NINE TV SHOWS WIN TAX CREDITS

Recipients include ‘ Scream Queens.’ It will move to state from New Orleans.

The Fox series “Scream Queens” is moving production to California as one of nine television programs selected to receive state tax credits.

In the f inal round of tax credits allocated for this fiscal year, the California Film Commission on Wednesday said 21 TV projects had applied for $ 37.6 million in tax breaks. The credits allow producers to offset qualified production costs by as much as 25%.

“Scream Queens,” which shot its f irst season in New Orleans, brings the total number of ongoing series that have relocated to California under the new tax credit program to five. Other shows that relocated are “American Horror Story” ( Season 5), “Mistresses” ( Season 4), “Secrets and Lies” ( Season 2) and “Veep” ( Season 5).

“Scream Queens,” the Ryan Murphy- Brad Falchuk slasher satire, starts production on its second season in July.

“Our success in helping f ive existing TV series relocate to California in less than a year illustrates the success we’re achieving with the expanded tax credit program,” California Film Commission Executive Director Amy Lemisch said in a statement. “Every new TV series we attract or retain brings longterm, high- wage jobs that would otherwise go elsewhere.”

California expanded its financial incentives last year in an effort to halt the f light of movies and TV shows to other states and countries offering better tax breaks and rebates.

“Scream Queens” wasn’t the only Murphy- Falchuk project to take advantage of the tax credit in the f inal round. FX’s “American Horror Story” is a returning recipient of the program and was among the projects announced Wednesday. Also selected was HBO’s “Westworld.”

The titles announced Wednesday also included three new series: Amazon’s “Good Girls Revolt,” USA’s “Shooter” and Showtime’s “I’m Dying Up Here.” “Good Girls Revolt” and “Shooter” were both picked up from pilots that were shot out of state. The pilot for “Good Girls Revolt” was shot in New York, where the series is set, and the “Shooter” pilot was shot in Vancouver, Canada.

“One of the many benefits of f ilming in California is our wide range of locations that can double for anywhere in the world,” Lemisch said.

Among the projects approved for credits are three TV pilots: CBS’ “Bunker Hill” and “Four Stars” and Hulu’s “Citizen.”

The nine projects announced Wednesday will generate an estimated $ 313 million in direct in- state spending, including $ 121 million in wages to below- theline crew members, according to the f ilm commission, which administers the tax credit program.

For the full fiscal year, the tax credit program is on track to generate $ 1.7 billion in direct in- state spending, including $ 659 million in wages for crew members.

The commission expects those f igures will grow considerably next year, when the program receives its full $ 330 million in annual funding.