. Harvey began his entertainment career as a standup comedian in the mid-1980s before a hosting gig with “It’s Showtime at the Apollo” and numerous TV sitcoms including ABC’s “Me and the Boys” and The WB’s “The Steve Harvey Show” and “Steve Harvey Big Time Challenge.” He is perhaps best known for his comedy DVDs including “Don’t Trip … He Ain’t Through With me Yet” and “Still Trippin,” as well as for the 1997 “Kings of Comedy” Tour with fellow comedians Cedric the Entertainer, D.L. Hughley and the late Bernie Mac. His current stint as host of the 64-market syndicated radio show “Steve Harvey Morning Show” led to his surprisingly successful stint as one of America’s favorite relationship advisors and author of the #1 New York Times Best Seller Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man.

Harvey is no stranger to Florida video production, having taped an episode of “The Steve Harvey Show” here. His new gig as host of “Family Feud,” which pits two families against each other in a contest to correctly guess the most popular responses to survey questions, will make him a regular in Florida video production industry circles.

Want to know how bringing your film or video production to Florida can reap benefits? Call Digital Video Arts in Jacksonville toll-free at 888-340-1010.

Financial incentives for Florida video production and Florida film production can help slash your production budget if you know where to look for assistance. Cash rebates, tax advantages and exemptions, travel and lodging discounts and more are available to both Florida-based video production and film production companies as well as projects and companies coming to the Sunshine State from elsewhere.

Existing Florida video production and Florida film production incentives include:

• 15-22% cash rebate for films, TV commercials and music videos with qualified expenditures of $625,000 or more;
• 15-20% cash rebate for multiple commercials and music videos with $500,000 or more in combined qualified expenditures and with a minimum of $100,000 in qualified expenditures per production;
• 15-17% cash rebate for indie Florida feature films or documentaries 70 minutes or longer with qualified expenditures of $100,000 up to $625,000;
• 10% cash rebate for interactive entertainment projects with qualified expenditures of $300,000 or more;
• Various sales and use tax exemptions on Florida film production and television production equipment and real property;
• Discounts on hotel and resort stays, truck rentals, location fees and other items offered through the Florida Discounts & Deals program.

At Digital Video Arts, we keep up to date on all of the Florida video production and Florida film production incentives offered to both in-state projects and to producers of projects coming to Florida from out-of-state. Currently, state legislation sets aside $10.8 million in annual incentives for Florida video production and Florida film production projects, but industry lobbyists are continually working to land higher amounts.

To see if your Florida video production or Florida film production project qualifies for any of these incentives, visit the Film in Florida website, operated by the Governor’s Office of Film & Entertainment. Then, call DVA. We are a full-service Florida video production and film production company that takes the “concept to completion” tagline to a whole new level, offering all the core pre-production, production and post-production video and film services, plus related extras including logo and brand image design, print advertisements and collateral, and Internet and interactive experiences.

There are lots of great reasons to plan your next video or film project in Florida. Jacksonville-based and familiar with all things Florida when it comes to video and film production, DVA can help you take advantage of all of them. Browse our website for a look at our capabilities, then call toll free: 888-340-1010.