California Film Commissioner Colleen Bell Makes Case for Expanding State Tax Incentive

California Film Commissioner Colleen Bell is publicly pushing back against the narrative that Hollywood production is permanently leaving the state, framing the California Film & Television Tax Credit program explicitly as a jobs program for working crew — not a studio handout.

Bell’s comments come as the California incentive program faces ongoing budget pressure in Sacramento, with the state weighing how aggressively to compete with Georgia, New York, New Mexico, and international rivals like the UK and Canada for production dollars.

California currently offers a 20–25% transferable tax credit on qualified production spending. The program has a application cap that routinely leaves productions without allocations, and Bell has been lobbying for an expansion that would bring more mid-budget features and series back to LA-area soundstages and locations.

For below-the-line crew based in Southern California, the stakes are direct: fewer California-allocated productions means fewer local hires and more decisions to relocate or pass on jobs shooting out of state. Teamsters, IATSE locals, and other craft unions have been vocal supporters of expanding the cap.

No legislative vote has been announced, but Bell’s public advocacy signals the conversation is active heading into the state budget cycle. Producers currently scouting California locations or evaluating incentive strategies should monitor any changes to the program’s annual cap and qualifying categories closely.