The International Cinematographers Guild will join Motion Picture Editors Guild at the IATSE Quadrennial Convention next week to push the parent union to fight for federal tax incentives to boost U.S. film and TV production.
On the heels of celebrating the recent win of doubling California’s incentive program to $750 million for keeping film and TV production in the state, IATSE members are now setting their sights on the US government to step up and support the industry.
Since California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the film and TV tax bill into law on July 3, the state film commission reported granting awards to nearly 48 new productions which could create about 6500 cast and crew jobs.
Yet many production and post-production jobs remain overseas, and the unions think they could be lured back with tax credits beyond what is given in California, New York, Georgia and other states.
According to member-delegates of IATSE Locals 600 and 700, the resolution sounds the alarm bell of an “urgent threat from overseas competition.”
“Foreign governments have successfully lured film and television productions & post-production, and the multitude of jobs they create, away from the United States with aggressive tax incentives and subsidies,” the resolution states.
“IATSE workers.. are paying the price… and have lost thousands of jobs across the United States.”
The IATSE convention will convene July 27 in Honolulu, where members want to put the matter to a vote. While the resolution is non-binding, it does put the issue on the agenda and urges all IATSE leadership to lobby elected officials and push for federal policy to boost the industry.
In President Donald Trump’s May 5th social media post, he suggested — without specifics — the imposition of a “100% tariff” on movies “produced in Foreign Lands.” IATSE members read this as an opening to engage.
“The United States needs a balanced federal response to return film and television jobs,” International President Matthew D. Loeb said in response, suggesting a solution could come from tax legislation instead.
“IATSE recommended that the Trump administration implement a federal film production tax incentive and other domestic tax provisions to level the playing field for American workers,” Loeb said.
Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) criticized Trump’s blanket and unspecified tariff proposal and said it would have “unintended and potentially damaging impacts” on the U.S. film industry. But Schiff supported the overall goal of helping the industry and its workers.
“I share the administration’s desire to bring movie making back to the United States,” said Schiff. “We have an opportunity to work together to pass a major federal film tax credit to re-shore American jobs in the industry. I welcome the opportunity to work with the administration and my Republican colleagues to pass a globally competitive federal film incentive to bring back run-away production.”
The resolution will be first submitted for an initial vote during several of the IATSE District conventions on Sunday, July 27, and then presumably will head to the floor of the full Quadrennial convention later in the week. Local 729 (set painters) and Local 871 (script coordinators, accountants) also have signed on to co-sponsor the resolution, and it is expected to pass.
Every four years, delegates from more than 360 IATSE locals, across the United States and Canada, gather to shape the future of their union. This year’s IATSE Convention—the union’s highest governing body—will take place July 28 to August 1, 2025, in Honolulu, with events and sessions scheduled at the Sheraton Waikiki and nearby venues.
The IATSE will hold a series of craft-specific caucuses throughout the week, and delegates from the Hollywood locals will attend the Motion Picture and Television Production Caucus where they will lobby on behalf of the resolution, and urge other local delegates to engage their memberships to join in the campaign for the tax incentives.
Local 700 members joined the Entertainment Union Coalition’s “Keep California Rolling” campaign to lobby lawmakers in Sacramento in advance of passing the new incentive bill.
That type of civic action might be needed again, this time with IATSE members engaging their US representatives and senators, if a federal policy program to support the film and TV industry is to become a reality.
