RALEIGH With the removal of the sunset provision on its multimillion-dollar incentive program, the state of North Carolina is looking to reaffirm its place as one of the leading locations for film and television production in the United States.

On October 8, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed legislation (S 582, SL 2017-212) that removed the previous expiration date of July 2020. Earlier this year, legislation (S 257, SL 2017-57) was also passed that made the programs funding recurring. The program, which provides a rebate of up to 25 percent on qualified in-state film and TV production expenses, currently has $34 million available.

With no sunset date and a recurring allocation in the states budget, North Carolina is showing a long-term commitment to compete for top-caliber film and television series productions, said Guy Gaster, director of the North Carolina Film Office. And with a rebate instead of tax credits, we are able to provide producers with a more definite and timely return on their production investment.

Since North Carolina became one of the first states to establish a film office in 1980, the Tar Heel State has been the scene for dozens of memorable feature films, from Dirty Dancing and Days of Thunder to The Hunger Games and Iron Man 3. An early favorite for this years Oscars, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, was filmed in the Asheville area and is set to premier in theaters in November.

Notable TV shows filmed in North Carolina include Dawsons Creek, One Tree Hill, Homeland and Under the Dome, as well as Good Behavior, which just debuted its second season on TNT. With such an impressive track record of film and television production in the state, perhaps its no surprise that North Carolina boasts more than 5,000 trained and experienced crew members throughout the state.

Having a competitive incentive program is vital, but the resources available here for film and television producers are what really sets North Carolina apart from other states, added Gaster. We have the second-largest studio east of California with EUE/Screen Gems in Wilmington and enough talented crew members to support four major productions at any given time. Add in diverse scenery from tree-topped mountains and 300 miles of coastline to towns and cities large and small and there may never be a better time to film in North Carolina.

Funds from North Carolinas Film and Entertainment Grant Program are available as a rebate of up to 25 percent on qualified in-state expenses not to exceed $5 million per feature film, $9 million for a television series season or $250,000 per commercial.

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