But there is no escaping the fact that, in 2024, financing a show is harder than ever.
Reaching greenlight has been transformed into an ever-more complicated jigsaw.
Thats wheretax creditscome in.
‘The White Lotus‘HBO
The infrastructure, hotel bookings, transport and eateries all benefit from a large production coming to town.
With credits, that impact has been two-fold.
Tax credits are so important.
They are the reason why so many American shows and American companies are interested in shooting abroad.
They just cannot afford to shoot in the States.
Streamer obligations in the EU, meanwhile, have forced the SVODs to concentrate more spend locally.
Were dealing with it all the time.
Credits can range from the 20% mark to a whopping 50% in places like the Canary Islands.
But while the Canaries weather is always set fare, infrastructure can sometimes struggle to keep up with demand.
Delvilles Belgian outfit Beside Tax Shelter/Beside Productions has an intriguing model.
This could be seen none more so than in Poland and Italy over the past year.
Screen Malta declined to comment for this article.
You have to appreciate that some people wont go to [places like] Saudi Arabia for moral reasons.
Studios are very, very savvy about this, adds the source.
Lorbers idea has yet to be taken up.
In the meantime, the sky looks like it’s the limit for the humble tax credit.
