Amazon to move ‘Fallout’ series to California with a tax credit
Relocation from New York is expected to bring scores of jobs, millions in spending.
In a coup for California’s film industry, the Amazon MGM Studios series “Fallout” will relocate filming to the Golden State from New York after receiving a tax credit.
The series, which is based on the popular, post-apocalyptic video game of the same name, is set in Los Angeles but filmed its first season in New York. The show is set to debut this month on Prime Video.
“We are thrilled to bring ‘Fallout’ back to its California roots,” Colleen Bell, executive director of the California Film Commission, said in a statement. “We take pride in productions choosing to pack up and relocate to our great state from other jurisdictions.”
The film commission awarded a total of $152 million in tax credits for 12 television productions, including “Fallout,” for this upcoming season. The commission said the projects will spend about $1.1 billion in the state during the season and will employ 2,300 crew members, 2,200 cast members and 50,000 background performers, measured in the number of days worked.
“Fallout” in particular was a win for the film commission, as it’s expected to contribute about $153 million in qualified expenditures and employ about 170 cast and crew members, making it one of the relocating projects with the biggest total qualified expenditures in the film and television tax credit program’s history, the commission said.
Other shows that will film in California through this tax credit include new ones such as ABC’s “Dr. Odyssey” starring Joshua Jackson and “Grotesquerie” starring Niecy Nash, as well as CBS Studios’ “NCIS: Origins.”
Film and TV production has been slow to return in California after last year’s writers’ and actors’ strikes. Adding to the malaise, studios have been tightening their belts and cutting staff to satisfy Wall Street demands for profitability. Studio executives have also said filming in California is more expensive than in other states.