Film and TV productions have spent over $650M in Illinois over the past year. Here’s why

Film and TV producers have spent over $650 million in Illinois over the past year, thanks to a tax credit shepherded by a Peoria-based state representative.

Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, who serves as the assistant majority leader in the Illinois House, said in a news release Friday that the recently expanded Film Production Tax Credit helped provide $653 million in film production expenditures and $351 million in estimated wages to the state last year.

Gordon-Booth praised the work done by House Democrats in preserving the tax credit and providing front-facing jobs and money to Illinois.

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"Since its implementation, the Film Production Tax Credit has brought thousands of jobs and billionsin film production expenditures to Illinois, greatly contributing to our state’s economy and workforce," Gordon-Booth said. "The Film Production Tax Credit has proved that not only has Illinois’ film industry bounced back from the 2023 strikes that halted production, it has flourished."

The tax credit was instituted in 2008 – one year before Gordon-Booth became a member of the General Assembly – allowing film and TV producers to receive a 30% credit on all qualified expenditures, such as meals, mileage, parking and utilities, along with pensions and taxes paid to an employer on behalf of an employee.

The tax credit was extended in 2023 for another decade, now set to expire in 2032. Last year, the General Assembly passed a bill that allowed talk shows, game shows and other contests to be eligible for the tax credit.

Gordon-Booth also spotlighted the role that the state’s Film and TV Workforce Training Program has played in diversifying the entertainment industry in Illinois. The release said that over 200 people have been trained and hired for projects in Illinois from historically under-represented groups.

"Not only has Illinois positioned itself as an increasingly favorable state for the television and filmindustry, the state has also invested in the continued diversity of the industry," Gordon-Booth said. "This record-breaking milestone isn’t just about the money; it’s also about Illinois’ investment in thepeople who keep this industry running and thriving in our state."

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