WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the cinema and television industries contributing nearly 33,000 jobs and more than $1.1 billion to Ohio’s economy, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) helped include a provision to the Expiring Provisions Improvement Reform and Efficiency (EXPIRE) Act, legislation passed today by the Senate Finance Committee. The provision would extend a tax credit for productions that film 75 percent of their product or more in the United States. Brown’s efforts follow this week’s Cleveland premiere of the new “Captain America” film which was predominantly shot in Ohio. 

“Ohio has always been at the forefront of creativity and innovation,” Brown said. “Our film supply chain is another example that Ohio knows how to make things. Movie and TV studios contribute nearly 33,000 jobs and more than $1 billion to our economy. In order to continue creating jobs and growing our local economy, we should do everything we can to give studios incentives to make their films here in the United States.”

The movie production tax credit provides a tax write off to studios for the first $15 million spent on filming—the same year it is spent—as long as three-fourths of the film is shot in the United States. This tax credit has helped incentivize studios to shoot in the U.S.—rather than Canada or elsewhere—to the benefit of Ohio, which has more than 2,900 motion picture and television industry businesses. Also benefiting from the movie industry in Ohio are local businesses which provide signage and equipment rental, transportation, as well as hotels, restaurants, and other services.  

On Tuesday, the city of Cleveland hosted the premiere of “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” a film that was shot on location in Ohio for about 150 days, creating an estimated 2,778 local jobs while contributing an estimated $35 million to the state.

According to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA):

  • A movie shot on location contributes $225,000 a day, on average, to a local economy.
  • In 2011 and 2012, 17 movies and five television series were shot in Ohio.
  • Major films that were entirely or partly shot in Ohio include: Air Force One, Antwone Fisher, A Christmas Story, The Ides of March, Major League, Men in Black, The Soloist, Spider-Man 3, Rain Man, Shawshank Redemption, Silence of the Lambs, and Traffic.

Brown continues to promote “Buy America” legislation and efforts that support American workers and businesses. In January 2014, Brown applauded the Ralph Lauren Corp. for designing the 2014 U.S. Winter Olympic uniforms using only domestic manufacturers and craftsmen. After a July 2012 report that Team USA’s summer uniforms were made in China, Brown led Senate efforts to urge the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) to utilize domestic clothing makers for future Olympics, including this year’s games in Russia. The uniforms that were worn were the culmination of this and other likeminded efforts.

Brown also is the author of the Wear American Act. Current law only requires federal government agencies to purchase textile products that are 51 percent American made. Brown’s bill, however, would require all textile products purchased by federal agencies to be made in the United States. This would create domestic jobs and potentially benefit local businesses.

###