BOSTON – When Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed the state budget for Fiscal Year 2022, he permanently extend the state’s film and production incentive program by removing a looming 2022 sunset on the program, helping to preserve thousands of local jobs and economic opportunities for working families and small businesses across the Commonwealth.
“This is a watershed moment for Teamsters Local 25 Movie Division members who support their families based on their careers in film production, and for all workers who depend on a vibrant and strong film and production industry in Massachusetts,” said Teamsters Local 25 in a press release.
“This is a proud day for Massachusetts. Thank you to Governor Baker and Speaker Mariano for their support and leadership, which has saved the jobs and careers of our members. We have extreme gratitude for Governor Baker’s strong continued support of workers and issues of importance to organized labor and our members. While workers across the country are under siege by greedy corporations and uncaring politicians, workers can thrive in Massachusetts thanks to a governor who listens to the concerns of working families and is always there to support them, said Teamsters Local 25 President Sean M. O’Brien.
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Teamsters Local 25 worked with other members of the Massachusetts Production Coalition urging lawmakers and Governor Baker to save union jobs and remove the sunset clause that would have seen the film tax credit expire at the end of this year. The film tax credit was first adopted in 2005 and is credited with generating significant economic activity and job opportunities throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
“We applaud the Governor’s decision to sign the 2022 state budget as unanimously passed by the House and Senate. This budget makes the film production incentive program permanent, ensuring that thousands of families and small business that depend of the growing film and television industry can continue to live and work in Massachusetts,” said the Massachusetts Production Coalition, in a written statement.
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“The production tax credit has successfully created a vibrant film industry in Massachusetts that is recognized as one of the best in the world. Massachusetts is now positioned to capture a major portion of the jobs and revenue created by the new productions planned in the post-pandemic entertainment industry,” said the Coalition.
The Film and Television Production Incentive program has made Massachusetts a leading filmmaking destination that supports thousands of local families with good-paying jobs and generates millions of dollars in spending to local businesses.
Since the program was created in 2006, over 270 productions have filmed in over 225 cities and towns, together spending more than $2.8 billion in Massachusetts. Productions have bought goods and services from thousands of local businesses in over 265 cities and towns – over 75% of all communities in Massachusetts.
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Massachusetts is poised and ready to capture the growing streaming TV industry that will bring even more good-paying jobs to Massachusetts for years to come. We are now attracting multi-year episodic television series, which employ more local workers, use more local businesses, and are the engine of growth for our local film industry.
An economic impact study of Season 1 of Hulu’s Castle Rock, the first episodic TV series to film in Massachusetts in over 25 years, found that the production created 1,026 jobs in Massachusetts and generated $69 million in economic activity across more than 210 towns and cities in the state. That’s $4.73 of economic activity in the state for each $1.00 of state tax credit anticipated to be issued to the production.
This past week, two productions were filming in the City of Framingham, within walking distance of each other, including the series on famed chef Julia Child.
Pictured is City Councilor Janet Leombruno with Steve Robinson general manager of SGPS/Showrig on Blandin Avenue in Framingham, along with actors, sound technicians and other folks who work in the film industry.
Christa McAuliffe Center 
First Parish Framingham