A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced federal legislation to establish a film and television tax credit aimed at reversing the exodus of production work from the United States. The Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act, sponsored by representatives and senators from both parties, would provide significant financial incentives to keep production domestic. This development comes at a critical time for the industry, as the sector has shed more than 100,000 jobs since 2022 due to runaway production, strikes and business contraction.

The bill proposes a 20 per cent base tax credit on labour expenses, which can increase to a maximum of 30 per cent through various uplifts for independent projects, filming in economically distressed areas, multistate production and increased domestic work. Eligibility requires a minimum budget of $1 million with at least 75 per cent of filming in the United States, and the federal credit can be stacked on top of existing state incentives, following the model used in Canada and Australia. The unusual bipartisan support was facilitated by the Trump administration's focus on reshoring American manufacturing, with actor Jon Voight's advocacy as a special industry ambassador proving pivotal in gaining White House backing.