scenes in the region , joining the ranks of Hollywood flicks such as the 1984 adventure epic “ Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ” and the 2006 crime caper “ Smokin ’ Aces ,” starring Ryan Reynolds and Ray Liotta .
As film commissioner , Dodge ’ s duties include coordinating permits and designing marketing campaigns to attract new projects . On average , she says , her office issues between 20-35 permits annually . “( The productions result in ) between $ 1 ( million ) and $ 6 million in economic impact a year ,” Dodge says . “ It ’ s been consistent in keeping our ( return on investment ) at almost 2,000 percent for our office over the years .”
Statewide , permits were issued for more than 450 projects between January and April of this year , a number consistent with average activity in previous years , according to Colleen Bell , executive director for the California Film Commission . Bell says state tax credits make California a lucrative option .
In June 2020 , the commission wrapped Program 2.0 , which invested $ 1.5 billion in tax credit reservations . Productions that received the credits generated nearly $ 11.2 billion in state spending , Bell says . Program 3.0 , which launched in July 2020 and will sunset in 2025 , is expected to award $ 1.3 billion in tax credits . Those figures , she adds , only tell part of the story . “ These numbers don ’ t reflect all the expenditures that are not qualified for tax credits that do take place . Again , ancillary businesses that benefit from having entertainment production in their communities ,” she says .
Earlier this year , Gov . Gavin Newsom added to those coffers with an additional $ 30 million in credits for California ’ s film and TV tax incentive program . The credits , Newsom announced during a May 14 press conference , are designed to convince production crews to relocate to California from states like Georgia , which recently passed legislation to restrict voting rights and has been homebase for the popular TV series “ The Walking Dead ” for more than a decade .
“ We are all Hollywood . And when I think of Hollywood , I think of it as all-inclusive : everything related to entertainment within the entire state . It ’ s a label and it ’ s a title for all Californians up and down the state to identify with as part of their cultural heritage .”
COLLEEN BELL Executive director California Film Commission
“ This is an opportunity for those productions , TV and others , in places like Georgia , whose values don ’ t necessarily align with the production crews to consider coming back to the state of California ,” Newsom said .
Thanks to such incentives , California remains a popular option for TV , film and commercials , Bell says . And while Los Angeles — Hollywood in particular — may be widely thought of as the glamorous , star-studded movie capital of the world , Bell says the state ’ s industry isn ’ t geographically limited . “ We are all Hollywood ,” Bell says . “ And when I think of Hollywood , I think of it as all-inclusive : everything related to entertainment within the entire state . It ’ s a label and it ’ s a title for all Californians up and down the state to identify with as part of their cultural heritage .”
There are 41 film commission offices across the state with vistas that include rugged mountains , snaking rivers , breathtaking coastlines and arid sand dunes . Eight are in the Capital Region , including the Amador County Film Commission , Stockton & San Joaquin County Film Commission and Yolo County Film Office .
“ Arguably , California has the most diverse landscapes and topography ,” Bell says . “ This provides the opportunity for different communities to highlight what they have to offer filmmakers .”
‘ The “ Lady Bird ” Effect ’
Jennifer West wasn ’ t film commissioner when Sacramento native Greta Gerwig directed scenes here for her 2017 Academy Award-nominated film , “ Lady Bird .” In fact , the bureau she works for , the Sacramento Film + Media office , didn ’ t exist then and the commissioner job was a parttime gig with the city ’ s tourism office , Visit Sacramento .
In the pre- “ Lady Bird ” -era , the city starred in numerous productions . Scenes from the 1999 Academy Award-winning film “ American Beauty ” show off the leafy streets of East Sacramento , as does the 2000 John Travolta film , “ Lucky Numbers .” Several episodes of home-improvement shows have been produced here as well , including “ Yard Crashers ” and “ Turf Wars .”
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