Context:

Jonathan Nolan is leading a campaign to secure $750 million in tax rebates to revive TV and film production in California, aiming to counteract the recent decline exacerbated by the pandemic, industry strikes, and wildfires. Production has shifted away from California to other states and countries, but Nolan's efforts include opening his show's set to state lawmakers to demonstrate the economic and cultural value of local production. Governor Gavin Newsom supports the initiative, proposing a federal tax credit to bolster U.S. production, while Nolan's move of his series 'Fallout' to California underscores the potential benefits of state incentives. Despite the higher costs of filming in California compared to New York, where tax credits are more favorable, Nolan believes the advantages of having a local crew and aligning production with the show's setting outweigh the expenses. Lawmakers who visited the set, like Senator Ben Allen, are rallying support for the tax rebate bills, recognizing the significant job and economic impact of the entertainment industry in the state.

Dive Deeper:

• Jonathan Nolan has positioned himself at the forefront of efforts to secure $750 million in tax rebates to bring film and TV production back to California, highlighting the state's decline in production due to several factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, industry strikes, and wildfires.

• Nolan opened the set of his Amazon series 'Fallout' to state lawmakers to showcase the economic and employment benefits of local production, emphasizing that nearly all of the 600-800 daily workers on the set are local hires.

• Governor Gavin Newsom supports expanding the state's annual tax credit to $750 million and has proposed a $7.5 billion federal tax credit for U.S. production, aiming to retain and attract film projects that have been moving to other states and overseas.

• Despite California's tax incentives being less favorable than New York's, Nolan moved the production of 'Fallout' to California, believing that filming where the show is set and having a local crew improves the production quality and aligns with his vision.

• Nolan's plea to other filmmakers to relocate their projects to California has sparked significant interest and activity, with many directors reconsidering their production strategies in light of the state's potential incentives.

• State lawmakers like Senator Ben Allen and Suzette Valladares were impressed by the scale and impact of the 'Fallout' set, motivating them to push harder for the passage of the tax rebate bills, which promise substantial job creation and economic benefits.

• Actor Walton Goggins echoed the sentiment of many in the industry about the foundational role of film and TV production in Los Angeles, emphasizing the cultural and economic importance of maintaining a vibrant local industry.