Did you know Jim Carrey’s hit movie Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls filmed in San Antonio Texas? Well, San Antonio City Council members unanimously passed a five-year plan Thursday intended to boost the city’s film industry. The goal is to revive the city’s film industry after state lawmakers cut the tax incentive funding last year.
Under the new plan, the city would provide a tax rebate to movie studios covering a minimum of 7.5% of production costs for films shot there, which is an increase from the 2.5% rebate that was previously funding the Texas film industry.
The new tax plan hopes to boost the city’s film industry and drive more filmmakers to San Antonio, Texas. According to reports, Texas state legislators cut funds to the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program by more than 66 percent from $95 million during the two-year period ending in 2015 to $32 million in 2016-17.
However, the new plan will also update and add responsibilities to existing city positions that deal with film and television production. For example, the film commissioner will become a marketing manager that will serve as the city’s liaison to the film industry while the commission’s location services manager will handle workforce development, technical assistance and marketing in addition to location and permitting services for productions.
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