Screen Industry
Incentive Programs
Overview
To assist in the attraction of film and television productions, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners (“Board”) adopted Resolution No. 2021-518, creating a Film Commission and establishing film, television, and entertainment production project incentive programs (“Incentive Programs”) to provide funding to film, television, and entertainment production companies that bring their activities to Broward County and/or the South Florida region.
The County has Incentive Programs which are performance-based rebate programs and are based on Broward County-centric criteria. Each project’s eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis. After an incentive application is approved and an agreement is signed, the incentive will be distributed as a rebate after the production (performance-based) provides proof of their local spend, hires, etc., through paperwork from a Production accountant that meets the criteria stated in the incentive agreement and/or incentive guidelines. NOTE: An applicant may only apply to one of the incentive programs for each individual project.
Additionally, to support Broward residents, the County has created a pilot program for Emerging Filmmakers. This grant program seeks to provide a funding resource to Broward County-based filmmakers to produce individual projects, with eligibility based on a set of Broward County-centric criteria. The Emerging Filmmakers Grant Program will require a certain amount of matching funds, and proof that those funds exist must be submitted with the initial application submission. After the application is approved and an agreement is signed, the grant will be distributed to an approved applicant (subject to appropriation each fiscal year) in four quarterly payments after meeting all required criteria in each phase of pre-production, production, post-production, and completed project. The applicant must be a practicing professional Broward County resident who in the past three years has created a body of original content.
Standard Terms and Conditions for Incentive Programs
Qualifying Projects
Film & Television Program
A project must be either a production or a digital media project, as defined below. The following projects are not eligible to apply for the Film & TV Program: a weather or market program; an award show; a reality show; a sporting event or a sporting event broadcast; a gala; a production that solicits funds; a home shopping program; a political program; a political documentary; political advertising; a gambling- related project or production; a concert production; a local, regional, or Internet-distributed-only new show or current-events show; a sports news or sports recap show; a Beauty Pageant; a commercial; advertising for internet sales; a pornographic production; or any production deemed obscene under Chapter 847, Florida Statutes.
High Impact Film & TV Program
A project must be either a scripted TV/streaming series or a major motion picture with distribution. The following projects are NOT eligible to apply for the High Impact Film & TV incentive: a documentary; a weather or market program; an award show; a reality show; a sporting event or sporting event broadcast; a gala; a made-for-television motion picture; visual effects or digital animation sequences produced in conjunction with a motion picture; a commercial; a television pilot program; a presentation for a television pilot program; a production that solicits funds; a home shopping program; a political program; a political documentary; political advertising; a gambling- related project or production; a concert production; a local, regional, or Internet-distributed-only news show or current-events show; a sports news or sports recap show; a Beauty Pageant; a pornographic production; or any production deemed obscene under Chapter 847, Florida Statutes.
Multiple Project Guarantee
A project must be either a high-profile scripted TV/streaming series or a major motion picture with distribution. The following projects are NOT eligible to apply for the Multiple Project Guarantee Program: a documentary; a weather or market program; an award show; a reality show; a sporting event or sporting event broadcast; a gala; a made-for-television motion picture; visual effects or digital animation sequences produced in conjunction with a motion picture; a commercial; a television pilot program; a presentation for a television pilot program; a production that solicits funds; a home shopping program; a political program; a political documentary; political advertising; a gambling- related project or production; a concert production; a local, regional, or Internet-distributed-only news show or current-events show; a sports news or sports recap show; a Beauty Pageant; a pornographic production; or any production deemed obscene under Chapter 847, Florida Statutes.
Partial Project Program
A project must be high-profile, major TV/streaming series with distribution or a studio-produced, tentpole/franchise motion picture. The following projects are NOT eligible to apply for the Partial Project Program: a documentary; a weather or market program; an award show; a reality show; a sporting event or sporting event broadcast; a gala; a made-for-television motion picture; visual effects or digital animation sequences produced in conjunction with a motion picture; a commercial; a presentation for a television pilot program; a production that solicits funds; a home shopping program; a political program; a political documentary; political advertising; a gambling- related project or production; a concert production; a local, regional, or Internet-distributed-only news show or current-events show; a sports news or sports recap show; a Beauty Pageant; a pornographic production; or any production deemed obscene under Chapter 847, Florida Statutes.
TV Commercial Attraction Program
TV Commercials are a form of advertising that promotes products, services, ideas, individuals or organizations via the television, streaming, internet, or social media mediums. The following commercial-related projects are NOT eligible to apply for the TV Commercial Attraction Program: political advertising; a gambling-related project or production; commercials for concert production; a local, regional, or Internet-distributed-only news show or current-events show; a sports news or sports recap show; a Beauty Pageant; a pornographic production; or any production deemed obscene under Chapter 847, Florida Statutes.
Emerging Filmmakers Grant
A project must be either a scripted television/streaming series, feature-length film, short film, miniseries, or documentary. The following projects are not eligible to apply for an incentive: a weather or market program; an award show; a reality show; a sporting event or a sporting event broadcast; a gala; a production that solicits funds; a home shopping program; a political program; a political documentary; political advertising; a gambling- related project or production; a concert production; a local, regional, or Internet-distributed-only new show or current-events show; a sports news or sports recap show; a Beauty Pageant; advertising for internet sales; a pornographic production; or any production deemed obscene under Chapter 847, Florida Statutes.
Definitions
Cast and Crew means personnel hired on a Production Project who work as talent in front of the camera or in the technical and practical business of shooting a Production.
County Business Enterprise / Small Business Enterprise (CBE/SBE) means the definition of CBE and SBE in Ord. No. 2012-33, Section 1-81.2, Broward County Code of Ordinances.
Digital Media Project means visual effects or digital animation sequences.
Extras/background actor means a performer who appears in a non-speaking or non-singing (silent) capacity, usually in the background in a film, television show, or any production project. NOTE: required cast and crew percentage may not include background talent, but if they are Broward County residents, their salaries count towards eligible expenditures.
Main Cast & Crew means Broward / Miami-Dade / Palm Beach County resident talent (excluding background talent) and crew personnel who work 55% of prep, or 55% of principal photography days or a combination thereof. Special considerations may be addressed on a case-by-case basis for major talent serving as day players.
Production means a theatrical or direct-to-video motion picture; a made-for-television motion picture; visual effects or digital animation sequences produced in conjunction with a motion picture; a commercial; a documentary film; a television pilot program; a presentation for a television pilot program; a television series or streaming, including, but not limited to, a drama, a comedy, a soap opera, a telenovela, or a miniseries production. One season of a television series is considered one production for purposes of applying for the incentive.
Production Company means a business entity that produces content in a variety of mediums (defined under Production). For the purposes of the incentive application, the applicant is referred to as the Production Company.
Production Project means an eligible Production or digital media project.
Production Days means the combined number of days used to create a Production, including pre-production, days spent on-site making the Production, and post-filming days, which includes the preparation concluding a Production as well as editing a Production to achieve a final product.
Qualified College Student means a student enrolled at a higher education at college or university in Broward County, who resides in Broward County on the date of the commencing of prep of principal photography of the production and works a majority of the project.
Qualified College Graduate means an individual who graduated less than one year prior to the date of the commencement of prep of principal photography from a college or university in Broward County with an associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree in film, video, media or digital media production, motion pictures or similar study, and currently resides in Broward County.
Qualified Production Assistant Training Program Graduate means an individual who has graduated and earned a certificate from a Film Commission-approved production assistant training program and currently resides in Broward County.
Qualifying Expenditures means payment for such goods and services and labor per requirements from the date of submission of the application through the Duration of Project (as defined below). A list of eligible expenditures is available upon request from the Film Commission. Proof of Broward County residency requires a copy of a Florida driver’s license and one (1) other supporting document. A list of supporting documents is available at www.flhsmv.gov/ddl/address
Qualifying Payroll means payment of salary to Broward County residents for work performed from the first day of pre-production to the last day of post-production (“Duration of Project”), excluding salary in excess of $100,000 for any Broward County resident.
Minimum Requirements
Film & TV Program
The goal of the Film & TV Program is to attract production business to Broward County and provide employment opportunities for Broward County residents. The maximum incentive that will be awarded per production project is $800,000.
- $400,000 minimum spend in Broward County on Qualifying Payroll and Qualifying Expenditures.
- 20% rebate capped at $800,000 per Production Project.
- 60% of the entire Production Days must be filmed in Broward County.
- 55% of Main Cast and Crew must be Broward County, Miami-Dade County, or Palm Beach County residents. A minimum of 29% are required to be Broward County residents and 26% may be either Broward County, Miami Dade County, or Palm Beach County residents for the majority of the Production Project. As local workforce increases, it will be at the Broward Film Commission’s discretion to increase the residential requirements for additional fiscal years.
- 50% of vendors must be Broward County businesses and (15%) of those Broward County businesses must be County Business Enterprise / Small Business Enterprise (CBE/SBE) (or best efforts must be made with assistance from the Film Commission to hire CBE/SBE’s registered with the Office of Economic and Small Business Development).
- Hire two Qualified College Students or Qualified College Graduates. Must provide documentation showing proof of the Qualified College Student or Qualified College Graduate. Alternatively, may hire individuals who earned certificate from a Film Commission-approved Production Assistant (PA) Training program within the previous 12 months.
- Include Broward County Logo in the credits.
- Provide promotional stills and marketing materials prior to the release of the Production Project to the Film Commission and municipalities for use on their website and other marketing efforts.
High Impact Film & TV Program
The High Impact Film & TV Program is a performance-based rebate program that is intended to attract long-term TV and film projects with the intention to create longer-term high-wage paying jobs. The decision to choose a qualified project that will give the best ROI to the County will be made by a review committee comprised of the County Administrator, the Director of the Office of Economic & Small Business Development, and the Film Commissioner.
- Applicants must meet with the Film Commission to discuss their project before applying to ensure that the project qualifies as an eligible project.
- Only scripted television/streaming series or a major motion picture with distribution can qualify for the High Impact TV Program. **Each project’s eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis. The decision to choose a qualified project that will give the best ROI to the County, will be made by a County Administration committee.
- $5 million minimum spend in Broward County on Qualifying Payroll and Qualifying Expenditures.
- 20% rebate capped at $2 million per Production Project.
- Television/streaming series requires a minimum of 6 episodes per season.
- 60% of the entire Production Days must be filmed in Broward County.
- 55% of Main Cast and Crew must be Broward County, Miami-Dade County, or Palm Beach County residents. A minimum of 29% are required to be Broward County residents and 26% may be either Broward County, Miami Dade County, or Palm Beach County residents for the majority of the Production Project. As local workforce increases, it will be at the Broward Film Commission’s discretion to increase the residential requirements for additional fiscal years.
- 50% of vendors must be Broward County businesses and (15%) of those Broward County businesses must be County Business Enterprise / Small Business Enterprise (CBE/SBE) (or best efforts must be made with assistance from the Film Commission to hire CBE/SBE’s registered with the Office of Economic and Small Business Development).
- Must base production offices/soundstages in Broward County.
- Hire two Qualified College Students or Qualified College Graduates. Must provide documentation showing proof of the Qualified College Student or Qualified College Graduate. Alternatively, may hire individuals who earned certificate from a Film Commission-approved Production Assistant (PA) Training program within the previous 12 months.
- Include Broward County Logo in the credits.
- Provide promotional stills and marketing materials prior to the release of the Production Project to the Film Commission and municipalities for use on their website and other marketing efforts.
Multiple Project Guarantee
The Multiple Project Guarantee Program is a performance-based rebate program that is intended to attract high-profile television and film projects that create longer-term high-wage paying jobs from back-to-back productions. The decision to choose a qualified project that will give the best ROI to the County will be made by a review committee comprised of the County Administrator, the Director of the Office of Economic & Small Business Development, and the Film Commissioner. NOTE: Limited Availability.
- Applicants must meet with the Film Commission to discuss their project before applying to ensure that the project qualifies as an eligible project.
- Only high-profile scripted TV/streaming series or major motion pictures with distribution can qualify.
- Contingent on well-known studio/production company producing two projects within a 3-year timespan.
- Each project’s eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis. The decision to choose a qualified project that will give the best ROI to the County, will be made by a County Administration committee.
- $4 million minimum spend in Broward County on Qualifying Payroll and Qualifying Expenditures per project (Aggregate minimum of $8 million in total County spend).
- 30% rebate capped at $2.5 million per Production Project (minimum 2 projects).
- Must apply prior to principal photography.
- For TV/streaming series, requires a minimum of 6 episodes per season.
- 60% of the entire Production Days must be filmed in Broward County.
- 55% of Main Cast and Crew must be Broward County, Miami-Dade County, or Palm Beach County residents. A minimum of 29% are required to be Broward County residents and 26% may be either Broward County, Miami Dade County or Palm Beach County residents for the majority of the Production Project. As local workforce increases, it will be at the Broward Film Commission’s discretion to increase the residential requirements for additional fiscal years.
- 50% of vendors must be Broward County businesses and (15%) of those Broward County businesses must be County Business Enterprise / Small Business Enterprise (CBE/SBE) (or best efforts must be made with assistance from the Film Commission to hire CBE/SBE’s registered with the Office of Economic and Small Business Development).
- Must base production offices/soundstages in Broward County.
- Hire two Qualified College Students or Qualified College Graduates. Must provide documentation showing proof of the Qualified College Student or Qualified College Graduate. Alternatively, may hire individuals who earned certificate from a Film Commission-approved Production Assistant (PA) Training program within the previous 12 months.
- Include Broward County Logo in the credits.
- Provide promotional stills and marketing materials prior to the release of the production project to the Film Commission and Municipalities for use on their website and other marketing efforts.
- Incentive payment would be paid out after both projects were completed and paperwork received. The incentive paperwork would move to the front of the line for reconciliation.
Partial Project Program
The Partial Project Program is a performance-based rebate program that is intended to attract tentpole/franchise studio-produced feature films and major TV/streaming series to produce portions of high-profile projects in Broward County. The decision to choose a qualified project that will give the best ROI to the County will be made by a review committee comprised of the County Administrator, the Director of the Office of Economic & Small Business Development, and the Film Commissioner.
- Applicants must meet with the Film Commission to discuss their project before applying to ensure that the project qualifies as an eligible project.
- Only high-profile, studio-produced tentpole/franchise feature films or major TV/streaming series with distribution can qualify.
- Each project’s eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis. The decision to choose a qualified project that will give the best ROI to the County, will be made by a County Administration committee.
- $1.5 million minimum spend in Broward County on Qualifying Payroll and Qualifying Expenditures.
- 20% rebate capped at $500,000 per episode/partial feature film.
- Must apply prior to principal photography.
- Minimum five (5) Production Days in Broward County locations.
- 20% of crew and/or cast must be Broward County residents during the Broward County filming dates, excluding extras/background talent.
- Must base production offices/soundstages in Broward County.
- Include Broward County Logo in the credits.
- Provide promotional stills and marketing materials prior to the release of the Production Project to the Film Commission and municipalities for use on their website and other marketing efforts.
TV Commercial Attraction
Commercials are a vital part of Florida’s production industry, involving major brands, talent, crew hires, and significant local expenditures. The TV Commercial Attraction Program is a performance-based rebate that is intended to attract high-impact television commercials to Broward County.
- $400,000 minimum spend in Broward County on Qualifying Payroll and Qualifying Expenditures.
- Must apply prior to principal photography.
- 15% rebate capped at $175,000 per Production Project.
- 70% of the Pre-Production & Production filming days must be in Broward County.
- 55% of Main Cast and Crew must be Broward County, Miami-Dade County, or Palm Beach County residents. A minimum of 29% are required to be Broward County residents and 26% may be either Broward County, Miami Dade County or Palm Beach County residents for the majority of the Production Project. As local workforce increases, it will be at the Broward Film Commission’s discretion to increase the residential requirements for additional fiscal years.
- 50% of vendors must be Broward County businesses and (15%) of those Broward County businesses must be County Business Enterprise / Small Business Enterprise (CBE/SBE) (or best efforts must be made with assistance from the Film Commission to hire CBE/SBE’s registered with the Office of Economic and Small Business Development).
- If setting up production offices and/or soundstages, must be based in Broward County.
- Provide promotional stills and marketing materials prior to the release of the Production Project to the Film Commission and municipalities for use on their website and other marketing efforts.
- On-set visits from Film Commission or other governmental officials.
Emerging Filmmakers Grant
The Emerging Filmmakers Grant seeks to provide a funding resource to Broward County-based filmmakers to produce individual projects, with eligibility based on a set of Broward County-centric criteria. After an application has been approved, a grant of $10,000 will be distributed in four quarterly payments (subject to appropriation each fiscal year) after meeting all required criteria in phases of pre-production, production, post-production, and completed project.
- Must apply prior to principal photography.
- Applicants must provide proof of at least six (6) months of residency in Broward County. Two forms of proof are required.
- All funds from the $10,000 grant must be utilized in Broward County on Qualifying Payroll and Qualifying Expenditures.
- Matching funds (totaling $10,000) are required, and proof of the available funds must be provided with the initial application submission along with the full budget. Proof may come in the form of a bank statement, proof of present grant award (non-Broward County grants only), or guarantee from financial institution/film fund/loan company. Proof of funding from outside source must come with a notarized authorization letter from investor / funding entity. **NOTE: Given that the grant is for $10,000 and applicants are required to provide proof of matching funds of $10,000, the total project budget must meet or exceed $20,000 total.
- Applicants may only qualify for one grant every other year.
- The applicant must be a practicing professional filmmaker (director, producer, or writer) who in the past three (3) years has created a body of original film(s) and has received distribution or acceptance into a major film festival. A resume/CV, proof of distribution, and examples of past and current work are required to support this claim.
- A completed script, story synopsis, and filming schedule must be submitted with the application.
- 80% of the Production Days must be filmed in Broward County.
- 70% of Cast and Crew must be Broward County residents. NOTE: required cast and crew percentage may not include background talent, but if they are Broward County residents, their salaries count towards eligible expenditures.
- 50% of vendors must be Broward County businesses and (15%) of those Broward County businesses must be County Business Enterprise / Small Business Enterprise (CBE/SBE) (or best efforts must be made with assistance from the Film Commission to hire CBE/SBE’s registered with the Office of Economic and Small Business Development).
- Broward County logo must be included in the credits.
- Promotional stills and marketing materials must be provided prior to the release of the production project to the Film Commission for use on their website and other marketing efforts.
- Grantees must provide plans for project distribution (film festivals, screenings, agreements with networks/streaming platforms, etc) for project tracking and promotional purposes.
OTHER PROGRAM NOTES:
- Grants will be paid in 4 quarterly payments. The benchmarks are pre-production, production, post-production, completed project. Must show proof of certain paperwork at each benchmark to receive funds (details outlined in Grant Contract after approval).
- Only 15 grants are available per year.
Application Process
A qualifying application and required accompanying paperwork must be completed in full and submitted via email to the Broward County Film Commission prior to principal photography.
Each Production Project must start principal photography within 120 days after application submission; however, an extension may be granted at the discretion of the Broward County Film Commission/Film Lauderdale.
Incomplete applications and paperwork will NOT be accepted.
The only email address where applications may be submitted is Film@FilmLauderdale.org
If sent by mail, please send to:
Broward County Film Commission
Attn: FILM-TELEVISION INCENTIVE PROGRAM
115 South Andrews Avenue Suite A680
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
The application and required paperwork will be reviewed for accuracy and will be vetted. Upon submission of the application, the applicant will receive by email a confirmation message acknowledging receipt of the application. When emailing documents, please send via Adobe PDF. Application package is complete only when all required documents have been received.
Note to applicant: All documents related to the Incentive Application and Incentive Agreement, including but not limited to all exhibits, the application, audit results, financial documents, and certificates of insurance are public records and subject to Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.
- A content document such as a final script for feature films, television series, pilots for television series, documentaries, etc. For digital media projects, provide a summary of project. For TV Commercials, provide storyboards and/or a detailed description of scenes. For the Partial Project Program, script pages to be filmed in Broward County must be highlighted.
- Story synopsis.
- An itemized budget detailing estimated expenditures in Broward County, as well as expenditures outside of Broward County (budget for each individualized area, excluding Partial Project Program).
- Proof of Financing: Production will be required to provide proof of financing prior to onset of production (excluding Partial Project Program and TV Commercial Attraction Program).
- A production schedule reflecting pre-production, production, and post-production schedule for entire Production Project, including Broward County, other Florida counties and other states, U.S. Territories, or countries.
- Each Production Project is required to include the official specialty Broward County “identifier” in the end credits on projects that include credits in their project. The identifier will be provided by the Broward County Film Commission, which will require proof that it has been placed in the credits in the final distributed project. Additionally, the Production Project must provide promotional stills and marketing materials prior to the release of the commercial to the Film Commission and municipalities for use on their website and other marketing efforts.
- Production Projects must demonstrate compliance with all required criteria. The Production paperwork must be submitted to the Film Commission within 240 days of the Production Project being completed. With the submission of the paperwork, the Production Company must include a final crew list, final vendor list, final call sheets, final production reports, and all paperwork needed to ensure all rebate program caveats have been met. The Production Company must retain and maintain records, including working papers, books, documents, and other evidence, including, but not limited to, vouchers, bills invoices, requests for payment, and other supporting documentation, which, according to generally accepted accounting principles, procedures, and practices, sufficiently and properly demonstrate compliance with all incentive requirements and reflect all project costs expended in the performance of the incentive agreement.
- Failure to satisfy any of the application or post-production requirements will result in the applicant receiving no incentive award.
- Please note: No paperwork that has personal information, including and not limited to Social Security numbers, medical records, etc. will be accepted. All personal information must be redacted.
- The incentive will only be disbursed after the Production Project is completed and proof of the satisfaction of all requirements has been submitted to the Broward County Film Commission and approved via an internal audit.
- Additional rules and guidelines can be added to each individual incentive agreement depending on the Production Project.
Incentive / Grant Agreement Approval Process
After an application has been submitted and all paperwork has been reviewed for criteria and additional vetting, the application will be presented to the Film Commissioner. For the Film & TV Program, TV Commercial Attraction Program, and Emerging Filmmakers Grant, if application is approved by the Film Commissioner, then an agreement will be presented to the applicant for signature. The agreement will be then presented to the County Administrator for final approval.
For the Special Projects, Multiple Project Guarantee, and Partial Project Program, after an application has been submitted and all paperwork has been reviewed for criteria and additional vetting, the application will be presented to a County Administration selection committee (comprised of the County Administrator, the Director of Economic & Small Business Development, and the Film Commissioner) for review. If the application is approved by the County Administration committee, then an agreement will be presented to the applicant for signature. The agreement will be then presented to the County Administrator for final approval.
Public Records
All documents related to the Incentive Agreement, including but not limited to all exhibits, the application, audit results, financial documents, and certificates of insurance are public records and subject to Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.
