NY’s movie, TV tax breaks favor Downstate; 2 Syracuse films take 2020 credits (See full list)

American Dresser

Scenes for the movie “American Dresser” were filmed at Heid’s Restaurant in Liverpool, on Sept. 15, 2015. Below, actors Tom Berenger, left, and Keith David talk between takes of a scene.

Movie and television studios can continue to take big tax credits through 2026 for filming in New York state.

The recently passed state budget extended the program for one more year. A spokesman for Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it was especially important to keep film companies in New York after a year with record unemployment.

The state also recently released the list of films that took credits in 2020. The list remains heavy on million-dollar movies and television shows filmed in New York City and on Long Island. Only two were filmed in Syracuse.

The largest payout in the state went to the fifth season of “Blacklist,” a crime thriller. Sony claimed $22.7 million, records show.

The second season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” by Amazon, claimed $21.9 million.

While more companies have started to film in Syracuse in recent years, only two made the list for claiming tax credits in 2020.

“American Dresser” was the first film to be shot in the state-funded CNY Film Hub in DeWitt. It claimed about $210,000. It was shot in 2015, starring Tom Berenger and Keith David.

After that shoot, the film hub descended into a drama of its own as its builders were convicted of corrupting the bidding process for state construction contracts.

The movie “Banana Split” claimed $20,503, records show.

That movie was made in 2017 by American High, a company based in Liverpool. Scenes were shot at Heid’s ice cream shop, the Palace Theatre in Eastwood, a private Syracuse home and the former A. V. Zogg Middle School in Liverpool, which is now a movie studio.

See the full statewide list below.

Banana Split

This video still from the 2020 movie "Banana Split," shot by American High in the Syracuse area, shows lead actress and writer Hannah Marks in a scene from the Palace Theater in Eastwood.video still

The state program continues to credit more than $420 million a year to the industry - more than any other economic development credit in New York. For comparison, the state’s Excelsior Jobs program is expected to cost $161 million this year, according to budget documents.

Critics have questioned the need to subsidize one industry so heavily and they dismiss the jobs as overcounted and temporary. The program is set up as a refundable credit, which means the state writes a check to a company that generates more credits than it would pay in taxes.

The state has put some restrictions on the program in recent years.

This year, the state will require television pilots to meet minimum production budget thresholds to qualify for credits.

The requirement was put in place last year for other types of productions. The minimum budget must be $1 million in New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Rockland. The minimum budget in the rest of the state is $250,000.

Last year’s budget also eliminated “variety shows” like the “Tonight Show” from taking credits in the future.

The credit amounts have also been reduced from 30% to 25% downstate and from 40% to 35% in Upstate New York.

The state also offers a credit for post-production expenses. That has been reduced from 30% to 25% downstate and from 35% to 30% upstate.

A 2013 state law requires Empire State Development to release the name and dollar amounts for each movie and television show that takes credits. There is a long gap from the time a movie starts filming to the time the state reveals its credit information.

The law was put in place after a series of stories on Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard exposed the state’s secrecy.

See the 2019 list of movies, TV shows that claimed credits

Contact Michelle Breidenbach | mbreidenbach@syracuse.com | 315-470-3186.

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