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Lights, cameras, Delaware?
State leaders and film industry experts say the impact of growing film and TV production to Delaware could reach far beyond the set.
On Wednesday, that message was delivered on an active production set at Pine Box Studios in Wilmington to mark the creation of Delaware’s new Entertainment Production Tax Credit — an incentive state officials hope will bring more film, television and other entertainment projects to the First State.
The program, created through House Bill 364, provides a 30% transferable tax credit to eligible productions that spend more than $100,000 in Delaware over a 12-month period. The state has set aside $10 million for the program, which also applies to commercials, music videos, video games and esports.
For Delaware’s film industry, the goal is bigger than getting a movie made here.
With the film tax credit legislation now signed into law, a new production is already underway, showcasing Delaware’s creative talent and the First State’s potential as a destination for filmmaking. (Johnny Perez-Gonzalez/WHYY) Gov. Matt Meyer signs legislation designed to support filmmakers and strengthen Delaware’s creative economy. (Johnny Perez-Gonzalez/WHYY) With the film tax credit legislation now signed into law, a new production is already underway, showcasing Delaware’s creative talent and the First State’s potential as a destination for filmmaking. (Johnny Perez-Gonzalez/WHYY)
Brian Market, chief operating officer of Light Action Productions, said the state has an opportunity to turn creative ideas into productions while creating work for people and businesses already here.
“Pine Box Studios was created with a simple but powerful belief. Delaware should not only be a place where creative ideas are imagined. It should be a place where they’re made. We want artists, filmmakers, production teams, businesses, to see our state as a destination for world-class work, supported by the people, equipment, and ingenuity we have right here,” he said.
Market said productions can create economic activity both on and off the set.
“These bills will strengthen Delaware’s ability to attract productions and build a thriving film and entertainment industry, one that creates opportunity not only on the set, but throughout our economy. When a production comes to Delaware, it puts our neighbors to work, technicians, electricians, carpenters, drivers, designers, caterers, countless other skilled professionals,” Market said. “It fills hotel rooms, brings customers to restaurants, supports local rental companies and suppliers, and it creates new opportunities for small businesses across our state.”
For Gov. Matt Meyer, the tax credit is intended to give Delaware another tool to compete for production even beyond traditional film work.
“It is movies, but it’s not just movies. It’s television, commercials, music videos, video games, and esports. And that $100,000 threshold matters,” Meyer said.
The state’s program is designed to be accessible to independent filmmakers and Delaware-based production companies, with no minimum number of Delaware workers required to be hired. Productions must meet other eligibility requirements, including being at least 70% funded and within 120 days of principal photography.
Meyer also highlighted Delaware’s size as an advantage when competing for productions.
“Delaware knows something about doing big things with small numbers. Small isn’t our limitation, it is our advantage,” Meyer said. “We’re not saying every blockbuster needs to move to Delaware. We’re just saying most of them do. And we’re also saying that there’s an independent filmmaker with a great script looking for somewhere to make it.”
For Christopher Lemole, CEO of Armory Films and Top Rope Studios, the effort is personal.
Lemole moved from California more than six years ago and returned to his home state to pursue his career. Lemole’s producer credits include 2017’s “Mudbound” and 2019’s “The Peanut Butter Falcon.” He said Delaware’s location and variety of settings make it a practical place to produce films.
“As a producer who makes films across the world, it’s a true honor to be able to make movies in my home state,” he said. “I’m proud to shoot the first film here in over 30 years.”
Delaware’s location along the East Coast makes it easier to bring cast and crew into the state, while its landscape gives productions a variety of settings.
“Delaware is uniquely situated on the East Coast. It’s a short train ride from New York City or to Washington, D.C. This advantageous position makes it easy to travel cast and crew,” Lemole noted. “There’s also a wealth of locations in our state with cityscapes, rolling hills, beaches, farmland and a top-tier sound stage.”
The proximity to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and New York City are also part of the state’s appeal to production companies.
For Delaware workers, the hope is that more productions will create opportunities to build careers in the industry without having to leave the state or catch a plane to Los Angeles or Atlanta to find work. State leaders also envision the effort creating a pipeline for the next generation of Delaware filmmakers, with hopes of eventually bringing film-training programs to high schools, trade schools and universities across the state.
For now, the cameras are already rolling.
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