SAG-AFTRA Chief Sean Astin Pushes Gavin Newsom to Fund Postproduction Tax Incentive (Exclusive)
SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin has publicly urged California Governor Gavin Newsom to fund AB 2319, a proposed tax credit aimed at keeping postproduction film and television work in the state. In a video message shown at a California Post Alliance town hall, Astin said the union stands behind its postproduction members, including voiceover artists and loop groups, warning that work is being lost to overseas competitors offering more attractive incentives. His intervention marks an escalation of union advocacy, following an earlier SAG-AFTRA letter of support, and adds weight to a campaign already backed by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Netflix, Apple, the Television Academy and the California IATSE Council.
Newsom's final budget, unveiled on 29 June, did not include funding for the bill, meaning supporters must now push for it via a trailer bill as it moves through the state legislature. AB 2319, introduced by Assemblymember Nick Schultz and sponsored by the California Post Alliance with the Editors Guild as co-sponsor, would offer a 35 percent base tax credit for postproduction work done in California, even when principal photography takes place elsewhere. The bill has cleared the state Assembly and is due before the Senate Appropriations Committee on 3 August, amid a tight budget year for California.
In short
- Sean Astin urges Newsom to fund California's postproduction tax credit bill.
- AB 2319 offers 35% credit for in-state postproduction work.
- Bill lacks budget funding; next stop is Senate Appropriations on 3 August.
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The case for
Supporters argue that California must remain competitive in attracting postproduction work by offering tax incentives comparable to other jurisdictions, as major studios and streamers increasingly route work elsewhere. The bill targets skilled workers in a significant industry, and the economic benefits—wages, local spending, related services—generate broader state revenue that partially offsets the tax credit cost. With Netflix, Apple and major industry bodies backing the measure, the case rests on the necessity of state investment to preserve existing jobs and the industry's foundation in California.
The case against
Critics contend that California's tight budget constraints demand careful scrutiny of corporate tax incentives, particularly when studios like Netflix and Apple have strong profit margins and can likely conduct postproduction work in-state without subsidies. The broader economic case for such credits remains disputed among economists, and funding them may simply shift existing work rather than create genuine net economic benefit. Opponents argue that competitive tax incentive races between jurisdictions benefit corporations rather than the public interest, and California should prioritise core public needs over corporate welfare measures.
Explained simply
Postproduction is the work done after filming, including editing, sound, visual effects and voice recording. Film and television companies can choose where to do this work, and tax incentives offered by other countries and US states can affect that choice.
AB 2319 is a California proposal to offer a 35 per cent tax credit for postproduction carried out in the state, even if filming took place elsewhere. It was introduced by Assemblymember Nick Schultz and is sponsored by the California Post Alliance, with the Editors Guild as co-sponsor.
SAG-AFTRA represents performers, including people who work in voice recording and group dialogue sessions. The proposal matters to those workers and to California’s postproduction industry because supporters say an incentive could help keep more jobs in the state; it is being considered amid a tight state budget.