The Georgia Post-Production Incentive
A post house operating in Georgia can earn the following tax credits on qualified annual expenses:
20% tax credit on qualified Georgia post-production labor and expenses. The footage can come from anywhere, but the post work must happen in Georgia.
10% bonus for post work on footage shot in Georgia.
Outrider handles each of the steps for our clients.
1. Get Certified As a Post-Production Company with the Department of Revenue
2. Reserve Credits
There are two tiers for reservation & qualification purposes. Outrider determines which level is correct for your company and reserves your credits. Below are the minimum requirements for each:
Level 1 - $100k in W2 payroll on qualified projects.
Level 2 - $500k on qualified projects; $250k of this must be W2 payroll.
3. Stack Qualified Projects During the Year
To qualify, projects must meet similar baseline criteria as the production incentive (see Production Incentive page). Chiefly this means qualify by type (TV or Film, Broadcast or Streaming TV Spots, Music Videos) and be distributed in at least two markets, one of which is outside Georgia.
4. Complete an Audit
While not technically required by the state for the post incentive, an independent audit assures both the post house and the buyers of your credits that a professional auditor has reviewed your books and arrived at the correct amount.
5. Broker the Credits
The incentive is not awarded in cash, but in the form of a kind of tax “coupon” that is valuable to Georgia taxpayers seeking to save money on state taxes. The “coupons” are bought and sold at market rates.
