Stein calls for legislative solution to give North Carolina film incentive greater certainty
The governor and state commerce secretary said they want to work with lawmakers on the publicly funded rebate program, which covers as much as 25% of qualifying production expenses.
Gov. Josh Stein is calling for a legislative solution intended to give film and television productions greater certainty about North Carolina’s state-funded incentive program.
Stein and Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley discussed the program Tuesday during a visit to Cinespace Studios in Wilmington. The governor’s office said the administration is committed to working with the General Assembly on the program’s future but did not identify a specific legislative proposal or requested appropriation.
North Carolina currently provides rebates through the Film and Entertainment Grant Program. Qualifying production companies can receive as much as 25% of eligible spending conducted within the state.
The incentive uses public money to encourage productions to hire North Carolina workers and purchase goods and services from businesses in the state. Supporters argue that a dependable incentive helps North Carolina compete with other states for projects that can move between locations.
“North Carolina’s film industry is an important part of our economy, supporting thousands of jobs and bringing millions in investment to our state,” Stein said in the announcement. “We must protect that success and give productions the certainty they need to continue to invest here for the long term.”
The governor’s office reported that nearly 60 productions filmed in North Carolina during 2024, accounting for more than $302 million in direct in-state spending. It said productions generated more than $1.3 billion in spending and nearly 67,000 job opportunities during the previous 10 years.
Those figures describe production spending and job opportunities rather than the state’s net fiscal return after accounting for rebates. Tuesday’s announcement did not include the current balance of the grant fund, the total incentives paid to individual productions or an independent cost-benefit analysis.
Lilley said the Commerce Department wants to work with legislators on a solution that keeps productions operating in North Carolina.
Any substantial change in the program’s funding or statutory structure would require legislative action. The General Assembly controls state appropriations, including money available for film-production rebates.
Editor’s note:
This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.
