Governor Bullock, Montana Ambassadors to Host LA Film Industry Event

Bullock to tout MEDIA Act and Montana as the ultimate location

• March 04 2020

Governor Steve Bullock and the Montana Ambassadors will host film industry producers, directors and studio representatives this evening in Los Angeles to pitch the state as the ultimate location for filming movies, television and commercials.

“Montana is the ultimate location for filming television and movies,” Governor Bullock said. “More and more filmmakers are learning that Montana is not just a stunning backdrop for telling stories, but also the best place in the country to do business and a hire skilled film crew.”

The “Shoot with the Stars Under the Big Sky” event will include a panel hosted by Governor Bullock with directors, writers, and producers who worked on projects in Montana. The panel will share their experiences with filming in Montana and how the state’s resources and welcoming nature benefitted their projects. Governor Bullock will also be participating in individual meetings with film industry producers and companies prior to the evening reception.

Governor Bullock signed the Montana Economic Development Industry Act (MEDIA Act) in 2019 which allows Montana to compete with other states and countries courting large film and television productions. These productions elevate awareness of our state, pump outside dollars into our communities, and create high-paying job opportunities for Montanans.

The film industry has a direct economic impact in Montana of between $10-$15 million each year. Films that choose Montana as their location are spending money in our stores, hotels and restaurants and are hiring Montanans as skilled crew, extras, actors and even livestock wranglers. Plus, visitors to Montana often travel to the state because they saw or heard about Montana in through films.

“As a Montana Ambassador living in the LA area, putting together this event seemed like the perfect way to bring my entertainment industry friends and colleagues together with the folks in Montana who are working hard to build production spaces that move the Montana industry forward and create new jobs for talented Montanans,” said Montana Ambassador Jeff Wright.

The MEDIA Act provides for a 20 percent production expenditure transferable income tax credit that can be increased to 35 percent if productions invest in resident crew, hire students, film on college campuses, rent Montana gear, or film in underserved areas. It’s the first film tax incentive made available in Montana since 2015.

In addition to the tax incentive, Montana is a competitive location because it doesn’t have a sales tax, location costs are low, access to public land is extensive and Montana is known for long daylight hours.

In just the last couple of years, Montana has been featured in the hit TV drama “Yellowstone,” “Mickey and the Bear,” “Wildlife, “Certain Women,” “The Ballad of Lefty Brown,” and a number of high-profile commercials.