BUFFALO, NY — Inside the 2024 NYS budget is a 67% increase for film tax credits, which members of the industry say will bring an economic boost to Western New York.
The film tax credits will be used to give back to the community through jobs and employing local workers for film productions.
Western New York native and actor William Fichtner spoke with 7 News Reporter Jaurdyn Johnson about how the bigger the tax credits, the bigger the business.
"The states with the best tax credits are the places that the films are going to shoot in," said Fichtner.
According to the New York Film and TV Union Coalition, in 2019-2020, productions brought in more than 114,000 jobs, resulting in almost $21 billion in spending.
Commissioner of the Buffalo Niagara Film Office Tim Clark says the tax credit increase will help spur economic growth at home.
"It is amazing. It is real jobs and real lives that have been affected by this, and it's funny how you think of government and this and that. This is a case where this has worked well, and people will have their lives changed because of it," said Clark.
Fichtner hopes to bring his expertise to Western New York with a possible future project.
"My real dream is to shoot a series here someday, and then I would live here instead of living here for a few months," said Fichtner.
