This week, we traveled to Sacramento with over 100 entertainment union and guild members, all part of the Entertainment Union Coalition, to advocate for increased film and TV jobs across our state.
On March 4, we attended an Assembly Budget Subcommittee Hearing that focused on bringing production back to California through the Governor’s proposed expansion of the current incentive program, increasing funding from $330 million annually to $750 million annually. Continue reading
The Entertainment Union Coalition — a multi-union alliance dedicated to advocating for members in the entertainment industry on public policy issues in California — officially launched the ‘Keep California Rolling’ campaign on February 27 with a misison to protect, preserve and create jobs in the film and television industry throughout the state.
The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada, represented by AFM Local 47 President Stephanie O’Keefe, has a seat on the board of this important coalition along with the California IATSE Council, Directors Guild of America, LiUNA! Local 724, SAG-AFTRA, Teamsters Local 399, and Writers Guild of America West, collectively representing over 165,000 members who live and work in California’s entertainment industry.
Monday, February 10, 2025 – The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada announces its membership in the Entertainment Union Coalition of California. The EUC is comprised of major entertainment unions, including the California IATSE Council, Directors Guild of America, LiUNA! Local 724, SAG-AFTRA, and Teamsters Local 399. (Update: Since this original post, WGA West has also joined the EUC.) Continue reading
LOS ANGELES, CA (June 13, 2017) — As California suffers an exodus of film and television music jobs, musicians are battling offshoring head-on with a new bill that would boost the state tax credit for foreign productions.
AB 1300, recently introduced by Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon, would bring the success of the California Film & TV Tax Credit Program to musicians and the scores that are an integral part of every motion picture and TV project. Continue reading
What are film/TV tax credits?
Movie and television incentives are tax benefits offered by many regions in the U.S. and abroad to encourage film/TV production in that region. These incentives began in the U.S. in the 1990s in response to the flight of movie productions to countries such as Canada. Today, these tax incentives are offered by countries around the world, and most states in the U.S. such as California, New York, Louisiana, New Mexico, Virginia, Georgia and Ohio.
How have tax credits impacted the industry worldwide?
Tax credits — whether they’re in California or any other state, or abroad — have become part and parcel of film and television financing. Financiers of a film or television project will look to maximize tax credits wherever they can in order to subsidize the production budget. It’s often said that now, when a film or TV show is being planned, the first very conversation is about the location of available tax credits! In general, tax incentives do not create NEW employment; instead they shift jobs from one state or country to another. As the number of tax credit programs around the world has grown, the number of films released to wide distribution each year has remained steady (or even shrunk). Continue reading
What is AB 1300?
Introduced in April 2017 by Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon, AB 1300 – the Music Scoring Tax Credit – would implement a long-sought system for supporting film and television music scoring jobs in California by bringing overseas scoring home. The bill is aimed at bringing the success of our California film and television tax system to musicians and the scores that are an integral part of every film and TV project.
How would it work?
Hit HBO series signs agreement with AFM Local 47
Democracy wins for the musicians of HBO’s Emmy-winning political satire “Veep,” who starting this season will be covered by an American Federation of Musicians agreement.
AFM Local 47 approached “Veep” producers in July following the show’s relocation from Maryland after being awarded $6.5 million in tax credits from the California Film Commission’s revamped film and TV tax incentive program. Continue reading
California Democratic Party passes resolution to broaden state’s film & TV tax incentives to support music employment
In support of local musicians seeking to grow music scoring work in the state, the California Democratic Party’s Executive Board adopted a resolution Aug. 16, 2015 in favor of broadening the Film & TV Tax Incentive Program to support and increase music jobs.
The resolution was put forward by Local 47 member and activist Clifford Tasner, who serves as a delegate to the California Democratic Convention, and 25 DSCC members. It speaks to the merits of AB 1199, a bill aimed at improving the California Film & TV Tax Credit Program to bring more music scoring work to the state. Continue reading
On Monday morning, musicians in Los Angeles visited the office of state Senator Connie Leyva (D-Chino) in support of AB 1199, a bill aimed at creating more film & TV music jobs in California.
AB 1199 is now in the Senate Governance & Finance Committee and will be picked up again in January. Musicians are utilizing this time to gear up for visits to local state senate offices to voice their support of this important bill.
Several more visits in other districts are in the works up and down the state. Many Los Angeles Local 47 members have already heard from Local 47 Organizer Merideth Cleary – and if you haven’t yet, you will soon!
Show your support – sign the petition!
To learn more about this important work, visit our AB 1199 blog. If you’d like to get involved, sign up for Local 47 Action Alerts or call Merideth at 323.993.3143 to stay posted to future developments on this and other news that affects California musicians.
Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) has signed on as co-author with Assemblymember Adrin Nazarin (D-Sherman Oaks) to AB 1199, a bill with the potential to bring thousands of music scoring jobs back to California.
Musicians have been busy pushing to add language to the legislation that will secure a revenue-neutral allocation for music scoring from the existing Film & TV Tax Credit Program. Because no new money is being asked for, this effort has been gaining fast support.
Show your support – sign the petition!
Get involved! Sign up for Local 47 Action Alerts or call 323.993.3143 to stay posted to future developments on this and other news that affects California musicians.