Alaska is a large state with a wide variety of locations, and this has apparently contributed to it featuring in films and television shows. However, the provision of significant tax credits has been also been of assistance to the industries in question since 2008, according to the findings.
Kelly Mazzei, a director who works for the Alaskan Film Office (AFO), has told the Alaska Dispatch News that:
“We’ve had a very, very solid and consistent flow of new applications coming in. But, of course, what stands out would be the number of reality shows versus the other type of productions.”
It has been reported that changes in the structure of the incentives system could have implications for the evolution of the media in Alaska, and that the producers of TV shows and films might not welcome the shift which is connected with the balance of the state budget.
Mazzei has revealed that nearly $50m in tax credits has been used to support films since 2008. During 2014, the production industry hired almost 100 local citizens. It also invested over $1m on the wages of Alaskan residents. The incentive policy was launched to help the state compete with New Zealand and Iceland.
Should the trend continue this year, film companies in the area could use business card printing in Anchorage to build their profile.