Top Hollywood movie-industry unions added their names to a letter sent to President Donald Trump this week in support of various tax measures they said would stave off runaway production and strengthen the American film industry.
“Over the past two decades, countries around the world have recognized the value of film and television productions and have increasingly offered significant incentives to attract projects and the high-paying jobs and local cash infusions they bring,” according to the letter. “Currently, more than 80 countries offer production tax incentives and as a result, numerous productions that could have been shot in America have instead located elsewhere.
“Returning more production to the United States will require a national approach and broad-based policy solutions, including those we propose below as well as longer term initiatives such as implementing a federal film and television tax incentive.”
The letter goes on to recommend changes in select tax codes the organizations said would bolster domestic film production.
The letter was led by actors Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone, who were named by Trump as Hollywood ambassadors earlier this year. Also signing onto the document were the Directors Guild of American, Producers Guild of America, Writers Guild of America, the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the Motion Picture Association, Producers United, FilmUSA and the Independent Film and Television Alliance.
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a statement Monday the union joined the letter “because we strongly support urgent federal action to address the outsourcing of American production. Prioritizing domestic jobs is essential to maintaining the U.S. entertainment industry’s leadership on the global stage.”
Trump last week suggested that he would impose a 100% tariff on movies produced outside the United States, a proposal that was quickly criticized by many industry officials but sparked a discussion about ways to support domestic production and reduce competition.