Economic Benefits

The new incentive will build up the production community in Missouri. The state currently has more than 11,000 professionals working in the motion picture and commercial production industry already. 

Missouri colleges and universities offer 38 film and digital media programs to future industry and community leaders. 64% of all of Missouri’s graduates leave the state to pursue careers. In this “bright flight” we are ultimately educating the workforce of our competitors. We hope that will change with the new Missouri film incentive program.

Missouri is open for business! 

• An incentive program is part of a business decision checklist for companies.

• There are 200+ scripts in the MO Stories Screenwriting Fellowship – all chances for production in MO.

• Missouri has a rich variety of location offerings and lower production costs than most states.

• An incentive is not a handout, not funding but a tool for economic development. 

The incentive program is statewide. It helps all of Missouri, rural and urban economies. Film productions are not just good for big cities. 

Films and series set in rural areas or raw nature are often interested in Missouri's small towns and natural scenery for their charm, character, and cinematic look. 

Small towns, small cities, big cities, everyone wins with more entertainment industry in Missouri.

Manufacturing entertainment in Missouri is also good for tourism. Film, TV and commercial productions are treated as business travelers whose product (film, TV show, commercial) creates ongoing tourism and economic impact. 

• Seeing a destination in a film is the ultimate product placement.

• Average American watches 34 hours of TV each week.

• 45 million international tourists chose a destination primarily because they saw it on a film or television show; international travelers are a strategic target opportunity for incremental leisure growth to the KC region. 

• Mentioning the name of destination, hotel, restaurant, etc. in a movie has been proven to add additional influence in attracting tourists.