Ben Affleck is providing some insight into why so much of the film and television industry seems to have moved out of Los Angeles and California as a whole.
For the most part, production has migrated from L.A. because other states--and even other countries--offer a better tax incentive for companies to film there. Affleck spoke about the change while speaking with Associated Press on the red carpet of the premiere of The Accountant 2, suggesting that California might not have realized they had anything to lose.
"I think part of the problem with California is they came to take this industry for granted a little bit,' Affleck told the outlet, mentioning that California Governor Gavin Newsom was increasing the cap on tax incentives to keep filming in state. Still, he doesn't think that alone will be enough help all of the productions that have already left.
"The percentage you get back in terms of actual budget doesn’t compete with places like England, which is why you see a lot of these big, huge movies shoot in the U.K.," Ben revealed, peeling back the curtain. He added that great incentives from Georgia, New Mexico, Louisiana, Texas, Massachusetts, and New Jersey have driven production to those states in search of savings.
Georgia and New Mexico are both particularly attractive as they have no annual cap on their incentives programs. Affleck also pointed out that losing film crews as they migrate out of California to where the productions that employ them are happening is another big problem in the film and television industry.
"It’s really the technicians and the crew that make or break your movie," he said. "You need the best people, you need good people. I, as a director, know that to be true. And so if people move away, you know, that really hurts the industry."
Another star to speak on this issue recently is Rob Lowe, who commented on the cost of producing a show in Los Angeles versus Ireland, where his game show The Floor films.
"It's cheaper to bring one hundred American people to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox, past the sound stages, and do it there," Lowe said at the time.
As for Affleck, he has filmed at least part of his latest two films, The Accountant and Animal, in and around Los Angeles--so Hollywood isn't completely dead. The move of production away from L.A. has set off a movement, called Stay in L.A., to keep production in its historic home, but according to Affleck's comments, it may be too late.